Praise for Kelsey James
"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 for The Woman in the Castello
"The first-person narrative, told from the young woman’s point of view, is both shocking and exciting, moving from grand ballrooms to flophouses and from shady business dealings to the honesty of pure love. A lengthy court battle will keep readers deliciously on edge in James’s shocking and gripping drama." —firstCLUE (Henrietta Thornton) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall
“Plan to read this suspense filled novel of murder, madness and money in a single sitting.” —Bill Reilly, The River’s End Bookstore (Oswego, NY) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall
“A gothic mystery as full of twists and turns as a Victorian staircase. I couldn’t put it down!” —Lisa Jackson, # 1 New York Times bestselling author on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall
“A midcentury tale of showbiz and family with a touch of the gothic, The Woman in the Castello takes readers to 1960s Italy, where a mysterious horror movie shoot intersects with one woman's family secrets.” —Popsugar on The Woman in the Castello
“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!” —Elizabeth Blackwell, bestselling author of Red Mistress on The Woman in the Castello
“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.” —Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin on The Woman in the Castello
“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 on The Woman in the Castello
“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 on The Woman in the Castello
“Grippingly sinister and dark, fluidly written with a creepy foreboding hanging over castle, lake, and village, all eerily quiet, unwelcoming and preternaturally atmospheric. The cobblestone paths, narrow shadowed alleyways, and scars of war visible in random bullet holes give the village a feeling of life on hold, a place not comfortable with its history. James has pitched her novel straight into the Sixties with two-tone op-art dresses, large framed glasses, and era-sensitive attitudes towards birth out of wedlock.” —Historical Novel Society on The Woman in the Castello
“A story that could easily transfer from book to screen, it’s a chilling read in which the art of the cinema very often reflects the drama of the actors’ actual lives.” —New York Journal of Books on The Woman in the Castello
“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) on The Woman in the Castello
“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) on The Woman in the Castello
“A juicy and riveting story of a high society woman on the verge of losing everything.” —Rachel Martin, Books, Inc. (Campbell, CA) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall
