Throughout history, monarchies and elite nobility have been constant sources of collective study and fascination. In this novel we follow a young girl as she learns of the complex inner workings and power struggles taking place within her aristocratic family. Her grandfather recognizes a burgeoning curiosity and intellect within her and takes a special interest in her education.

One frightful night she is yanked from her family’s estate, given a new identity, and sent away to a remote boarding school in the United States. With no contact or explanation for this abrupt departure, she accepts this fate and settles into her new identity and tutelage. Secrets, wealth, politics, and mystery surround her as she comes of age estranged from her clan and the only place she called home.

Despite the story’s potential, the plot was at times sluggish and in many ways felt vague and incomplete. I’m hoping there is more to come in this tale to fill in the areas that were missing.

I highly recommend this novel for fans of chunksters full of erudite historical references, secret societies, and old family intrigue.

I thank NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of Letters from the Dead for my unbiased evaluation.  4 stars

This story is very well written. I typically enjoy fiction and some historical fiction so I really enjoyed the premise of this book. It was slower paced at times, but overall a very interesting book.

A gripping, atmospheric read with just the right mix of mystery, family drama, and high-stakes intrigue! The story follows a sharp, curious heroine who stumbles upon a long-buried secret, only to find herself exiled from her powerful European family—until they suddenly call her back years later, with an agenda of their own. The plot is full of twists, hidden motives, and a slow-burning tension that keeps you turning the pages.

Despite the dark themes, the book never takes itself too seriously, making it an easy but compelling read. If you love secret societies, family power struggles, and a heroine who refuses to back down, this one’s for you!

I'm a big fan of mystery and historical fiction and was very excited going into this book! Isabella is an amazingly descriptive author and it was very easy to be immersed in the story. I was really interested in the complicated relationship with parents and the mystery of why she sent away and the book she found. However, things did start to get a little disjointed for me and while I was interested and engaged, I did struggle in some parts to keep going.

4 Stars
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for letting me read this book.
It was a well written novel that is mysterious with quite a bit of history and facts.
It was an intriguing story/plot with many strange characters and events

This is a slow burn story with a gothic feel. I like the author's style (it's very descriptive without being too much) and ability to immerse you in a place with a specific cast of characters. I don't know that I would call this a plot driven novel, so I probably wouldn't recommend this to someone who likes a fast-paced story!

Letters from the Dead wasn’t what I expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. While different in many ways, it gave me the same feeling as A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford—an immersive, layered story about power, legacy, and survival.

The blurb outlines the plot, but it doesn’t quite capture the heart of the story. The real intrigue comes from uncovering the truth alongside the main character—learning about her family’s legacy, the weight of leadership, and the brutal realities of power. I disliked nearly everyone in her family except her grandfather, who seemed to be the only source of wisdom. Even now, I’m not entirely sure if her exile to boarding school was her mother’s punishment or her grandfather’s way of saving her. And Karl—where do his loyalties truly lie?

As she’s forced back into the world she left behind, I’m eager to see where The Prodigal Daughter takes her next. There’s so much left unanswered, and I can’t wait to see how it all unravels.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I DNF'ed it at 10% and I'm so sad about it. 😢 I was so excited when I was approved to read this book, but I could not read it for the life of me. I'm thinking it's more of a "it's not you, it's me" kind of situation we're having here. The premise sounded so interesting and the author's writing is very good and well-thought-out. I tried my hardest to read on. But, alas, I failed. 😔 Maybe when it is published, I will try again and see if it was truly me and not the book.

I received a digital arc from Atria Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and statements are my own.

#LettersfromtheDead #NetGalley

Born to a wealthy and old family a young girl begins to understand the undercurrents that keep her family in power and drive the line of succession. When an incident angers her parents she is cut off and sent away to boarding school. As she continues her education abroad she works to find her way back to her family.
This was a neat book. The history of empires and dynasties was fascinating. I was a little unsatisfied with the ending until I realized there is another book coming, which makes it a cliffhanger instead. I am fascinated to see where our main character goes next and how her family’s power dynamics will shift.
Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for letting me have an advanced copy of #lettersfromthedead in exchange for review.

I was interested in this book based off the title and cover. I do feel like I was not prepared for this read.
The book description really roped me in completely.
I feel like it was a slightly confusing read and the ending was not the level I was expecting.
There was a lot of additional paragraphs and passages that made the book longer, but definitely
were not needed.

If you like a more complicated read with historical references this is the book for you.

The writing in was great. I enjoyed the narration style. I loved the premise. But the plot dragged in places, and the characterization of the MC in her collegiate years felt incredibly disconnected from the precocious and ever curious 12 year old we met in the first half of the book. There were several plot points that were cloaked and veiled nearly past the point for the reader to draw conclusions about their significance. In a book where everything is intrigue and conspiracy, can anything be? Whatever happened to Sophia’s journal? How did it set off the chain of events that led to the conclusion? The synopsis hints the main characters father is the villain, and maybe he is, but that was cloaked well enough to leave the reader questioning. The book ends in I know should be a cliff hanger, but it doesn’t pique my need to know the way I feel certain it was intended to. I did enjoy the story and I will read the next one.

I would like to thank Attria Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is the dramatic account of a rich family as the leadership transitions from one generation to the next. The point of view is the daughter in the family starting from the age of 11 years. She is very intelligent and clever, but has no street smarts due to her very limited exposure to other people and places. Although there is a lot of subterfuge in the tale, and this is really a coming of age story to a degree, I found the story to be a little sluggish for me. Her childish reactions frustrated me because she had such intelligent discussions with her grandfather and teacher, making it easy to forget that she was still just a child. This family is fairly reprehensible! I liked less than a handful of characters in this story. I really needed to connect with the main character to carry me through this story, and I just could not manage this. I've finished the book, and I couldn't tell you her name. I looked back through the sections, and can't find it - like she is so insubstantial that even the other characters don't call her by her name,
Come the end of the book, I found myself more worried about Bastien and curious about what happened with grandad that I was about the future of the main character. If you are hoping for action or a strong female lead, this book is not for you. For those that enjoy family dramas, this book may be right up your alley.

February 2025:
Publishing May 2025
Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

I don't even understand what I just read. At the end of the book I was more confused than when I started. Part of me wonders if maybe I didn't read it close enough but I do not think that is the case.

This story is outside of my wheelhouse. It deals with intrigue and mystery surrounding the Uber wealthy. Something that I will never understand or be part of. I don't understand social norms of parties nor lines of rank. And quite frankly I don't want to. Which is why maybe parts of this book were beyond me. I don't understand wealthy people. For example....

*SPOILER someone is killed because they were drunk and knocked over the FMC? They need to be dealt with because they did something to the DIRECT LINE. Like what is this world?*

Also it has a lot of references to the war and things that occurred to set up the family to be in a position of power. Again, not something I know much about.

I don't even understand why the FMC was eventually sent away. Because she read a book? I just didn't get it. And there was too much left out in the open. The good news is that there is supposed to be a second book and I've seen comments from the author that it will all be explained then! So that's at least good news.

I did enjoy the FMC and her relationship with her younger brother and her grandfather. It was very sweet to watch them interact. I also enjoyed some of the lessons her grandfather imparted on the FMC. Even if throughout the book it seemed like she forgot them immediately and did exactly the opposite of what he said to do.

I would like to read the second book just to see if it answered any of my questions or explained anything at all. Or at read a summary or review of someone smarter than I am.

Extremely well written debut that is also mysterious! This was an intriguing story/plot with many interesting characters and events! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for ARC of this book!

Letters from the Dead follows our MC, a girl who never left her family's sprawling European estate, as she navigates political, societal, and familial battles as a young child through her early 20s.

While this book is intriguing with lots of twists and turns, I didn't feel like it was resolved in the end. The book description is not very accurate as the readers don't really see much resolution to the MC's story. There's a lot of vague hints as to what happened while she was exiled in the United States as well.

What was the hardest for me as a reader was that the MC had grown quickly at a young age due to the influence and tutelage of family members and then she abruptly changes in the second half of the book.

I can see the vision the author had for this novel, but I don't think it was fully fleshed out. The writing was decent but heavy and it started to drag halfway through. If a second book comes out with more resolution to the plot, I may recommend this.

The youngest daughter of an old and wealthy family is abruptly sent away when she is only 11. What has she done to deserve being banished? Well, since the story is told from only her perspective, there are clues, but I was never sure if they were reliable.
She is left at a boarding school in the United States. No notes. No communication before she departed. No idea how long she will be here. She is, however, extremely smart and everything her beloved grandfather taught her helps her to navigate this part of her life.
She grew up in extreme isolation and it is years before she manages to make a friend. The relationship grows, and they both leave for university together. At that point, her smart brain seemed to fade into the background a bit. Partying and traveling takes center stage. But when her family appears again… Well, let’s just say that if it was me, I would’ve run in the opposite direction.
I was captivated until around the 70% mark. Then I just could not figure out how this would be wrapped up. I was left with unanswered questions and I really hope that there is another book planned. There is so much more to discover about this family.

This book was so hard to put down. The premise was fresh and interesting. I had been feeling a little burnt out on historicals but this made me change my tone! I do love a feisty precocious heiress.

This is a very intellectual book. There is a lot of history and factiods throughout that are very interesting.
I liked the story. However, I really feel like, in the end, it was a pointless story. The first part was boring, and around 40 percent in the book really picked up and was interesting to read, but the ending was not great. The Mc journey is really for nothing.
Sad to say, I will not be recommending this read.

I was drawn to this book by its cover. The story surprised me in the best way. I normally don't go for historical themes and stories taking place long ago. This was a pleasant exception. I liked Valeri's exploration of the characters and family dynamics. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Letters From the Dead is written in a classic, almost Gothic style. I loved the writing. The style is more literary than mystery though. It takes a lot of devotion and dedication to read this style as most writing today leans toward a quick read. This book is not that. Highly descriptive with a young girl as the protagonist, you learn about the heady wealth of aristocrats and the lifestyle. That part is great, but for me it took a long time to get through this book, as there is not a lot of action, it's more a character study amidst great wealth. A good read for me. Thanks to Netgalley.