Publication Date: July 1, 2025
A family curse. A missing heirloom. A house full of secrets.
A descendant of a powerful Italian dynasty reckons with her family’s troubled legacy and her own fractured memories in this Gothic thriller from the author of The Forgotten Girl.
When aspiring artist Anna de’ Medici Rossi inherits her family’s opulent villa in Tuscany, she returns to a place steeped in tragedy and mystery. Living there as a child, Anna suffered from debilitating night terrors, frequently waking to find that she had wandered far from bed. During one such episode when Anna was twelve, her mother took a fatal tumble down the stairs. Vittoria’s death was officially ruled an accident, but an heirloom ruby-and-diamond necklace was missing from her bruised neck. Whispered suspicions suggest that Anna pushed her mother and stole the precious jewels. Anna, remembering little from that night, is afraid they’re right. But if that’s true, then what became of the necklace, which has long been associated with legends of a family curse?
Now back in Tuscany after sixteen years, Anna is shunned by the local townspeople as a killer who escaped justice, while only a few distant relatives and an old childhood friend offer solace. As she explores the sprawling villa, Anna uncovers hidden rooms and memories shrouded in fog, reigniting the violent night terrors of her youth. Plagued by unsettling visions and eerie occurrences, she questions her sanity and embarks on a harrowing journey to unravel the truth of her past. As her search deepens, she confronts shocking revelations that expose her to dangers she never anticipated.
Blending Gothic and supernatural elements with a gripping exploration of identity and legacy, The Medici Curse is a beautifully crafted tale of family scandal, murder, art, and intrigue.
Inheriting the family villa in Tuscany means opening 16-year-old wounds for Anna de’ Medici Rossi.
The Medici Curse by Daco S. Auffenorde delivers a captivating thriller featuring family secrets alongside supernatural elements. Anna’s night terrors from her childhood add a suspenseful element, especially in relation to her mother’s death.
At the center of the story is a missing family heirloom rumored to be cursed. As Anna explores the home and probes her memories, events take a spooky twist. The fine line between reality and imagination starts to blur through the pages of the story, making readers wonder what will happen next.
The secondary characters, including some distant relatives, play a significant role in amping up the superstition tied to the missing necklace. With a stunning conclusion, all the pieces come together.
The Medici Curse draws upon the beautiful setting of Tuscany to weave a Gothic tale full of suspense.
Daco S. Auffenorde is an award-winning author of Cover Your Tracks, which was selected as a Suspense Magazine “Best of 2020” Thriller/Suspense and won Action Thriller of the Year with Best Thrillers Book Awards. Lee Child says, “Sensational—new, fresh, suspenseful . . . I loved this book.” Her psychological thriller The Forgotten Girl won the Book of the Year with Best Thriller Book Awards. Daco’s works also appear in several anthologies, including her short story “The Virgo Affair” in Killer Nashville Noir: Cold-Blooded. Her debut The Libra Affair, a Jordan Jakes novel, was a #1 Amazon Bestseller. She is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America, Authors Guild, Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and Alabama State Bar.
