This was an interesting read. it suffered from the affliction of surprise! I happen to be someone who prefers to know what she is getting into when I pick up a book, so when a book winds up being completely different than what I was expecting, it usually doesn't work in the book's favor. I have read 4 of Moreno's previous books, and own all of them so I was expecting something in a similar vein, some type pf horror. Her most recent release prior to this one was about the classic horror film industry, and the cover of this one implied that it would. be about a similar topic, but I was very surprised by what it ended up being, in fact my main complaint about this book is that it doesn't seem to know what kind of book it's trying to be.


This wound up being large in scope, but Moreno's flawless writing made this the 4 star reading experience that it was. Moreno has the unique ability to write horror in a literary manner, which is not easy to do but Moreno does an impeccable job. Moreno's books somehow manage to toe the line between horror, and mystery, which she pulls off quite effortlessly. Moreno is a top notch writer with unusually fine skills, while this is not my favorite book by any means, it's still good and worth the read.

This is unlike her other books and I loved it! Loved the 50s vibes and the mysterious atmosphere. And that cover is AMAZING

Silvia Moreno-Garcia delivers a captivating tale of ambition, desire, and betrayal in The Seventh Veil of Salome, a richly layered drama set against the dazzling yet ruthless backdrop of 1950s Hollywood. With its Technicolor sheen and undercurrent of darkness, the novel expertly intertwines the lives of three women: Vera Larios, an up-and-coming Mexican actress thrust into the limelight; Nancy Hartley, a bitter and determined bit player clawing for recognition; and Salome herself, whose ancient story of seduction and tragedy parallels the cutthroat ambition of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

The narrative sparkles with Moreno-Garcia’s signature style, blending historical intrigue with psychological depth. Vera’s journey from obscurity to stardom mesmerizes, capturing the intoxicating glamour and suffocating scrutiny of fame. Nancy’s descent into envy and desperation adds a sharp, suspenseful edge to the story. At the same time, Salome’s tale serves as an allegorical mirror, deepening the novel’s exploration of power, passion, and sacrifice.

What truly sets this book apart is its vibrant depiction of Hollywood as a character in its own right. Moreno-Garcia evokes the glitter and grime of the industry with precision, making every scene feel like a reel from a forgotten classic. The interplay of the women’s stories is compelling, though some readers may find Nancy’s arc slightly predictable compared to the more nuanced struggles of Vera and Salome.

*The Seventh Veil of Salome* is an enthralling mix of historical drama, feminist commentary, and gothic allure. It’s a must-read for fans of old Hollywood, with complex female characters and tales that explore the cost of ambition and the weight of desire.

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-García is absolutely stunning!!! SMG steps away from her usual horror and NAILS historical fiction with this drama-filled story set in 1950’s Hollywood!

The old Hollywood vibes were immaculate. I loved the behind-the-scenes look at the industry, especially through the eyes of our MC, Vera Larios!

The way this book tackled racism felt very honest for the time period, and Vera’s unwavering strength and pride in her Mexican identity was so empowering.

The drama had me HOOKED. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, it was fast-paced, and the suspense at the end?? I was on the edge of my seat!

THE 411...

The Seventh Veil Of Salome is a dual timeline/multi-perspective Historical Fiction set during 1950's Hollywood and Biblical times (with background appearances of Jesus who at the time is performing miracles on the townspeople.) We follow three women as their stories unfold: Vera Larios - an unknown Mexican ingenue who is cast in the lead role of Salome; Nancy Hartley - an actress whose career has run dry and is starving for a lead role that will grant her access to a life of fame and fortune; Princess Salome - in love with a prophet who has angered many of the higher officials looking to silence him but not before he speaks on the misfortune that is to come onto Salome's stepfather.

We meet Vera Larios who's just been cast in a swords-and-sandals biblical movie that is being directed by a notoriously difficult to work with director. Vera has no acting experience whatsoever but she caught his eye as the only ideal fit to play the role of the beautiful Salome. In the bible, Salome is known for the beheading of John the Baptist. Vera who has spent most of her life being overlooked or dismissed by her mother for her darker complexion saw this as an opportunity to step into the limelight and a chance to breakaway from the toxicity at home. On the film set and in the media she encounters misogyny and racism from men and women. The men objectify her, the women see her as stealing their roles with her "exotic" features, while the media portrays hers as an explosive unpredictable Latina. As the movie begins to film, we get an inside look at Hollywood during this time as the cast of Salome parties and gives the media the tea for their headlines. Nancy Hartley on the other hand is desperately trying to secure a lead role by any means necessary, Vera being a Mexican woman fuels her ire. We see an unhinged woman's downward spiral powered by hate and racism. The cunning Salome has suitors lined up but she's set her eyes on the one man she absolutely can't have and whose days are numbered. will she choose love or power?

It wouldn't be a SMG novel if it followed the same style of writing with each story she delivered. The Seventh Veil Of Salome is part documentary told through the lens of multiple characters reflecting on what transpired on the set of Salome. While also traveling back to the biblical times of Salome and John the Baptiste. Each of these ambitious women deliver such a captivating story that as much as I was enjoying the perspective I was in, I was also thinking of the other women's situations. Whether you're new to SMG or an avid reader of her books, the atmospheric writing alone will guarantee a rich reading experience. I'm not sure what is in SMG's pen but no matter the time period/plot, the ease with which you are transported make all of their books a must read.

I am always amazed at how talented Silvia Moren0-Garcia is at writing, whether it is gothic horror, magical realism, noir, or in this case historical fiction. I've said it before and I'll say it again that there is nothing she can't do.

Set in the golden era of Hollywood epics, Valeria is a Mexican beauty who has been cast in the titular role of Salome, to the chagrin of Nancy, a wannabe movie star who believes she has been robbed of the role and instead cast as a background character. The novel moves between the stories and testimonies of those on set and the biblical story of Salome herself. I must admit that as someone who was not raised with organized religion, I was unfamiliar with this particular story so I found those chapters to be the most compelling. Neither Nancy nor Valeria were particularly likeable to be so I had a difficult time caring about either one of them, although I was fascinated by the cunning and cruel nature of Nancy which made her more enigmatic on the page.

Overall, this was a solid work from Garcia with the same gorgeous and vivid storytelling that I have grown to love, but this one is definitely more of a slow burn than an action packed thriller. However, I must say that I do prefer her more ethereal/supernatural stories, but that is purely personal taste. Basically, if Silvia writes it, I will automatically move it up in my queue to read.

Recommended for those who love a good Hollywood noir and also those who love retellings of religious/mythological stories. 3.5 stars overall

Thank you to NetGalley, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and Del Rey for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is my second read by Silvia Moreno-Garcia but I am once again amazed by how she constructs such an interesting story while teaching you so much about the history of cinema, especially as it relates to Mexican cinema.

The Seventh Veil of Salome features three characters interwoven through time, tied by the story of Salome. I was not at all familiar with this story, but some of the chapters were told by Salome herself, which was a great way to discover the tale while also keeping up with our heroine, Vera Larios, and her opposition, Nancy in 1950s Hollywood. I've discovered that this Salome does not act like she does in the classic story, but I love that this book made me want to find out more.
The beginning and middle of each woman's story was so rich, that I felt a little disappointed by how abruptly they ended, although I think we learn from the book that this is just what happens to stories sometimes, they come to an abrupt end. Great read, very immersive and also just very cool.

Salome isn’t a memorable character in scripture, but Moreno-Garcia uses her story to add depth to the novel. The contrast between Hollywood’s gritty world and Biblical corruption is intriguing.

The book tells two main stories: one about a chaotic 20th-century film production, with a Mexican actress playing Salome and trying to sabotage her career, and the other about the real Salome. The Hollywood story is dark and fascinating, showing the struggles of non-white performers and the harsh reality of fame.

However, Salome's chapters feel slow and less engaging. While they become more relevant at the end, they distract from the more compelling Hollywood plot. A different approach might have worked better. 4/5 stars.

Another film-related fiction from SMG? Hell yes.

While this is not my favorite SMG book, I really enjoyed The Seventh Veil of Salome and wish there were more people talking about it this year.

The story focused on the golden era of glamorous Hollywood and how the story was in parallel with Salome's tragedy.
The book also called out racism and discrimination Mexican actresses faced, which shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

I'm surprised there hasn't been a Salome retelling, maybe that'll be SMG's next project?

This was a flashback to old Hollywood.

I really enjoy Silvia's writing style, it is so flowy and beautiful. This book also has references to the bible and a story within it. One I have never heard about but Silvia really did her background work.

I never quite knew where this book was going. The ending kind of shocked me really I was not expecting that. I really enjoyed our characters and Silvia really wrote a banger with Nancy how I hated yet understood her for at least a little bit.

This book definitely has some touchy subjects with race, family and love.

I can't wait to read more books from Silvia and thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review.

I wholeheartedly recommend this brilliant and perfectly crafted book! Moreno-Garcia never fails to deliver a book I enjoy and can recommend this to all my friends!

A very unique story taking us back to an ancient story while simultaneously giving us insight into Hollywood during the 50’s. This was very well written and kept me coming back for more!

I'm always up for a new book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but I definitely struggled with this one (see: taking four months to finish it, albeit with a very lengthy break around the 1/4 mark).

At times it felt like The Seventh Veil of Salome didn't know what kind of story it wanted to be. Most of the time we're either in Nancy Hartley or Vera Larios' third-person POV while events are unfolding, but we also get interview-esque segments from related characters that are clearly reflecting on past events. And then throughout all of those is interwoven Salome's story, presumably as Joe the screenwriter wished he could have told it.

I liked Vera's story, how she dealt with the racism of 1950s Hollywood as well as the colorism within her own family, and Nancy was absolutely (believably) nasty. The pace felt so slow, though, and as I've found with other Moreno-Garcia novels the tension ratcheted up 1000% in the last quarter of the novel only for the ending to feel too abrupt and rushed.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can easily write in any genre and always add a perfect message in it along with all the atmospheric vibes. It has an incredible full cast audio if you want to go that route. and made for a super intriguing historical fiction story to a real historical figure. Loved the alternating timelines between Salome in the 1st century and 1950s Hollywood.

I honestly didn’t know what to expect when I picked this one up, but I have to say Silvia Moreno - Garcia is one of my auto-buy authors. I have loved every single one of her books. And this was no exception.

Set in 1950s old Hollywood we are introduced to Vera, an unlikely pick for Salome in an up-and-coming movie. As you can imagine, drama ensues. This was a multiple POV, which jumped around a bit, but did come together at the end. The character development was excellently done. We have character characters. We love to love and characters. We love to hate. I think I liked the ending, but felt that it was a little rushed like everything culminating at once in the last 5% of the book so I feel like there was a lot of buildup and only a little climax. This was the only thing that wasn’t my favorite in this one. I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR if you don’t have it already on there.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Del Rey and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for the eARC of The Seventh Veil of Salome in exchange for an honest review. Publication Date for this one was 06 Aug 2024.

If SMG writes it, I will be reading it :)

As with other SMG books, the setting in the Seventh Veil of Salome is vivid. We are taken into a historical fiction set in the 1950s in Hollywood . SMG does a great job at capturing the reader's attention with her luscious prose and interesting characters. What I enjoyed the most was the structure of the book - interview snippets, different POVs; felt like a story within a story.

I'm not too familiar with Hollywood from that era or the story of Salome, but I think the author did a great job with setting the tone and groundwork for the story. Overall, this is a book that I would highly recommend!

950s Hollywood timeline; The Golden Age! Grandeur, Luxury, stardom; an entertaining era.
Vera is cast as Salome; the star-making role in a big budget movie. This is a historical drama and retelling of the biblical story of Salome AKA. 'Salome's Dance'. Yes, the very agent tot he beheading of John the Baptist in the new testament.
The story is written with multiple POV's, while the movie in being produced. Vera is a inexperienced new actress. Shy, soft-spoken whom you see start to connect with her role and develops into a powerful, determined and more confident woman. Nancy Harley, an actress desperate to make her big break in the leading role, is moved by jealously to pursue the big role from right under Vera's feet.
She is everything Vera is not; aggressive, confident, impulsive and driven to games, push limits to get what she wants. No matter the cost.
This is a plot with a lot of action, drama and various view points. Beautifully written and successfully executed. Easy to follow, entertaining, engaging and Just glamorous! BRAVO
Really loved this book. Highly recommend.

Thank You Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the perfect read for those who are fans of Old Hollywood glamour with all its success stories that fueled American imaginations, envy and all the dirty secrets and scandals that are lore. It is the tale of two Hollywood actresses-a Mexican ingenue plucked from obscurity cast to play the coveted role of Salome and a bit player actress who is jealous of her opportunity and natural talent. The third segment of the book weaves in the Biblical tale of Salome. If you liked the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, this is book is for you!
I highly recommend giving it a read!

I love Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's settings, the 50s, the glamor, the Mexican heroine. Her voice is unique and this book is no exception.

At first I thought this book wasn’t going to be for me. Boy was I wrong. This book was wonderful, I loved the plot, I loved Vera. It’s set in the 1950s but the tribulations that Vera constantly go through is still relevant in today's world. Women of color are still treated poorly and when they finally get something good going for them, there will always be a white woman so filled with envy that they’ll do anything to ruin it.
The Salome parts were interesting, I liked how Moreno-Garcia wove in the story with our main characters in their present time. It really made Salome and Vero similar making it all the more great to read.
I am so happy I read this book!