Book Review: The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Set in 1960s Italy, the plot of The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James revolves around twenty-year-old aspiring actress and single mother Silvia Whitford who travels to Rome as part of the cast of a movie that is suddenly canceled leaving her without work and in need of a place to stay. Sylvia hasn’t had much success in her career having played only small parts in movies and was hoping to relocate to Italy with her terminally ill mother, who is Italian but moved to the United States after WWII, and her two-year-old daughter Lulu who traveled with Silvia. But the cancellation of the project puts a wrench in her plans. With no other options in sight, Silvia contacts her mother’s estranged sister, Gabriella Conti. Gabriella is a recluse who lives alone in a medieval castle, Castello del Lago, which is in a state of disrepair and is believed to be haunted by one of their ancestors. Gabriella and Silvia’s mother have not spoken for years and are unwilling to meet one another, remaining vague when asked about the reason behind their feud. When a movie crew approaches Gabriella to rent the castle to shoot for a new horror movie, The Revenge of the Lake Witch, Silvia manages to convince Gabriella to agree. Silvia also bags a lead role in the movie and the cast and crew temporarily move in. But Gabriella becomes increasingly agitated even insisting that the crew vacate the premises. Silvia tries to placate her aunt but tensions are high and when Gabriella suddenly disappears, Silvia suspects foul play and believes that someone from the production unit might be responsible for the same. Complicating matters further are the eerie occurrences in the Castello, the evidence of a gruesome crime and the fact that nobody, including the carabinieri, seems to be taking her concern for her missing aunt seriously. As the narrative progresses, we follow Sylvia as she juggles her work and family responsibilities, her budding relationship with a new flame and her search for the truth behind what happened to her aunt.

Combining elements of historical fiction, romance, family drama, suspense and mystery, The Woman in the Castello is an intriguing read. I really loved the setting, the descriptions of the castle and the Gothic vibes (not too scary but added to the atmosphere). Silvia is portrayed as impulsive and a tad immature but I thought the author does a good job of developing the character as the plot progresses. Gabriella is an intriguing character with an interesting backstory and I wish that had been explored further. The romance track was a tad rushed but I was glad that the romance angle did not overshadow the mystery. I enjoyed how the author describes the dynamics between the cast and crew of the movie and thought the characters were well drawn (even the unlikeable ones). The twists, red herrings and the build-up to the final reveal were well-executed.

I paired my reading with the audio narration by Patricia Santomasso, who has done a wonderful job of voicing the characters and setting the mood for this story.
Suspenseful and atmospheric, with a fluid narrative and an interesting cast of characters The Woman in the Castello by Kelsey James is an entertaining read.
Many thanks to Kensington Books, NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the eARC and the ALC of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.