In a crowded field, Daco Auffenorde stands out with a novel that is original, heartfelt, and thrilling. Family lore, art, and an extraordinary setting, make The Medici Curse a breakout in waiting.--Alex Finlay, USA Today bestseller

The Medici Curse is a fascinating, wholly original story that beautifully, terrifyingly juxtaposes the dark and light; love and revenge with a creepy, haunting mansion set against the gorgeous, magical backdrop of Tuscany. Like the house with secret doors and hidden caves where much of the story takes place, this nail-biting thriller leads the reader down a treacherous path with shocks and twists at every corner. Childhood trauma, a struggle for power, and a family curse coil together in a plot suffused with dread and heart-thumping suspense. This is an unforgettable read.--Samantha M. Bailey, USA Today and #1 bestselling author of Woman on the Edge and Watch Out for Her

Engaging characters, a captivating setting, and a complex, sophisticated plot wrapped in deceptions and intrigue. Exactly what a thriller should be.--DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series

The Medici Curse is a suspenseful, wisely crafted tale of a young woman and a cursed family heirloom that weaves together the complexity of family dynamics, friendships, and deception. This mystery unveils a twist that leaves you questioning how well you really know the people around you. A fresh and imaginative new voice in the mystery world.--Allen Eskens, bestselling author of The Life We Bury

Set in a lavish villa amid the lush vineyards of Tuscany, Daco Auffenorde's The Medici Curse simmers and boils with shocking twists and disturbing psychological trauma. A tenebrous mystery with an oh so satisfying conclusion.--James W. Ziskin, Anthony, Barry, and Macavity Award-winning author of the Ellie Stone Mysteries

Auffenorde deftly weaves gothic elements into a thriller to create a propulsive story that kept me turning pages all the way to the end--which I didn't see coming! Highly recommended for anyone who loves unique, atmospheric mysteries with multiple twists and surprises.--Isabella Maldonado, Edgar nominated and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

Auffenorde deftly builds the tension, offering plenty of eerie atmosphere with a hint of the supernatural. Add in family members harboring potentially nefarious secrets and a creepy housekeeper and gothic readers are sure to be pleased.-- "Booklist" (6/1/2025 12:00:00 AM)

Atmospheric . . . Auffenorde's crisp prose maintains the tension as she unfolds the story in short chapters. A lush, elegant thriller that successfully follows a familiar formula.-- "Kirkus" (5/16/2025 12:00:00 AM)

The story begins with a genuine bang--a truly horrifying childhood memory--and continues with all the ingredients for a true creep show: an unreliable, possibly delusional narrator who recalls the governess in The Turn of the Screw, a family secret, a mansion fraught with haunting shades of the past, plot feints galore, dubious characters, and a coveted, gorgeously bejeweled necklace.-- "Library Journal" (6/1/2025 12:00:00 AM)

A splendid gothic thriller with the perfect blend of the supernatural . . . Auffenorde excels at crafting artful false villains and unreliable allies, pulling readers into an edge-of-your-seat quest to discover what happens next.-- "Well Read Magazine" (7/1/2025 12:00:00 AM)

The Medici Curse is packed with creepy elements, including a murder of crows, ghastly flying insects only Anna sees, catacombs, and secret passageways. . . . The tortured twists of the plot and numerous suspects will keep readers engaged until the final pages.-- "Southern Literary Review" (7/1/2025 12:00:00 AM)

A gothic, psychological thriller, with twists and turns you don't see coming. A perfect summer and 4th of July read.-- "Red Carpet Crash"