Emily and Chess attempt to rekindle their childhood friendship with a girls' trip to Italy's notorious Villa Aestas. It's high-end now, but in 1974 was the site of several momentous events, including the murder of a rock star, the writing of a horror novel, and the composition of a platinum album. But has Villa Aestas claimed its final victim? New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hawkins' Gothic thriller posits the question of whether we can ever truly know even our oldest friends.