The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni

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I found this book through a list of gothic fiction, and sorry, I don’t remember who posted it. I have been on a kick of dark, spooky books about creepy houses that exude a feeling of oppression. Mexican Gothic, The Nesting, The Whisper Man have all been recent creepy house reads. The Ancestor checks all those boxes. It’s creepy, disturbing, uncanny, and just outside the realm of possibility that makes you wonder for days later if it’s possible it’s true…

Bert Monte never thought she would find herself the last surviving heir to an Italian Noble family. Bert never knew she had enough family to begin to form that illusion. Shortly before Christmas, alone and estranged from her husband Luca, Bert finds herself holding an envelope that will change her life forever. But, the letter is in Italian which means Bert will need help from her husband’s Italian grandmother to translate. If discovering her family came from noble blood was shocking enough, discovering they were fiercely despised is even more so. 

Now Bert finds a family lawyer at her doorstep informing her of the private plane waiting to take her to her family’s estate in the mountains of Italy. Bert and Luca decide to take the chance that it’s all legit and maybe, just maybe, this could be a fresh start for them. What begins as a glamorous and enchanting vacation quickly turns into a nightmare as Bert is separated from Luca and finds herself stranded at the estate with no way out. 

Within the crumbling walls of the estate, Bert finds a great-aunt by marriage Dolores and a handful of loyal servants struggling to maintain a dark and dreary mansion. It’s through Dolores that Bert discovers the darkest secret of her family’s heritage. Her great-grandmother is alive and it’s Bert’s duty to keep her safe. 

It’s from here that Bert discovers the legends from the village of Nevenero about a monster that roamed the woods hunting for children and stranded hikers. Along with the estate’s secretary, Bert discovers a trove of diaries that tell the tale of her family’s history, their dangerous past, and the threat they pose to those around them.

It’s so very hard to discuss this book without giving away spoilers so know this-it’s a dark and chilling story that fills you with an overwhelming sense of “wrongness.” This family went to a lot of trouble to cover up the existence of Vita, Bert’s great-grandmother, and her entire story is fascinating. The mansion-more like a castle-is full of antiques, unused rooms, winding staircases, and a labyrinth of hallways. It’s also full of family history in the form of diaries and personal papers. Any estate that can hire a private librarian has some major secrets to keep hidden. The staff members also felt like they were compelled somehow to stay loyal to the family. They know what’s going on and for some reason, they stay in that dark and dreary place and it doesn’t feel like it was by choice. It also plays the line of only feeling like it’s one tick off from reality so maybe there’s a possibility that something like this could be true? Maybe? 

I really enjoyed this book. It was one that I devoured during my days of being laid up with my faulty knee and it definitely helped take my mind off the pain. 

If you would like to add this book to your collection of spooky stories, you can find ordering information here:

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