I adore books set in Italy, and this one captured a very interesting perspective on the Italian film industry in 1965. Actress Silvia arrives at the Cinecittà studio in Rome to start a film, and learns that it has been scrapped. She is broke and needs to find a new job quickly. She ends up with a starring role in a horror film, to be shot at a deteriorating castle owned by an aunt she has never met, and who disappears almost as soon as shooting begins. The story is somewhat of a mystery, somewhat of a family drama, and an up-close exploration of the film being shot, and the characters who populate its set. I loved that this book was unusual—it did not remind me of other books I’ve read—and the story was fast-paced and fun. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.

I love books. And movies. And movies about books. And books about movies. And if any of that might have a scary twist, that’s just the cherry on top.
So that was the main attraction here and the reason for requesting this book off Netgalley, despite the very strong women’s fiction vibes it was giving out.
And sure enough, as advertised and as it appears, the book was indeed a credible work of historical fiction featuring an exotic Italian location and the titular castle and a scary movie in production AND it was very, very estrogen heavy.
The basic plot: a young aspiring actress comes to Italy, reunites with her castle-dwelling long0-shunned aunt, and gets hired for a role of a lifetime…if she can navigate the churning waters of on-set politics and the positively frothing waters of on-set romance. All while trying to figure out the mysterious shenanigans going on all around her that may or may not have something to do with her aunt’s past and The Nazis. Yes, it’s only been a couple of decades since WWII, the scars are still fresh.
An entertaining and engaging book overall, despite the author’s best efforts to turn it into a trite women’s fic. Yes, those efforts do affect the overall quality (by, among other things, lightening what should by rights and themes be a rather dark story), but it’s still very readable, albeit more in a beach book sort of way. At least the book isn’t as bland as its cover. Thanks Netgalley.

The setting of this novel is my favorite part. I loved getting swept up in the era and city. It dragged at times but overall kept me enthralled throughout. I would be interested to read future work this author puts out.

Thanks, NetGalley, for letting me read this ARC!

Silvia Whitford is an aspiring actress. Sure, she’s been in a few pictures where she usually plays the ditzy secretary, but she is ready to land a bigger part. When the movie she booked in Rome goes under before filming even begins, she panics.This role, though small, was going to help her support her toddler and cancer-ridden mother. Silvia faces a choice: run out of money fast, or seek help from the long lost Aunt that lives in Italy. But, fate has other plans; a movie is going to be filmed at the ancient castle where the mysterious aunt Gabrielle Conti lives, and Silvia books the leading role. But, things are not quite what they seem, and Gabrielle suddenly disappears without a trace. When Silvia tries to uncover what has happened to her aunt, things start happening that do not make sense. Is she willing to risk losing her job to get to the bottom of this case?

This story was interesting, but not quite what I was expecting. At the same time, it was precisely what I was expecting? I suppose I was waiting for something BIGGER to happen. Something that would blow my socks off. But that never really happened. I still enjoyed it, as it was a nice break from all the high fantasy I read. I had fun with the historical factor, as well as it being set in Italy. It made things a little more gothic and creepy, but also added that romantic factor that we needed. I wish the story leaned a little more into the Italian culture to really give readers a feel for the atmosphere.

I would recommend this book to people who like reading mysteries, as I think it was written really well and kept me guessing just enough to not always know what would happen next!

Rating: 3.75/5 Stars

Women in the Castello

Kelsey James has written a book that makes one want to go to Italy, see some castles, take in the sun and of course see the famed Cinecitta Rome studios which was founded by Mussolini, and is the largest film studios in Europe.

This book is hard to define, but I think it falls into chick lit. Pulsing beauty and smoldering good looks with a dash of history, some mystery with sisters’ rivalry makes it all for a quick read. Did I add a child that drives the mother to do what it takes to work, keep her family going and of course bring in the happy ending.

Our story opens with Silvia, who is an unproven actress cast in a small role in a film in Italy. It seems too good to be true, and the day she is supposed to start filming the movie falls apart. She has brought her sick mother and her 2-year-old along as there was nothing binding them to Los Angeles. Of course losing the job is a terrible blow, and she is initially turned down for every waitress job she tries to get. Lucky for her, the hot production manager from the first film shows up at her aunt’s castle while scouting for another film (the aunt she never met) and she gets an opportunity to have a starring role in a horror film that is going to be filmed at the castle.

Little does Silvia know that the aunt who was estranged from the family is hiding a few secrets. As filming takes off, Silvia starts a relationship with the production manager and uncovers many hidden secrets about her aunt that affect the film production.

Without giving the ending away, all ends well, and Silvia and her new love move into a new apartment in Rome with a happily ever after ending.

I am not a big fan of this book. I found the story to be formulaic and the author does repeat herself. The dusting of history is not substantial enough to make it more interesting as it plays like an afterthought. The mystery aspect is better, but it is not intriguing enough that I was blow away when it was revealed.

It is an easy read, and the author helps us see that women can get along even if one is more beautiful than the other.

Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
I didn't know the author but absolutely fell in love with her and will be reading any and all of her other books! The story was captivating and the characters were perfectly placed and described. The protagonist is well portrayed as a young girl that is inexperienced but wants to take steps to become famous to take care of her family. The part of her aunt and the castle were so perfectly woven into the story, I did not want to stop reading. Not to give away anything and any spoilers, but the story had several twists and turns that came totally unexpected and surprising but fit perfectly into the story. Awesome job and hats off to Kelsey James! Can't wait to read more of your books!

This was an entertaining summer read with a memorable setting of a crumbling castle in the Italian countryside. I found the ending a bit predictable and a few of the characters were less developed than I would have liked, but many readers would probably enjoy this is an atmospheric beach read. Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy!

The Woman in the Costello is such a great debut novel! Kelsey James braids together history, family secrets, mystery and movies into a haunting, gothic thriller.

Silvia Whitford takes a gamble on her career and moves her young daughter and mother to Italy to star in a horror movie. A haunted castle owned by her estranged aunt is the perfect backdrop for the film. When her aunt disappears, the cast and crew are all suspects.

The 1960s time period and Italian village make an ideal setting for a unique twist on a gothic mystery. I can’t wait to read more from this author. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this title before its release.

What a fun book to read! It had so much going for it. There was family drama, spooky drama, mystery, and the glamor of making movies in the 60s. It was also a quick read, because I was so engrossed I didn't want to put out down. I hope to see more books by Kelsey James!

I thought this was such a great idea for a novel. Scrappy Silvia Whitford is trying to jump-start her acting career by taking a big risk- moving to Italy with her terminally ill mother and small daughter for a chance at a starring role in a feature film. When the initial project goes belly-up, she convinces the casting director to give her a shot for an alternate film: this time playing the ingenue in a gothic horror movie (think Vincent Price). The longer she's in Italy, the more secrets Silvia uncovers, with family ties at the center of a web of intrigue. Will Silvia do what she set out to do? Will she even make it out alive?

I would definitely recommend this to any reader who enjoys historical fiction or gothic fiction. The Italian setting combined with the 1960's makes for an interesting twist on the moody, Victorian-era gothics, but is no less atmospheric and effective.

Wow! Just wow! This book grabbed my attention from the first chapter and didn’t let go until I finished. It’s part mystery, part romance, part ghost story, part family drama, part friendship, part inside Hollywood, part Italian get away…and it makes for one fantastic whole. Silvia was easy to love and hope for. Her life has been complicated and she is in need of some good luck. When that good luck strikes, her life becomes more crazy and complicated. Just an all around fun read!

Historical fiction meets gothic mystery meets romance in Kelsey James' debut novel. Sylvia arrives in 1960s Rome with her mother and young daughter in hopes of launching her career as an actress. She is thrilled to find herself starring in a horror film being shot at a crumbling castle in a sleepy village. However, before long family secrets start come to light and strange things begin to happen at the castle causing Silvia to question whether coming to Rome was wise.
The descriptions of the mid-century Italian village and castle were rich and totally immersive, this was a suspenseful and unpredictable read up until the end.

This felt like old school romantic suspense, and I mean that in the best possible way. This is what I’ve been looking for. Not only was it well written and researched, it perfectly scratched my Barbara Michaels/Elizabeth Peters and Mary Stewart itch. My one complaint would be that I wish the heroine had been in a bit more danger, but still I loved this.

For years I have been hoping someone would revive the romantic suspense genre of the past. And now we have Kelsey James!

There are just SO many elements within the novel; there is an old, crumbling, Gothic villa in Italy; it's set in the 1960's; there is family drama, a little bit of romance, mystery and suspense, a "whodunit" kinda thing. The audience that this novel can appeal to is vast. The aspect that was just sooo alluring was the atmospheric quality of the entire novel. I'd love to add some of my favorite descriptive quotes but of course, I can't quote anything quite yet. But I can definitely say that this is a book that is equivalent to a cold, rainy, stormy night with a big cup of tea, a fuzzy blanket, and the fireplace going. A wonderful, wonderful debut by Kelsey James-- I can't wait to read more of her work!

This was an engaging historical fiction set in 1965 about a struggling actress, Silvia Whitford who is in Italy to shoot a movie but was immediately fired when the movie's financing fell through. Out of options, she visits her estranged and recluse aunt, who live in a decrepit castle. As luck would have it, another film is going to production, The Revenge of the Lake Witch, a supernatural film. Silvia becomes part of the film just as her mysterious aunt disappears and she becomes concerned with her whereabouts. The characters are nuanced and believable. The set of the film is very gothic and it felt creepy at times, especially when things happened behind the scenes that threaten the film production. Historical fans who like gothic settings and atmospherics will find plenty to enjoy in these entertaining book about family history and ambition.

Reviews throw around phrases like "page turner," or "unputdownable" with frequency these days, so I don't use those words unless they are truly warranted. The Woman in the Castello is an unputdownable page-turner that straddles several genres. The story is suspenseful and gothic with romantic and mystery subplots, set in the 1950s. There's something for everyone here.

Silvia is a struggling actress who has moved her mother and daughter to Italy so her mother can pass away in her home country. She decides to also seek out an estranged aunt, which upsets her mother. In a series of lucky, but believable events, Silvia gets booked to star in a horror film and the production team decides to use her aunt's home, a decrepit castle in the countryside, as the shooting location. Silvia's aunt disappears just as the cast and crew arrive to start filming and Silvia spends much of the book worrying about her aunt, her job, a budding romance with a colleague, and hiding her daughter (for fear that being a single mother will hurt her career).

The pace is fast here and the writing is straightforward. There are a couple points where the romantic subplot advances a tad more quickly than I wanted. If there were a few more scenes with relationship development, the leap in Siliva's love life wouldn't have been so abrupt. That being said, it was a great, enjoyable read.

I was provided with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

I could not get enough of this haunting suspense debut from a promising new voice. THE WOMAN IN THE CASTELLO comes with all the trappings of the Gothic: a beautiful but dilapidated and forebodingly remote estate, collapsing boundaries between reality and fantasy and dream, and secrets that will not stay secret. Kelsey James crafts in Silvia, a young actress starring in her first film, an exciting new take on the Gothic heroine. She is willful and imaginative and passionate and ambitious, and I so enjoyed watching her grapple with the unspooling mystery taking place on the set of The Revenge of the Lake Witch, an Italian giallo movie that is filming at her estranged aunt's castello. James has given us a beautiful work of historical fiction and Gothic horror, and an impassioned love letter to Italian horror cinema.

Such a fun read! I loved all the film and on set scenes and information. The Italian setting was fantastic! There was a little more spice to this novel than I expected but I LOVED it! If sensuality is not your thing, this may not be the book for you as it is marketed as more of a horror/thriller. It wasn't very scary to me. The mystery/suspense was great and I enjoyed it immensely but it was only mildly creepy. More of a slow burn suspense. But overall I loved the novel and I loved that it surprised me!

Thank you so much for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James is a great historical fiction that has mystery, history, and is full of suspense.

This was such a unique and entertaining book. I first started reading because it was historical fiction, but then I realized that there was so much more. The gothic elements, the mystery, the suspense, the ominous and shadowy elements and feel, really drew me in.

Silvia Whitford visiting Rome in the 1960s for work finds herself immersed into a real-life mysterious and concerning disappearane involving her estranged Aunt, and lets just say there is more than meets the eye.

Good stuff.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and A John Scognamiglio Book/Kensington Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 7/25/23.