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The Colony of Lost Souls - by Kelsey James (Paperback)

The Colony of Lost Souls - by  Kelsey James (Paperback) - image 1 of 1
The Colony of Lost Souls - by  Kelsey James (Paperback) - image 1 of 1
$18.95 when purchased online
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About this item

Highlights

  • A young woman searching for her missing sister in 1930s California is drawn into a dark and dangerous cult in this intoxicating binge of sacrifice and obsession, strange rituals, alluring promises, and a beautiful prison for readers of Emma Cline's The Girls, California Golden by Melanie Benjamin, and The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd.
  • About the Author: Kelsey James is a historical fiction author and content marketer whose work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Insider, ABC News, and The Huffington Post, among other outlets.
  • 304 Pages
  • Fiction + Literature Genres, Historical

Description



Book Synopsis



A young woman searching for her missing sister in 1930s California is drawn into a dark and dangerous cult in this intoxicating binge of sacrifice and obsession, strange rituals, alluring promises, and a beautiful prison for readers of Emma Cline's The Girls, California Golden by Melanie Benjamin, and The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby by Ellery Lloyd.

Born a year apart, May and June Anderson were once as close as twins. Time and a loveless marriage changed the once vibrant May into June's timid counterpart. Now, two years after June abruptly disappeared, May receives a letter from her sister, inviting her to visit a mysterious colony in southern California. Eager to match June's boldness for once, May doesn't hesitate.

The Colony is located in a magnificent Spanish Revival-style mansion perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific, and is presided over by the group's charismatic leader, Rex. Colony members believe in an afterlife where departed souls mingle, and that the truly enlightened can even summon back the spirits of lost loved ones. May is told that June has recently left on a mission, and she's intrigued enough to accept Rex's invitation to stay until her sister's return.

Drawn deeper into the group, and under Rex's seductive spell, May undergoes their initiation ceremony. Yet her questions grow more urgent with June's continued absence--and the warnings of a presumptuous but charming undercover investigator. May has longed for the daring, adventurous life her sister pursued, but her arrival has sparked a dangerous unraveling within the Colony, where nothing and no one is quite as it seems.

Gripping and atmospheric, The Colony of Lost Souls immerses readers in a world of secrets, deception, and unexpected redemption.



Review Quotes




Praise for Kelsey James

"James makes a dazzling debut with this gothic tale of intrigue and danger...With its sheen of '60s Euro glamour, this is irresistible and satisfying. James is certainly one to watch." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW for The Woman in the Castello

"The first-person narrative, told from the young woman's point of view, is both shocking and exciting, moving from grand ballrooms to flophouses and from shady business dealings to the honesty of pure love. A lengthy court battle will keep readers deliciously on edge in James's shocking and gripping drama." --firstCLUE (Henrietta Thornton) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall

"Plan to read this suspense filled novel of murder, madness and money in a single sitting." --Bill Reilly, The River's End Bookstore (Oswego, NY) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall

"A gothic mystery as full of twists and turns as a Victorian staircase. I couldn't put it down!" --Lisa Jackson, # 1 New York Times bestselling author on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall

"A midcentury tale of showbiz and family with a touch of the gothic, The Woman in the Castello takes readers to 1960s Italy, where a mysterious horror movie shoot intersects with one woman's family secrets." --Popsugar on The Woman in the Castello

"A thoroughly original blend of mystery, family drama, and sultry romance, all unfolding in the fast-paced world of a Swinging Sixties movie set. A riveting debut!" --Elizabeth Blackwell, bestselling author of Red Mistress on The Woman in the Castello

"The 1960s in Rome, a crumbling Italian castle on the edge of a volcanic lake, a glamorous aunt she's never met, and a starring role in a horror movie that begins to feel a bit too real...Kelsey James's debut novel is a delicious Gothic filled with atmosphere, twists, romance, and dark secrets." --Megan Chance, bestselling author of A Splendid Ruin on The Woman in the Castello

"Like Jess Walters's Beautiful Ruins, the glamour and heady indulgence of the era take center stage in this captivating, multilayered story that will keep you guessing to the end. Silvia and Gabriella are flawed, fascinating characters who will linger in your mind long after the book is closed." --Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author on The Woman in the Castello

"Cinematic and spooky, there is something for everyone in this gripping historical novel that expertly blends a love story with family drama and a twist of suspense. Readers will be swept up in the glamorous--and sometimes grungy--1960s movie scene, and the magnificent setting is sure to inspire many a trip to Italy. A delight for the senses and a truly entertaining story!" --Nicole Baart, bestselling author of Everything We Didn't Say on The Woman in the Castello

"Grippingly sinister and dark, fluidly written with a creepy foreboding hanging over castle, lake, and village, all eerily quiet, unwelcoming and preternaturally atmospheric. The cobblestone paths, narrow shadowed alleyways, and scars of war visible in random bullet holes give the village a feeling of life on hold, a place not comfortable with its history. James has pitched her novel straight into the Sixties with two-tone op-art dresses, large framed glasses, and era-sensitive attitudes towards birth out of wedlock." --Historical Novel Society on The Woman in the Castello

"A story that could easily transfer from book to screen, it's a chilling read in which the art of the cinema very often reflects the drama of the actors' actual lives." --New York Journal of Books on The Woman in the Castello

"James has given us a beautiful work of historical fiction and Gothic horror, and an impassioned love letter to Italian horror cinema" --Jenn Jordan, Syosset Public Library (Syosset, NY) on The Woman in the Castello

"From page one you are in Italy, and even better, Rome in the 1960s... with the excitement of making a film and the tension of keeping secrets... as old mysteries unfold and new ones build, Kelsey James takes you through a perfect blend." --Kira Wizner, Merritt Bookstore (Millbrook, NY) on The Woman in the Castello

"A juicy and riveting story of a high society woman on the verge of losing everything." --Rachel Martin, Books, Inc. (Campbell, CA) on Secrets of Rose Briar Hall



About the Author



Kelsey James is a historical fiction author and content marketer whose work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Insider, ABC News, and The Huffington Post, among other outlets. Her debut novel, The Woman in the Castello, was an Indie Next Pick and a LibraryReads selection. A graduate of Dartmouth College with a degree in Creative Writing and Classical Studies, she currently lives with her family outside New York City and can be found online at KelseyJamesAuthor.com.
Dimensions (Overall): 8.25 Inches (H) x 5.5 Inches (W)
Weight: .81 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 304
Genre: Fiction + Literature Genres
Sub-Genre: Historical
Publisher: John Scognamiglio Book
Theme: General
Format: Paperback
Author: Kelsey James
Language: English
Street Date: June 24, 2025
TCIN: 93859187
UPC: 9781496742957
Item Number (DPCI): 247-30-8771
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details above aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.

Shipping details

Estimated ship dimensions: 1 inches length x 5.5 inches width x 8.25 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.81 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: United States Minor Outlying Islands, American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), Northern Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Guam (see also separate entry under GU)

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