The Ancestor

"A lushly written, dream-like modern gothic with as many dark turns and twists as the Montebianco family tree has branches. Welcome to the family." – Paul Tremblay, bestselling author of Survivor SongAfter a DNA test reveals that Alberta “Bert” Monte is the sole heir of a wealthy noble family in the Italian Alps, she leaves New York to visit the family estate: Montebianco Castle, a centuries-old compound isolated in the mountains. What appeared to be a fairy tale inheritance, however, soon turns into a nightmare as Bert begins to uncover the dark legacy of her family: the truth about the abandoned village at the base of the castle; the whispers of stolen children; and the rumors of a legendary monster in the mountains. As Bert unravels the truth, she learns that her true inheritance lies not in a noble title or ancestral treasures, but in her very genes, and now she must choose between preserving a secret centuries in the keeping or abandoning it forever.“Vivid and uncanny…makes the most of Trussoni’s signature blend of science, myth, and mystery.” —Deborah Harkness, bestselling author of A Discovery of Witches"Inventive and entertaining." — People“A Gothic Extravaganza.” —Kirkus

New York Times Book Review

“Ingenious and entertaining…chilling and inventive…[an] addictive book.”

National Review"Inventive and entertaining."

“[A] gripping narrative. Trussoni has created her own distinctive, smart and sly style evident in her rewarding new novel.”

they are among her ancestors

“The Ancestor is a wonderful shape-shifter of a novel. One minute you’ll suppose you’re in a haunted house: think Shirley Jackson. The next, you’re transported into the sort of world Mary Shelley might have created for Frankenstein. Danielle Trussoni is an immensely gifted literary descendant of both storytellers

Booklist

“The intermingling of science, legend, and genealogy make for a truly captivating tale of literary horror.”

Dayton Daily News

“[A] dazzling story. In the brilliant imagination of Danielle Trussoni, anything seems possible.”

Mystery Tribune

“The Ancestor is wildly entertaining and Trussoni is a superb storyteller that pulls elements from many genres and seamlessly weaves together into something that demands to be read.”

SyFy Wire"Unputdownable. ... I was expecting a luscious, wine-fueled gothic mystery with plenty of Renaissance-inspired imagery. I got precisely that and far more. ... Trussoni keeps you glued to the page with her vivid descriptions, lyrical prose and inviting mysteries."

“If gothic literature is your jam, then you absolutely must pick up Danielle Trussoni’s latest novel.”

About the Author

Danielle Trussoni is the New York Times, USA Today, and Sunday Times Top Ten bestselling author of the supernatural thrillers Angelology and Angelopolis. She currently writers the Horror column for the New York Times Book Review and has recently served as a jurist for the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction. Trussoni holds an MFA in Fiction from the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop, where she won the Michener-Copernicus Society of America award. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages. She lives in the Hudson River Valley with her family and her pug Fly.

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