I couldn't put this book down. Intrigue, family politics and dynamics, and insanely rich and powerful family history is told in Letters from the Dead. If you like stories about insanely rich families with dark histories, this book is for you. The way the author wove the past in with the present as we read about events long ago is masterful. The tension and constant dread of the future hangs in the air and the atmosphere is heavy with anticipation of what's next.

✨Review✨

Letters from the Dead by Isabella Valeri

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️

If you loved The Secret History- here is your next long-lasting obsession.

📖 You know those train scenes in the movies, where the lover is waving from the station while their counter part is on the train waving back. The train starts moving and then the person standing at the station left behind realizes they aren’t ready to say goodbye and starts chasing after the speeding train (to the best of their ability).

Well, the person left behind chasing a train as it speeds up, just trying to keep up. That’s me.

Our main character is off writing her next chapter, and I can’t see where she is headed yet. If you need me I’ll be sitting here at the train station waiting for the next train so I can catch up and see what’s she’s going to do next.

Not to be dramatic, but this may be one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life.
I finished this book and I began frantically flipping through the pages still searching for answers, clues, anything to go off. I re-read the book and I’m still searching. You’ll understand what I’m saying once you read this.

This book is going to be an award winner. It is one of the most well written books to exist. The words woven together in a timeless masterpiece full of mystery.

💬”This addictive debut novel takes us into an intoxicating world of old money, privilege, and family intrigue as a young heiress must return home from a decade-long exile to face the powerful enemies arrayed against her, including those within her own family.
For the first eleven years of her life, the precocious daughter of a great European family tracing its roots back more than fifteen generations, never set foot on land that her family didn’t own. Cloistered on a sprawling estate in the Alpine foothills, as the youngest sibling of her generation she has little knowledge of the dark forces gathering in the shadows to strike at her family. But, when her insatiable curiosity leads her to uncover a priceless text hidden hundreds of years before, she shines light into corners meant to be left in the dark and threatens to uncover secrets that could trigger an internecine battle for succession.
Then, with no warning or explanation, she is whisked away on a private jet and exiled to an elite but isolated all-girls boarding school in the United States. More than a decade later, now in her twenties, she finds her bank accounts abruptly frozen by her family. She is recalled from her affluent but empty existence abroad. Little does she know that her family has plans for her, including an arranged marriage. Worse, as she draws closer to discovering the horrific act that sent her into exile a decade before, and shadowy enemies close in on her family, she must face her most dangerous and powerful foe: her own father.”

📆Release date: May 2025

✨Read this if you like✨
🥀 Mystery
🥀 Thriller
🥀 Suspense
🥀 Old Money
🥀 Powerful Young Heiress
🥀 Estates
🥀 Travel
🥀 Family drama

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC! This was a cerebral read, and not something that I would be able to devour in one sitting. It was enjoyable and intellectual, with beautifully written prose and an intriguing look into the politics and power struggles of a dynastic family. There were definitely some slower points, and many historical facts that occasionally felt they bogged down the pace of the book. Things picked up in the second half, though I wish you learned more about the tomes, Augustin and Bastien as young adults, and the relationships of the family while she was in exile. Further, I understand that she had to choose, but I am disappointed that her ending is one which she fought so hard against. Overall, 3.75*

I believe that this book is one that needs to be taken in and truly digested- not a quick, subtle read by any means. The pacing can make it difficult to stay focused, but it being beautifully well written with intriguing concepts and characters made it so it was worth it. I can say I enjoyed it but I can see it being a very niche read in the end. Thank you for the opportunity

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Letters from the Dead.

Don't judge a book by its cover. That's a common saying.

it should also be 'don't judge a book by its title.'

That definitely applies here.

I was intrigued by the title and excited my request was approved. I'm always up for a debut novel and a suspenseful story.

Sadly, Letters from the Dead bored me to death.

Letters from the Dead should also be categorized as literary.

In my experience, when a book is dubbed 'literary' it means it's well written to the point of purple prose but painfully slow and boring.

I thought this was a mystery. It's not.

I thought it would be suspenseful. Nope.

I thought I would like the characters. Uh-huh.

Is this well written? Sure.

But it's not suspenseful or mysterious; its a history lesson, a lesson in affluence and wealth and family dynasties, none of which I care about.

I don't care about the uber wealthy and their mansions and their hoity-toity parties with the rich and politically connected.

There's also plenty of scenes of drinking, drugging, sleeping around, blah blah blah.

The typical shenanigans rich people do when they have too much money and nothing else/better to do.

Stuff happens but it's more like a sidebar to the history and political lessons and how the precocious daughter must use her wiles and intelligence to figure out what her family is hiding.

Which is what...exactly?

Not sure, since the ending is open=ended which I guess there's a sequel...which I won't read.

The first half of the narrative demonstrates the tutoring and tutelage of said daughter and her precarious relationships with her parents, her tumultuous relationships with her brothers, and her deep love she has for her grandfather.

I'm always confused about books like these.

What's the point?

Why should I care about this crazy wealthy family who lives and talks like they live in the 19th century and have more money than a small country?

Why should I care about their secrets and lust for power and glory and terrible deeds they have perpetrated?

Why should I care about the main character's grab for her own power and independence?

I don't like anyone; I'm indifferent to the main character.

She's smart and well educated but after slogging through the narrative, I still don't know her.

To be honest, I don't know much after trudging through all those words and quotes and Latin in the book.

I need a brain break.

Overall, "Letters from the Dead" is a captivating and atmospheric mystery novel that will appeal to fans of authors such as Agatha Christie, Ruth Ware, and Laura Purcell. If you're looking for a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and guessing until the very end, look no further.

Lots of twists and turns. I really connected with the fmc. The pacing was really nice and it kept me engaged throughout the story.

Thank you netgalley for the arc.

This book is intriguing with lots of twists and turns, I didn't feel like it was resolved in the end. This was a good book but I can't say that it was one of my favorites. I did think that it was a bit slower paced than what I expected. I was 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.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the book.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

I really enjoyed the descriptive writing and themes of this book, but would have personally preferred it to be more plot-driven.

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.