Unknown Vera Larios is cast as Salome is 1950 in Hollywood. Nancy Hartley wants the role.

This interesting book takes a deep dive into the Biblical story of Salome, her stepfather, King Herod and her mother Herodias. She also shows the corruption and casual racism and misogyny of Hollywood in the 50s and, well, today.) I’ve read several books from this author and this seems to be a bit of a departure, but I quite enjoyed it.

An aspect of the golden age of film we don’t get much insight into is what it was like for women of color. Latinos, black Americans, Asians and so on.

Vera’s story is one of hope and heartbreak. She gets a chance of a lifetime to live the dream of becoming a Hollywood starlet. I love that her character is intelligent, focused and insightful. She isn’t lost in the limelight and truly wants to work hard but when you’re looked down on for who you are, in her case, a Latina actress, her efforts are hardly worth anything. A jealous costar, Nancy, doesn’t help matters and we quickly see what Vera is up against and what she’s willing to put up with.

I found myself forgetting that she is a fictional character because we’re given accounts of her circumstances that feel like a documentary at times. I think readers will find her relatable in that she’s a young woman, the world is her oyster but the world wasn’t ready for women, let alone willing to accept one who wasn’t Caucasian. The prejudice and sexism is alive and well and leads us to imagine how truly awful that world is for women, even today. The manipulation and pressures. What is worth becoming a star … if anything.

The saving grace is a potentially romantic friend she meets along the way, but can he even be trusted??

If there's one thing about me it's that I am always going to read a Silvia Moreno-Garcia and I'm always going to love it, The Seventh Veil of Salome was no different. I love anything about the Golden Age of Hollywood, and this was a fun and twisty exploration into that. I liked the dual narrative approaches a lot.

The writing itself is lovely but I had a hard time getting into the book with all the POV changes. It seems like they were meant to build intrigue but really, up until the final act all they did was serve to slow things down. I was hooked by that final climax though and ultimately ended up glad that I pushed through the initial drag I was feeling (though tbh if this wasn’t an ARC I probably would’ve ditched this by the 30% mark because I was so bored in the beginning).

This book makes me wish SMG had written the Bible instead. Deft, lush, and nuanced, “The Seventh Veil of Salome” is so far one of my favorites in SMG’s body of work.

Fascinating read that jumps between old studio system of Hollywood and a retelling of the myth of Salome in biblical times. It’s a book that explores myth-making, its intersections in misogyny, and the terrible decisions people make in the name of love and ego.

At the center of it all is Vera Larios, a young Mexican actress in her debut role in “The Seventh Veil of Salome.” She navigates Hollywood’s unspoken rules as she comes into her own power. Tragedy strikes, and Vera’s story weaves into Salome’s as Salome makes the decision to martyr John the Baptist. This is also a book thick with meaning, foreshadowing and symbolism, making it an especially fun book to reread.

If you like books with complicated women navigating patriarchies of the past, or books that match their big stylish ideas with layers of substance, run - don’t walk for this one.

I absolutely loved this story set mainly in 1950s Hollywood. There are also biblical references (Salome). This novel revolves around two Hollywood rising stars, Vera Larios and Nancy Hartley. Vera is a Mexican ingenue and Nancy's career is bit parts. There are multiple POVs in this novel and it also is a retelling of the story of Salome. I was absolutely entranced while reading this beautiful novel and loved the parallels that were made. Moreno-Garcia made a phenomenal piece of work!

This book was amazing. It wasn’t what I’m used to in regards to Sylvia’s previous work, but my word did it hit the spot. This one was based on the story of Salome, as you can tell by the title but also life for aspiring actresses in Hollywood and the 1950’s.

Nancy. Ugh I could punch her. She was awful. But necessary.

I didn’t know that around the 50’s Mexicans were not allowed to buy property and had to say they were Spanish instead.

I felt so bad for Vera in so many ways. Her mother and aunt were awful. I had a mother like hers and honestly the toll it takes on you all the way into adulthood is paramount.

I don’t wanna spoil too much, but there were characters I wished different endings for and I would have loved to have seen more.

This book was a 4.5 star from me! I love Sylvia’s work. I cant wait for her next project!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a penchant for transporting readers to a faraway land or distant pasts with the amount of detail she provides in every line. I have been a fan of her ever since I read Mexican Gothic, yet no other recent book of hers has captured me quite as much as The Seventh Veil of Salome. It was quite fortuitous that I found myself in the Chicago Art Institute and saw a few paintings of Salome, each paired with the grisly image of John the Baptist, or Jokanaan, and his head on a silver platter. I instantly recognized it and I felt so much more excitement toward finishing the book. How would Moreno-Garcia tie up all the loose ends and political drama of Salome's world and Vera's struggle in 1950's-1960's Hollywood?

Everything came to a climactic finish at the last 10% of the book, and though it was bittersweet, there were no other ways that it could have ended. Moreno-Garcia tugged at my heart strings until the very end, and I thoroughly enjoyed the parallels of Salome and Vera.

I believe that some readers did not like the switching POVs of the narrative, but I have to say that I personally quite enjoyed it. It played like a documentary one would watch about the dramatic and high-tension filled days filming an iconic movie. I loved hearing the different perspectives and hearing the ominous warnings from earlier in the book about unforeseen events that will come to pass.

Overall, this book is a hit, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous (as many of her books are).

I've been a long-time fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, and this is probably her strongest book for me since MEXICAN GOTHIC. I love the way she consistently writes complicated characters, and it's clear that she is very interested in classic Hollywood, both of which add to a well-rounded story about what it's like to pursue a creative career that doesn't value you insomuch as value how lucrative of an investment you are. I adore the different ways her various protagonists -- of which I'm counting Vera, Nancy, and Salome -- take control of their respective narratives. I'm sure this will be another blockbuster for SMG!

I received a free ARC ebook of <i>The Seventh Veil of Salome</i> from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.

I have read four other books by this author and I am always impressed how the characters and settings are so unique. This novel, with two timeframes, is set in the Biblical land of Herod and in Hollywood of the 1950s. Both settings present a diabolical and political war where women, especially women of color, are the pawns of powerful men. The time may be different but the treatment of women is remarkably similar.

In the Biblical setting, Salome, the stepdaughter of the powerful tetrach, is attracted to the dangerous preacher, John the Baptist. Her future, however, is not hers to contemplate since her body is an object to be traded for power and influence. She must dance a sexually provocative dance for her leering stepfather and others; in return she gains the right to have one request granted without question.

In Hollywood, Vera is a young Mexican actress hired to play Salome in a movie. As a young girl she was always second in her mother's eyes to her younger sister. Vera has a difficult time overcoming her self-doubt under her mother's withering gaze. Others view her acting with derision, especially Nancy, a wannabe actress. Nancy believes that it is only Vera who stands in her way on the road to stardom. Nancy's manipulative personality has been polished with lousy decisions and by men who use her while she uses them.

There is no happy ending here - not for Salome, not for Vera, and not for Nancy. The glittering court of Herod and the bright lights of Hollywood reflect tawdriness and deceit where women are the puppets of the powerful. Even their dreams and aspirations are structured within a man's world.

<i>The Seventh Veil of Salome</i> is an engrossing read.

This was so good!!!! It was giving Yellowface/I, Tonya realness but with the old Hollywood touch, I LIVED

In 1950’s Hollywood every actress wants to play Salome, the legendary woman who story has inspire artists since ancient times.

So when an unknown actress is cast in the lead role, Vera, she becomes the talk of the town and envy for Nancy, a player who’s career has stalled and will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Both actresses are determined to make it to the top, but this is a tale of three women, Salome also has a say.


I have read and really enjoyed previous books by this author, and I expected this book to be similar. However, it was quite different. This book was similar to Silver Nitrate in that it focused on cinema, however this one is more historical fiction. There are three main perspectives in this book with sprinklings of other perspectives scattered about. I was a little confused in the beginning as to what was going on, but after a while I got into it and it all made sense. More clear headers would have really helped in this regard. This book was full of atmosphere much like the authors previous works. She writes really good gothic tales. There was also a lot of Hollywood gossip which was fun. The pacing was on the slow, methodical side but things did pick up in the last 20% or so.

While this was a truly interesting and entertaining book, I have learned that I enjoy the horror and paranormal books this author writes the most.

incredible saga of complicated women trying to make their way in Hollywood . SMG never disappoints .
Thank you for the eArc .

4.5 rounded up
Grabbed me right away and did not let up. Great descriptions and story. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I really enjoyed how different this book was from her others. She truly sucked me in as usual and I’m super thankful I got the ARC through NetGalley. I wish I had the physical copy now. I’ve already recommended it to others!! Thank you to the publishers, I absolutely love Silvia Moreno Garcia! The characters in this book were really well written and the pace and description were perfect. Such a great version of a historical story mixed with some drama. I felt like I was right there in the mix and have been digesting the feelings I got from it since I finished.

SMG (Silvia Moreno-Garcia) never misses with her delivery in novels. This was 50’s Hollywood. New actress vs jealous desperate actress. Sword- Sandals POV story mixed in. It’s the works. If you have always loved SMG since Mexican Gothic you better not miss this one.

SMG is such a solid author-especially her paranormal stuff. I love that she is focusing on cinema her last book Silver Nitrate (which I was lucky enough to get an ARC of THANK YOU BTW) was excellent and this is a similar vein. It reminds me of 7 husbands of Evelyn Hugo and I loved it!!!! I think this is another awesome book from her, I am already awaiting her next publication

First of all thank you for providing me with this e-book. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has the most beautiful book covers ever!!! That’s what catches my attention with her books. This book was rated a 3.5/5 for me. Honestly it was a bit hard to get through. There were a lot of parts at the beginning where I was confused but maybe that’s just me. It wasn’t a bad read by any means but I just wasn’t intrigued by the story line that much. I do love how we get three different perspectives from the three different ladies. I do think that maybe I need to read the physical book to understand it a little more rather than just reading it from my phone. Again, thank you for this opportunity.

In 1950's Hollwood, no one has been able to successfully pull off a film adaptation of the story of Salome and the prophet who stole her heart.  The hunt for someone to play Salome is on with all the expected drama.  Everyone wants to play the starring role, though some are willing to go farther than others. Vera Larios is an unknown from Mexico, but once her casting is announced Nancy Hartley starts gunning for her. Nancy has tried everything to become more than a bit player, everything but actually putting the work in for something she feels she deserves.  Vera Larios is uncomfortably in the position her family once expected for her sister. In between scenes of classic Hollywood drama, readers see the story of the biblical Salome and the fiery prophet.

The Seventh Veil of Salome includes two of my favorite subjects, but I will admit that I've loved Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other offerings so much more. As always, her descriptions are wonderful and her dialogue is excellent, but I just couldn't fall as deeply in love with this as Mexican Gothic or Silver Nitrate. It is still a worthy read.

The Seventh Veil of Salome is available August 6, 2024.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia has a real talent for writing compelling novels in virtually every genre. Here, she does it again, in a novel that blends romance, suspense, and drama in 1950s Hollywood.

Vera Larios has just arrived in Hollywood to play Salome in one of a medium-size studio's big budget swords-and-sandals films. Although half of Hollywood's actresses has screen-tested for the role, she wins the role because she can portray Salome's complexities--naivete and seductiveness at all once. Nancy Hartley is a wannabe actress who has the looks and desires to be a famous actress, but not the good judgment or temperament to stand out in Hollywood. She burns with envy over Vera's casting, as Nancy believe she should have won the part.

The novel toggles between their stories and the story of Salome at the heart of the the big-screen adaptation. Each woman's story touches on desire and the tensions between competing urges and external forces in her life. Interspersed between these alternating chapters are first-person vignettes from fellow actors, writers, directors, and journalists whose comments hint at a ill-fated future looming over Vera and Nancy.

I love a good Hollywood Golden Age story, with this one focusing on the overt racism experienced by actors of color at that time, as well as the changing tides brought by method acting and its new class of actors. Salome's tale was told with greater complexity than she is typically afforded. I don't want to spoil anything, but the story was more suspenseful that I expected and I loved being on the edge of my seat as the three women's stories seemed to progress toward some tragic conclusion.

I highly recommend this book from one of the most reliable "must read" authors around. Silva Moreno-Garcia really captivates here, and I'm sure that fans of historical fiction and Hollywood drama will enjoy this. Also, the cover? Gorgeous.