Genre Fiction
![Kelsey James - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B0BV5NYQQY.jpg)
The Woman in the Castello: A Gripping Historical Novel Perfect for Book Clubs
Set in 1960s Italy, this stylish, atmospheric debut spins a bewitching web of movieland duplicity, family secrets, and the consequences of forbidden love, as an ambitious American actress snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome…
"With its sheen of '60s Euro glamour, this is irresistible and satisfying. James is certainly one to watch." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Rome, 1965: Aspiring actress Silvia Whitford arrives at Rome's famed Cinecittà Studios from Los Angeles, ready for her big break and a taste of la dolce vita. Instead, she learns that the movie in which she was cast has been canceled. Desperate for money, Silvia has only one choice: seek out the Italian aunt she has never met.
Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello on the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia's mother refuses to explain the rift that drove the sisters apart, but Silvia is fascinated by Gabriella, a once-famous actress who still radiates charisma. And the eerie castle inspires Silvia's second chance when it becomes the location for a new horror movie, aptly named The Revenge of the Lake Witch-and she lands a starring role.
Silvia immerses herself in the part of an ingenue tormented by the ghost of her beautiful, seductive ancestor. But when Gabriella abruptly vanishes, the movie's make-believe terrors seep into reality. No one else on set seems to share Silvia's suspicions. Yet as she delves into Gabriella's disappearance, she triggers a chain of events that illuminate dark secrets in the past-and a growing menace in the present…
"Like Jess Walters's Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story that will keep you guessing to the end." –Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
"Mystery, romance, and an enchanting cast of characters with a plucky heroine at its heart. Against the richly drawn backdrop of post-war Italy, in a castle brimming with secrets, Kelsey James explores the enduring and sometimes destructive power of love, family, and ambition." –Amanda Skenandore, author of The Nurse's Secret
"With its sheen of '60s Euro glamour, this is irresistible and satisfying. James is certainly one to watch." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
Rome, 1965: Aspiring actress Silvia Whitford arrives at Rome's famed Cinecittà Studios from Los Angeles, ready for her big break and a taste of la dolce vita. Instead, she learns that the movie in which she was cast has been canceled. Desperate for money, Silvia has only one choice: seek out the Italian aunt she has never met.
Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello on the edge of a volcanic lake. Silvia's mother refuses to explain the rift that drove the sisters apart, but Silvia is fascinated by Gabriella, a once-famous actress who still radiates charisma. And the eerie castle inspires Silvia's second chance when it becomes the location for a new horror movie, aptly named The Revenge of the Lake Witch-and she lands a starring role.
Silvia immerses herself in the part of an ingenue tormented by the ghost of her beautiful, seductive ancestor. But when Gabriella abruptly vanishes, the movie's make-believe terrors seep into reality. No one else on set seems to share Silvia's suspicions. Yet as she delves into Gabriella's disappearance, she triggers a chain of events that illuminate dark secrets in the past-and a growing menace in the present…
"Like Jess Walters's Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story that will keep you guessing to the end." –Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
"Mystery, romance, and an enchanting cast of characters with a plucky heroine at its heart. Against the richly drawn backdrop of post-war Italy, in a castle brimming with secrets, Kelsey James explores the enduring and sometimes destructive power of love, family, and ambition." –Amanda Skenandore, author of The Nurse's Secret
Editorial Reviews
Praise for The Woman in the Castello
"James makes a dazzling debut with this gothic tale of intrigue and danger...With its sheen of '60s Euro glamour, this is irresistible and satisfying. James is certainly one to watch." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"A young actress desperate for stardom agrees to film a horror movie in her aunt's crumbling Italian castle. Then the aunt disappears. What secrets lurk in her past-and in the mysterious lake behind the castle? The Woman in the Castello is a thoroughly original blend of mystery, family drama, and sultry romance, all unfolding in the fast-paced world of a Swinging Sixties movie set. A riveting debut from author Kelsey James!" -Elizabeth Blackwell, bestselling author of Red Mistress
"The 1960s in Rome, a crumbling Italian castle on the edge of a volcanic lake, a glamorous aunt she's never met, and a starring role in a horror movie that begins to feel a bit too real…Kelsey James's debut novel is a delicious Gothic filled with atmosphere, twists, romance, and dark secrets. Readers will devour it."-Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin
"Like Jess Walters's Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story that will keep you guessing to the end. Silvia and Gabriella are flawed, fascinating characters who will linger in your mind long after the book is closed." -Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
"Mystery, romance, and an enchanting cast of characters with a plucky heroine at its heart. Against the richly drawn backdrop of post-war Italy, in a castle brimming with secrets, Kelsey James explores the enduring and sometimes destructive power of love, family, and ambition." -Amanda Skenandore, author of The Nurse's Secret
"Cinematic and spooky, there is something for everyone in this gripping historical novel that expertly blends a love story with family drama and a twist of suspense. Readers will be swept up in the glamorous-and sometimes grungy-1960s movie scene, and the magnificent setting is sure to inspire many a trip to ...
"James makes a dazzling debut with this gothic tale of intrigue and danger...With its sheen of '60s Euro glamour, this is irresistible and satisfying. James is certainly one to watch." - Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"A young actress desperate for stardom agrees to film a horror movie in her aunt's crumbling Italian castle. Then the aunt disappears. What secrets lurk in her past-and in the mysterious lake behind the castle? The Woman in the Castello is a thoroughly original blend of mystery, family drama, and sultry romance, all unfolding in the fast-paced world of a Swinging Sixties movie set. A riveting debut from author Kelsey James!" -Elizabeth Blackwell, bestselling author of Red Mistress
"The 1960s in Rome, a crumbling Italian castle on the edge of a volcanic lake, a glamorous aunt she's never met, and a starring role in a horror movie that begins to feel a bit too real…Kelsey James's debut novel is a delicious Gothic filled with atmosphere, twists, romance, and dark secrets. Readers will devour it."-Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin
"Like Jess Walters's Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story that will keep you guessing to the end. Silvia and Gabriella are flawed, fascinating characters who will linger in your mind long after the book is closed." -Susan Wiggs, # 1 New York Times bestselling author
"Mystery, romance, and an enchanting cast of characters with a plucky heroine at its heart. Against the richly drawn backdrop of post-war Italy, in a castle brimming with secrets, Kelsey James explores the enduring and sometimes destructive power of love, family, and ambition." -Amanda Skenandore, author of The Nurse's Secret
"Cinematic and spooky, there is something for everyone in this gripping historical novel that expertly blends a love story with family drama and a twist of suspense. Readers will be swept up in the glamorous-and sometimes grungy-1960s movie scene, and the magnificent setting is sure to inspire many a trip to ...
Readers Top Reviews
Julie Failla Earh
Welcome to the creepiest castle in Italy. It’s damp, dark, haunted, and the perfect setting for a horror movie. This novel has all my favorite elements: Historical fiction, ghosts, Hollywood, mystery and drama, set in Italy. The protagonist, Silvia Whitford, is a desperate, want-to-be actress. She has landed a minor role in an Italian film, “Five Days in Roma.” The novel’s opening really captured the essence of a person stepping on studio lot, with dreams as big as the movies. The time is 1965 when spaghetti westerns and “Arthouse Italian horror flicks” were the rage. She has recently arrived in Rome with her toddler and terminally ill mother with more on her mind that just the movie. Italy is also the home of her mother’s estranged sister, Gabriella, the one she has not spoken with nor seen since the war. Silvia feels that she can broker a peace negotiation between the sisters. Not only for their sakes, but for her and her daughter’s. However, Silvia’s mother wants nothing to do with Gabriella. Silvia isn’t in Rome long when the movie gets tanked. Now what is she to do? Luckily, the room the studio put up for is good for a few days. Since she has so much time on her hands, Silvia decides to try reconciliation from Gabriella’s side. The associate director of dead movie, Paul, has promised to find Silvia a new job before she must vacate her rooms. And he does, but the movie still needs a location. Silvia gets Gabriella to rent them her castle. It’s a spooky, damp and weird place. “The Woman in the Castello” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.
A_MacJulie Failla
It’s 1965, and Silvia Whitford has traveled from Los Angeles to Rome with her mother and young daughter for a small part in a movie she’s filming. But before filming can even begin, she is told she’s no longer needed. Desperate for money and work, she goes behind her mother’s back and reaches out to her estranged aunt who lives near Rome. While their initial meeting is rocky, Silvia realizes that her aunt and her dilapidated castle may just be her ticket to fame. But what secrets and dangers lurk within the castle, and what isn’t her aunt telling her? This was an intriguing work of historical fiction and mystery that was highly enjoyable. I quite liked the time and setting of this work. I also enjoyed how the author included parallels between the movie and Silvia’s reality – it made for some good, tense moments and some interesting red herrings. The characters were good overall. They were written well enough to not detract from the work, though I would have like a bit more depth and development from them all. I did want a bit more from the atmosphere of the read. I was expecting it to feel more gothic and darker due to the setting, but those feelings never really came across. I thought this work would be a bit darker overall based on the blurb and genres. I also wanted a little bit more from the relationship. It was only a subplot, but it moved too quickly for me to find the relationship compelling. Despite wanting more from this read in several aspects, I devoured this book and was highly entertained. This was an easy, intriguing story that kept me engaged and made me lose track of time – it would be quite suitable for a vacation/beach read. My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me to read this work, which will be published 25 July 2023. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
LuckyDogA_MacJuli
Just when you think you've solved the mystery and are sure Sylvia is blind as to who is behind everything happening at the castle, the story takes an unexpected twist and you find yourself smiling at just how well executed this story was.
JillLuckyDogA_Mac
I loved this book! The setting and character development drew me in, and the plot has numerous surprises. It combines history - political, of the county of Italy and the US, of the movie business, feminism, mystery, suspense, romance, career goals and passions, and family devotion. In addition, it is beautifully written and I look forward to reading more by this author. An interesting and enjoyable read!
