The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni (Review by Stacey Lorenson)

Rating: 4.4

The Ancestor by Danielle Trussoni is a beautiful tale of passion, science fiction, and thrilling suspense, expertly woven through exemplary storytelling. Trussoni builds an emotionally compelling prose that builds a bridge between current day and the past, connecting the two by a mythical force that binds the past and present.
Alberta Monte is recovering from a tragic stillborn birthing experience and negotiating the terms of her separation from her husband Luca. Amidst all this, she receives a letter that informs her of an inheritance that includes enormous wealth and a historical legacy of the Montebianco family in Italy in which she is the newest member. Alberta is given the opportunity to escape her life in New York and travels to a secluded ancestral castle in the Italian Alps.
There is mystery surrounding Alberta’s family. She must untangle family lore and devastating secrets to separate fact from fiction in order to reveal a decades old secret that inevitably impacts her intimately.
I love how Trussoni intertwined the gothic and supernatural around the central story of Alberta’s inheritance. The Ancestors has assembled a cast of characters that are unique and incredibly imaginative. Trussoni makes a compelling statement on familial inheritance and the decision of its’ descendants to carry on or rectify their historical legacy.
I could not put The Ancestors down. Trussoni has created a suspenseful page- turning mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed.

**Note** There is a podcast, Crypto-Z, that is a companion to the Ancestor, co-created by Danielle Trussoni and Hadrien Royo.