The Woman in the Villa

An utterly gripping psychological thriller with a heart-stopping twist

De: Helen Cooper

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A holiday to Italy with my husband and his family should be a dream trip. Spending two weeks in the scorching sun, relaxing by the pool, sipping on local wine...

Two weeks of trying to hide what I've done.

When I meet Carmen, the woman staying in the villa next to us, I'm immediately drawn to her, thankful to have some normalcy against the intensity of my in laws. I didn't expect to tell her my biggest secret, one that could tear my whole life apart.

But when I return the next day to beg Carmen not to tell a soul, the house is completely empty, and she is nowhere to be found.

Who was the woman in the villa? Why was she there? Who have I told my darkest secret to...

Praise for Helen Cooper:
'Dark and twisty with a shocking conclusion' Nicole Trope

'Another masterfully constructed novel from the queen of psychological thrillers' Sarah Bonner

'Gripping and unputdownable. There are secrets, mystery, betrayal and twists. The characters were mysterious... The plot was clever and I didn't see the twists coming. The twists were jaw dropping' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Twists and turns a plenty... A gripping read for your sunlounger this summer' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I was gripped by this beautifully, written, intricately plotted, tangle of secrets and lies' Louise Jensen

'An extraordinary read, filled with unforeseen twists that kept me flipping through the pages rapidly. I absolutely adored it' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Full of family secrets and betrayal. I was invested from the start and thought the relationships were all written and developed brilliantly. I really enjoyed this and was left thinking about it for days afterwards' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A brilliant read that had me gripped all the way through' Reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐©2026 Helen Cooper (P)2026 Hodder & Stoughton Limited