Early Praise for The Woman in the Castello
“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 Italy. A delight for the senses and a truly entertaining story!” – Nicole Baart, bestselling author of Everything We Didn’t Say
"You’ll get lost in the pages of this lush, entertaining story as you follow aspiring actress Silvia Whitford through the dark towers and crumbling staircases of a remote Italian castle, where she uncovers twists and turns around every corner, including shocking family secrets you’ll never see coming.” —Ellen Marie Wiseman, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Willowbrook
“An impromptu movie set in a medieval castle in 1960s Italy provides a fascinating backdrop for this fresh gothic tale filled with mystery, family secrets, and unexpected romance.” —Lorena Hughes, author of The Spanish Daughter
“From the moment a stunning 1960s Italy kisses your hand and draws you into the opening pages of this novel, you’ll be riveted to The Woman in the Castello. Mysterious, stimulating, intoxicating … a dark, rich caffe corretto of a novel.” —K.D. Alden, author of A Mother’s Promise
“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 Italy. A delight for the senses and a truly entertaining story!” —Nicole Baart, bestselling author of Everything We Didn’t Say
“A tantalizing mixture of romance, mystery, and the Gothic enfolded in a well-crafted plot that pays homage to the long lineage of ghostly tales, romantic and suspense.” —V.S. Alexander, author of The War Girls
“The Woman in the Castello comes with all the trappings of the Gothic: a beautiful but dilapidated and forebodingly remote estate, collapsing boundaries between reality and fantasy and dream, and secrets that will not stay secret. Kelsey James crafts in Silvia, a young actress starring in her first film, an exciting new take on the Gothic heroine… James has given us a beautiful work of historical fiction and Gothic horror, and an impassioned love letter to Italian horror cinema” —Jenn Jordan, Syosset Public Library (Syosset, NY)
“From page one you are in Italy, and even better, Rome in the 1960s… with the excitement of making a film and the tension of keeping secrets… as old mysteries unfold and new ones build, Kelsey James takes you through a perfect blend.” —Kira Wizner, Merritt Bookstore (Millbrook, NY)
“A little mystery, a little ghost story, and a whole lot of family. Reading this fun novel feels like watching an art house movie filled with color and theatrics. Grab some popcorn and let yourself be transported." —Mary Webber O’Malley, Skylark Bookshop (La Grange Highlands, IL)
“A young unwed mother determined to support her daughter and her dying mother…a movie production beset by problems and Hollywood drama…a crumbling lakeside castle haunted by the past, by family secrets – and by, perhaps, a ghost? Toss in a mid-’60s Italian setting and a steamy romance, and you have the perfect addition to your beach bag this summer.” —Laurie Walters, Brighton District Library (Brighton, MI)
“1960’s Italy: a horror film being filmed in a crumbling, possibly haunted, castle owned by the estranged aunt of the leading starlet. What could be better? As the lines between reality and the movie plot begin to blur in this tautly written novel, family secrets begin to emerge that if revealed, might lead to unforeseen, and possibly deadly, consequences for everyone.” —Jennifer Winberry, Hunterdon County Library (Flemington, NJ)
Narrator Patricia Santomasso takes us to Italy in the 1960s. When American actress Silvia finds that the film she was supposed to shoot in Italy is canceled, she and her mother are left almost penniless. Silvia then travels to the castello of her eccentric aunt, Gabriella, once a famous actress, hoping to borrow some money. The castle is chosen as the location for a new horror film, and both Silvia and Gabriella are cast. Santomasso gives each new character an authentic voice and accent. Although her delivery of narrative passages is overly breathy, she's especially strong as the rift between Gabriella and Silvia's mother reveals long buried secrets. Original characters, romance, mysterious noises in a spooky old castle, all read with enthusiasm and intelligence, make this entertaining listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
Narrator Patricia Santomasso takes us to Italy in the 1960s. When American actress Silvia finds that the film she was supposed to shoot in Italy is canceled, she and her mother are left almost penniless. Silvia then travels to the castello of her eccentric aunt, Gabriella, once a famous actress, hoping to borrow some money. The castle is chosen as the location for a new horror film, and both Silvia and Gabriella are cast. Santomasso gives each new character an authentic voice and accent. Although her delivery of narrative passages is overly breathy, she's especially strong as the rift between Gabriella and Silvia's mother reveals long buried secrets. Original characters, romance, mysterious noises in a spooky old castle, all read with enthusiasm and intelligence, make this entertaining listening. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine
