I really enjoyed this novel from a promising new author! I found it a bit hard to categorize, as it combines elements of historical fiction, feminism, family drama, mystery, and suspense, but they all worked together to create a fast-paced and captivating read.

Set in mid-1960s Italy, the story follows the protagonist, Silvia, an Italian-American single mother and aspiring actress, who returns to Italy with her young daughter in tow at the behest of her mother, who is dying of cancer and desires to spend her remaining days in her homeland. There, Silvia reunites with her affluent estranged aunt, a former actress who resides in a castello (castle) in the Italian countryside. Silvia manages to land the lead role in a horror movie (think a Hitchcock-inspired film), which ends up being filmed on the grounds of her aunt's castle. Things quickly go awry, however, as her aunt suddenly vanishes, Silvia begins to uncover family secrets, and she becomes the recipient of threatening messages and gestures, realizing that life may actually be imitating art.

Overall, this was a solidly 4-star read for me, and the audiobook version was great, as the different voices and accents of the characters were entertaining. I look forward to future novels by this author!

Thanks to Kensington Books, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the audiobook access to this novel!

Thank you, NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for this advance copy in exchange for my review.

This is an excellent debut that I very much enjoyed.
I went into it thinking it would have Evelyn Hugo vibes and it kind of did from the standpoint of Silvia's career and the era the book is set in.
I loved the little bit of mystery, and was thoroughly invested in finding out what exactly was happening.
I don't want to say a lot more and spoil anything :)


The narrator Patricia Santomasso was great and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks that they narrate.

*spoiler* This book was so boring. I almost quit listening half a dozen times. I thought it was going to have a bit of a thriller/suspense type of vibe but it just fell so flat. There were definitely some surprise moments at the end but I don't know if they were worth waiting for. If I wasn't driving for 3 hours in a car with no other audiobooks I really wanted to listen to I definitely would have given up on this one. The characters had very little dimension. Take the main character, for example, who falls in and out of love with Paul like four times in two weeks and knows for certain how good of a person he is but the only time they spend together is when they are banging and there is no conversation between the two of them and no ability for us to actually determine if he is a good person but then she still goes ahead and decides she can't trust him, accuses him of murder, and then forgives him and moves in with him basically all in the same day. Oof. Then she is convinced the other actress on set is threatening her even though there is absolutely no reason for her to do so. It's just a hot mess of nonsense with a gothic vibe. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

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.

This is an interesting premise set in an atmospheric castle in Rome (hence the castello!) surrounded by mystery and intrigue. I felt al through the story was too drawn out - I suspect the author was trying to build suspense - but it made it difficult to get into the story and want to keep reading. Patricia Santomasso did a wonderful job with the narration.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The book brought on a real glimpse of what filming would be like in an old neglected castle. The crossroads the main character faces; to continue filming like nothing is wrong like everyone around her is telling her to do or go find her aunt. This crossroad was really gripped through the authors writing. Was a relatable main character. Would def recommend. Thank you netgalley for the advanced audio of this!

This book. My goodness what a ride this was!

This is the kind of thriller I miss reading and absolutely incredible for a debut novel for Kelsey James (which I can’t lie took me by surprised because it is fantastic!).

The movie and Sylvia’s life twisting together to bleed into one another was an element I enjoyed the most, everything tying up perfectly at the end.

Patricia Santomasso was the perfect narrator for this as well, she was definitely a huge part of my enjoyment of this.

There were a lot of characters which at times did make it slightly confusing, especially when it came to the murder mystery element but didn’t stop the story flow enough to put me off.

Thank you so much RB Media and NetGalley for the arc, and I look forward to see what Kelsey James comes out with next!

It’s 1960 and Silvia is an aspiring actress. She meets Paul who is an assistant director in Rome when she finds out that the project that she came to star in has been cancelled. Silvia needs to find work, she has her mother Elena and her daughter Lulu to support. Silvia has an aunt names Gabriella whom she’s never met. Her mother and her aunt had a rift before Silvia was born and they don’t speak. When Silvia goes to met her long lost aunt in secret she is amazed to find out that Gabriella lives in a castle outside Rome. While she’s visiting her aunt there is a knock on the door and it happens to be Paul with some other movie people wanting to use the castle for a new movie project. Silvia auditions for this part and gets it.

Now that she is on set and staying in the castle, she learns that the castle is haunted. Creepy stuff keeps happening. And her aunt disappears. Now Silvia has to figure out what happened to her aunt, keep her mother and daughter safe and be the best actress she can be so they do not try to replace her. But everyone is a suspect in her eyes.

This book is the perfect mix of mystery and romance. I didn’t realize it was a ghost story when I started the book (I didn’t read the synopsis, I picked this book based on the genre and book cover). The ghost aspect intrigued me. And then the main twist at the end was a real shocker. I honestly had some predictions and that twist never crossed my mind, I literally yelled “no way” while I was listening. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for this ARC audiobook. The narrator was perfect for this story. I look forward to more books by Kelsey James.

This one kept me listening with a good story line and well done narration. Set in the sixties, it’s a story cast in Italy where a young woman has gone to further her career as an actress. The lovely and mysterious atmosphere of a castle in Italy is the setting which includes a complex family history, shades of WWII, as well as quite a bit of romance.

It is 1965 and Silvia Whitford is sent to Rome to act a role in a movie. When the movie goes under, Silvia must figure out how to survive in Rome with her mother and young daughter, Lulu. Silvia finds her estranged aunt, Gabriella, who lives in a castle, but her mother will not have anything to do with her sister, Gabriella. During this time, Silvia auditions for another role in another film and the director wants to film it in her aunt’s castle. I loved the setting in Italy. The characters were well developed, but some of them I wanted more out of. This was a quick read. I enjoyed that this was a historical fiction that was set post WWII. I wish the castle felt more haunted. The plot was easy to follow and kept me engaged. A ghost story and family secrets make for a good book. I thought this would have been more of an emotional or gothic read, but it was neither. Overall, I enjoyed it.

I enjoyed this book! I liked the characters, the post-war storyline, the setting, etc. I thought it was entertaining and fun to be apart of the filmmaking process during this time period.

In this beguiling midcentury historical fiction novel set in 1960s Italy, an ambitious American actress and single mother snags the starring role in a mysterious horror movie shooting on location in a crumbling medieval castle outside Rome...

This was my first Kelsey James novel. I enjoyed this moody gothic novel with details about post war Italian Castle.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher RB Media.

Set in 1960s Italy, the plot of The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James revolves around twenty-year-old aspiring actress and single mother Silvia Whitford who travels to Rome as part of the cast of a movie that is suddenly canceled leaving her without work and in need of a place to stay. Sylvia hasn’t had much success in her career having played only small parts in movies and was hoping to relocate to Italy with her terminally ill mother, who is Italian but moved to the United States after WWII, and her two-year-old daughter Lulu who traveled with Silvia. But the cancellation of the project puts a wrench in her plans. With no other options in sight, Silvia contacts her mother’s estranged sister Gabriella Conti. Gabriella is a recluse who lives alone in a medieval castle, Castello del Lago, which is in a state of disrepair and is believed to be haunted by one of their ancestors. Gabriella and Silvia’s mother have not spoken for years and are unwilling to meet one another, remaining vague when asked about the reason behind their feud. When a movie crew approaches Gabriella to rent the castle to shoot for a new horror movie, The Revenge of the Lake Witch, Silvia manages to convince Gabriella to agree. Silvia also bags a lead role in the movie and the cast and crew temporarily move in. But Gabriella becomes increasingly agitated even insisting that the crew vacate the premises. Silvia tries to placate her aunt but tensions are high and when Gabriella suddenly disappears, Silvia suspects foul play and believes that someone from the production unit might be responsible for the same. Complicating matters further are the eerie occurrences in the Castello, the evidence of a gruesome crime and the fact that nobody, including the carabinieri, seems to be taking her concern for her missing aunt seriously. As the narrative progresses, we follow Sylvia as she juggles her work and family responsibilities, her budding relationship with a new flame and her search for the truth behind what happened to her aunt.

Combining elements of historical fiction, romance, family drama, suspense and mystery, The Woman in the Castello is an intriguing read. I really loved the setting, the descriptions of the castle and the Gothic vibes (not too scary but added to the atmosphere). Silvia is portrayed as impulsive and a tad immature but I thought the author does a good job of developing the character as the plot progresses. Gabriella is an intriguing character with an interesting backstory and I wish that had been explored further. The romance track was a tad rushed but I was glad that the romance angle did not overshadow the mystery. I enjoyed how the author describes the dynamics between the cast and crew of the movie and thought the characters were well drawn (even the unlikeable ones). The twists, red herrings and the build-up to the final reveal were well-executed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the audio narration by Patricia Santomasso who has done a wonderful job of voicing the characters and setting the mood for this story.

Suspenseful and atmospheric, with a fluid narrative and an interesting cast of characters The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James is an entertaining read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the ALC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James
Historical mystery with romance. Mid 1960’s.
Silvia Whitford travels to Rome with her sick mother and her daughter for an acting job she hopes will launch her career. Low on money, Silvia goes to a small town in Italy to find an aunt she has never met, knowing she may need to beg for a place to live for her small family.
Gabriella Conti lives in a crumbling castello that has a volcanic lake. Although she doesn’t want it, a movie studio agreement is reached to be filmed in the castello, with Silvia in the main role. The horror movie fits well in the old castle with an on-site ghost and a group of strangers living together.

🎧 I listened to an audiobook version narrated by Patricia Santomasso. The performance is dramatic and tense, the perfect format for the horror movie mystery story. There are specific voices for Silvia, Gabriella, the daughter, and a couple of the male actors in the cast. Silvia is the primary character and you can clearly hear her trepidation and throughout as stumbling blocks are thrown at her.
I listened to this at my regular preferred speed of 1.5 at what I feel is the closest conversational tone in my regional area.

Suspenseful and intriguing as family dynamics emerge and twists evolve.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher RB Media.

In 1965 Rome, Silvia Whitford is a struggling actress who was about to star in a picture at Cincetti Studios. Unfortunately, the picture is cancelled and Silvia struggles with finding a new job FAST. She, her mother and her daughter LuLu have taken all their saving and moved to Rome for a fresh start. The move also puts them closer to Silvia's aunt, Gabriella Conti, who lives a castello on the hill near a volcanic lake. Silvia's mother and Gabriella have been estranged for many years and her mother refuses to discuss the breach.
Luckily, Silvia has been hired for a new picture that will be filmed at her aunt's crumbling castello. But then her aunt disappears and things start going wrong on the film. The mystery of what happened to Sivia's aunt and the gothic vibes will give you lots of summer chills!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this audio e-arc.*

Missing woman in a haunted Italian castle? Witchy horror film? Mysterious aunt with a shady past?

This story has A LOT! When Silvia finds herself stranded in Italy without a job and no way to care for her daughter and ailing mother, she decides to visit her estranged aunt. Her aunt hesitantly welcomes her into her castle, which also happens to be a great set for a horror film. One which Silvia agrees to star in. Shortly before filming begins Silvia’s aunt goes missing. No one but Silvia is concerned. As she starts digging into the mysterious disappearance, Silvia begins uncovering things about her past she may wish she never knew.

The moody castle certainly sets the scene for this complicated tale of intertwining family histories. As Silvia stars in her first major film part, she spends a lot of time learning about film and her family. Silvia’s inner dialogue is a bit naive for her situation as a mother and caretaker. The author also has a habit of making Silvia say exactly what’s she’s thinking about doing instead of doing what she should be doing.

4.25⭐️

A touch of history, a wisp of the supernatural, a mystery, romance, meta horror- The Woman in the Castello has it all, wrapped up in an enjoyable, easily readable package. I enjoyed flying right through this unputdownable read in a single summer afternoon.

Patricia Santomasso did a fantastic job narrating the audiobook.

Thank you Kelsey James, HighBridge Audio, and NetGalley for providing this ALC for review consideration. All opinions expressed are my own.

DNF @55%

I had high hopes for this gothic historical mystery set on a horror film set in Italy. It sounded right up my alley but I really did not get on with it. Almost nothing happens for the first 30-40% and the writing style felt overly descriptive without doing enough to develop the characters. For a book like this, I expect things to ramp up much more quickly but even at 55% things were just beginning to happen.

The main character I found irritating- immature, whiny, and unrealistic for a new actress trying to make a name for herself and protect her young daughter. I also have questions about the setup with this estranged aunt who was a star actress in facist & Nazi propaganda films. I don't know what to think about how that's handled. At more than half-way through the book, I wanted to be much more invested and on the edge of my seat rather than bored and annoyed by turns. So I peeked at a spoilery review, and I don't think the direction this takes would have improved things for me. Sadly a miss, but some readers seem to be getting on well with it so take my review with a grain of salt. The audio narrator does a good job. I received an audio review copy of this book from NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

Silvia Whitford’s big break in her bid for stardom is dashed when she arrives on set in Rome only to find out the film has been canceled. With no money, Silvia seeks out the Italian aunt she’s never met. Her aunt, Gabriella, lives in a decaying villa on a lake, the scene of which, ironically becomes the setting for a horror movie in which Silvia lands the lead role. The story is a creepy one and becomes all too real when Gabriella disappears. The rest of the cast and crew think Silvia is overreacting, but she knows the story of the Lake Witch has basis in fact

The Woman In The Castello is a wonderful debut novel by @kelseyjamesauthor 🖤 It is atmospheric with a setting that is both intriguing and creepy: a crumbling medieval castle outside of Rome that is rumored to be haunted. The story at its heart is a historical mystery with a dash of romance. It follows aspiring American actress, Sylvia who seeks out her estranged Italian aunt who is a former actress. Upon her arrival to her aunt’s castello, Sylvia finds herself cast as the leading role in a horror movie. As filming begins, mysterious circumstances begin to occur. Is this castello really haunted? What secrets are the film crew hiding?

I recommend grabbing this audiobook for a summer thriller or for spooky season in the fall!

Thank you @highbridgeaudio and @netgalley for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.