THE WITCHES OF SANTO STEFANO by Wendy Webb

I love a good family genealogy mystery especially when it involves a little magic.

Investigative journalist, Cassandra (Cassie) Graves, travels to Santa Stefano, Italy to research her ancestry. She wants to know why her grandmother’s death certificate has the incorrect date and lists the cause of her death as “stregheria” or witchcraft.

I loved the descriptions of the village shops, the Italian landscape, the food and wine! The minor characters also added so much depth and color to the story. Also, how can you not love a protective dog and donkey?

I feel a cast of characters or family tree at the beginning would’ve been most helpful for keeping track of who’s who. Aside from that, this is a warm and cozy, not too saccharine, mystery. Perfect for upcoming spooky season!


Rating: 4/5 ⭐️

**ARC courtesy of Netgalley & AmazonPublishing / Lake Union

I received an ARC from netgalley.

Let's start off saying i love wendy webb's writing. I found her writing in 2020 and absolutely was addicted and she has become one of my favorite authors.

This book is different because it doesn't take place in Wharton. It's mostly in Italy. I would have loved for it to be in that setting. Dont get me wrong, i loved that it's different, but the whole witch part had me bored out of my mind but i did love the fact that the characters loved to learn where she came from. But to tell you the truth this wasnt my favorite book by her. The writing was phenomenal tho

I love stories that follow genealogy and discover unknown mysteries in families and this one had a whopper of a secret (no spoilers, it’s in the tile). Discovering her ancestors on a trip to Italy, Cassie learns so much about her family and I enjoyed working back with her to find the truth about them, and learning a little about herself along the way. The writing is easy to follow, though, at times, there are a lot of characters to juggle, but the character development is well done so you can quickly discern the differences. Fascinating look at the history of witches in Italy.

This immediately reminded me of The Lost Apothecary meets Weyward. It fits well into this sub genre of women’s fiction that involves a woman going through a crisis of identity discovering the strength of women in the past — it fits this pattern in a way that made it enjoyable and utilizing tropes well rather than being predictable.

I appreciated the multiple POVs and storylines, particularly how and when they were used. Sometimes I had trouble remembering which generation the narrator was from/when this bit was set — I think putting timestamps could have helped with this, but it wasn’t a huge issue.

I got completely swept into this story immediately, equally as interested in the dramatic, witchy past as I was in Cassie finding g herself and making friends in modern day Italy. All in all, a cozy fascinating read that’s nice for early autumn.

The Witches of Santo Stefano was definitely different than the other Wendy Webb works I've read. Following Cassandra as she uncovers her family history, she finds more than she expects.
I had a hard time getting into this one. I loved the idea and premise of it, but the initial family history was tedious to follow. Following past and present was a look into uncovering the whole truth. I just found this to be a slow family history, and I struggled to connect with the family. However, if you like the idea of found family, ancestry, and a little bit of Witches, this one is for you! 2.5

Two cousins trying to trace their family tree. Cassandra decides to go to Italy for better research opportunities.
It’s a fairly quick moving story. It flips back and forth as we learn more about Cassandra’s family.
I enjoyed the paranormal/witchy feel to the story. It was a hard to put down book as the story goes on

Past and present collide for Cassandra andMaria as they discover the history of their family

Cassandra travels to Santo Stefano from where her family originate and what follows is an intriguing look at how the townspeople view outsiders and try and keep their secrets secret.

This is a good read. it is vivid and rich in history and I loved just how perfect it is for this time of year.
It is well written and I loved the landscape of Italy. It kind of transports to another world, I was hooked ..

This is my first time reading a Wendy Webb book and I really enjoyed it. Her writing flows really well especially when shifting through the different characters and time settings.

In present day Minnesota, Cassandra and her cousin Maria want to learn more about their family who originated from Italy. Cassandra decides to travel to the tiny town of Santo Stefano to rediscover her roots. There she meets and befriends some of the townspeople. They are a friendly bunch and they begin to help her find out more about her ancestors. Meanwhile, the book also goes back in time and tells the story of her (great-great), and (great)-grandmother. Perhaps the townspeople of old were not as friendly!

I really enjoyed the Italian setting. The town and atmosphere was vividly described - as was the delicious food! The story was told at just the right pace and kept my interest all throughout. It's sprinkled with a tiny bit of "old world" magic that's just perfect for this time of year 🎃

I'd like to kindly thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me access to this Advance Reader's Copy.

Publishes on September 24, 2024

Cassie's somewhat impulsive decision to research her family in Italy proves to be a good one as she discovers not only interesting information but also herself. This merges magical realism with the currenty popular witch theme to make a novel that is more about a woman coming into her own than her genealogy. And there's a bit of romance, Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the opportunity to read The Witches of Santo Stefano by Wendy Webb.
Loved it! Loved every page. The descriptive phrases about Italy, about the food, were vivid and delightful. The protag and supporting characters were each interesting and captivating.

The premise of this story sold me, it sounded fascinating and unique. I read a lot so I am always on the hunt for something different and this book seemed to fill that niche. However, after reading it, I'm still not 100% sure what I think. This book was not for me and it took me a few starts and stops to get it read, however, basing my review solely on whether or not this was my type of book seems disingenuous.
So, instead I will tell you what i liked and what I did not like and build my rating from there. The family aspect of the book was interesting. Starting over is never easy and Cassie's approach was fun to through herself into a bit of a personal mystery. She ends this story better for it having learned about a whole limb on her family tree she was unaware of. The mysterious town full of secrets added to the story as did Cassie's strength to pick herself up after her husband's betrayal and set of to Italy, a place I find fascinating. The author does an amazing job of setting the stage with beautiful descriptions of Italy as well as regaling us about the tasty food along the way. I have two Italians grandparents so I felt this part of the story strongly. Again, that is something the author did nice job of. She added plenty of the feels for Cassie as the story moved along. The other characters were interesting and added to the story.
Now, for the parts I did not like. The beginning just did not grab my attention as I wished. I had a few starts and stops before I finally settled in to read. The pacing of the book was also a bit slow which failed to hold my interest fully at times.
Taking the good with the bad I am left with the question of how to rate this book. Honestly, I would say it is 3.4 - 3.6 which is really not a 3 or a 4. In the end i am rounding down simply because it took me three tries to get invested enough in this book to continue. Jazz up the beginning a bit and maybe the magic takes the book to a 4.
Finally, it was an interesting book if you stick with it. There is family, love, history, and magic.
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Wendy Webb has done it again, she’s become one of my favorite authors since I found her Kindle Unlimited

This book was one of my favorites, it was very easy to read and picture the whole thing

What I like about this book is that it goes between two time lines. And follows a family of witches or healers back in the early days that takes place in Italy.


Thank you to Netgally and Lake Union publishers for this ARC for an honest review.

Wendy Webb is fast becoming a favorite of mine. This generational witchy story was one of my favorites this year.
When Cassie’s marriage falls apart and her cousin brings her inconsistencies with the family history, she decides there’s no better way than to travel to where they lived & loved in Italy. Magical realism & romance swirl in this story - loved it.

Whenever I see that Wendy Webb has a new book coming out, I get very, very excited. She has a knack for transporting me/readers into the lives of her characters. I loved being a silent observer as Cassie Graves investigates her family's past while making changes to her present and future in The Witches of Santo Stefano! I found this book to be addictive, engrossing, magical, and beautiful. I loved the feeling of community and friendship which are paired with family secrets and mystery in this book.


Cassie had her life altered when she discovered her husband's affair. She's a smart and savvy woman and after having her heartbroken, she decides to go to Italy to continue researching her family's history especially that surrounding the death of great-grandmother Violetta whose death certificate states her cause of death is stregoneria—witchcraft! I love a good book about witches and/or witchcraft, so this was a no brainer for me!!! Plus, it is written by Wendy Webb!!!!!! I could not wait to dig in and Wendy Webbb cast her spell on me!

I loved the theme of researching one's family. Cassie's trip to Italy and her research was intriguing. I loved how those in the community became invested in her research as well, sharing what they knew or heard. I also loved the talk of witches, the found spell book, and the glimpses into the lives of the characters in the past and present.

I could not get enough of this book. I found it to be engaging, enticing, and hard to put down. As I mentioned, I enjoy Wendy Webb's writing. I love her vivid descriptions, her characters, and the plots of her books. I found this book to be atmospheric and magical!

The characters are well drawn, and I was invested in their plight. I would have enjoyed spending time with all of them. Plus, the descriptions of Italy, the hospitality, the delicious food and beautiful landscapes had me wanting to pack my bags and grab my passport!

This book touches on family, community, the kindness of strangers, self-reliance, love, romance, loss, and magic!

Wonderfully written, well thought out, engaging, addictive and pure magic!

First off, Wendy Webb is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of her books and have loved every single one of them. My only complaint is that we need more books by her faster! This book did not disappoint. I felt like I was in Italy with her. Wendy did an amazing job with her description of Italy and the characters. I loved them and wanted to be with them drinking vino! I read this book in two days because it was so hard to put down and I wanted to know what happened!

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cassie, arecently jilted wife , has gone to Italy to research her family’s history after learning a secret about her Great grandmother.
This book reads like a family drama spanning three time periods reading almost like a fairy tale. I loved the setting of Cassie’s journey in Italy. It reminded me of Under A Tuscan Sun. Cassie’s journey brings new friends and family into her life as she searches for the truth about her family.

A captivating story about an American woman traveling to Italy to uncover her ancestry. The narrative seamlessly transitions between past and present, taking us through multiple generations of women. This intriguing blend of genres keeps you hooked from the very first page, I have read it in one sitting. The story transports you right into Italy with its beautiful writing. I hope this will become a series!

An investigative journalist uncovers the haunting secret history of her own ancestors.

Another page-turner from Wendy Webb! Less Gothic than some of her previous works despite the witchy theme, this book sees our main character, Cassandra, travel from the United States to Italy in the search for answers to her family's past. Her story is intertwined with flashbacks to the lives of her ancestors. I don't want to say too much for fear of spoiling the narrative, but this was a fun read with likeable characters! The evocative writing draws us into the scents and tastes of Italy (do not read on an empty stomach!).

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Family history research leads Cassandra, a resident of Wharton by Lake Superior, to discover an alarming anomaly in her late great-grandmother Violetta’s birth certificate. To get to the bottom of the mystery, Cassandra travels to Italy, Violetta’s homeland.
As well as showing Cassandra’s present-day search for the truth, the story is also told from the viewpoints of several of her forebears. These older timelines reminded me of The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende, not only due to the number of ancestors and generations to keep track of, but also because of the beautiful touches of magical realism.
I’ve read some of Wendy Webb’s ghostly suspense novels, but this moved into different territory with a sweeping tale of enchantments, cures, curses and suspected witchcraft. The writing was of Wendy Webb’s usual high standard and came with the bonus of sumptuous descriptions of Italian architecture, customs and food.
A delight from start to finish.
This is an independent review of an early NetGalley copy. I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read it.

I'm a sucker for a good, Gothic ghost story. Wendy Webb does not disappoint with The Witches of Santo Stefano. It's a rich and thrilling story filled with family history, potential witches and old world Italy. What more could you want?!