The Colony of Lost Souls by Kelsey James - ISBN: 9781496742957
Paperback
Sister vanished into a cult: sacrifice, obsession, and beautiful lies.

The Colony of Lost Souls

$35.46

  • Paperback

    304 pages

  • Release Date

    22 July 2025

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Summary

A young woman searching for her missing sister in 1930s California is drawn into a dark and dangerous cult in this intoxicating binge of sacrifice and obsession, strange rituals, alluring promises, and a beautiful prison for readers of Silvia Moreno Garcia, Nicola Harrison, Laura Purcell, California Golden by Melanie Benjamin, and Emma Cline’s The Girls.

Born a year apart, May and June Anderson were once as close as twins. Time and a loveless marriage changed the once vibrant May into…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9781496742957
ISBN-10:1496742958
Author:Kelsey James
Publisher:Kensington Publishing
Imprint:Kensington Publishing
Format:Paperback
Number of Pages:304
Release Date:22 July 2025
Weight:369g
Dimensions:210mm x 140mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

Praise for The Colony of Lost Souls

“Brimming with Gothic atmosphere and dark secrets, The Colony of Lost Souls swept me away with its glittering 1930s coastal setting and easy-to-love heroine. James masterfully weaves together threads of romance, obsession, and the occult into a suspenseful story that is perfect for fans of Sarah Penner and Simone St. James.” —Hester Fox, author of The Last Heir to Blackwood Library

“A captivating work of fiction that explores the dangers of obsessive charisma and the allure of the unknown, wrapped in an intoxicating gothic mystery set on the rugged California coast. Absolutely hypnotic–from the first page to the breathless ending–lyrically written, and powerful.” —Paulette Kennedy, author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport

“Evocative, fast-paced, and impossible to put down, James’s latest combines a charismatic cult leader, a charming detective, an isolated mansion and creepy goings-on in a gothic novel that hits all the right notes with irresistible style.” —Megan Chance, bestselling author of Glamorous Notions

“Looming on the craggy coastline of 1930s California like something Poe might dream up, The Colony of Lost Souls offers up a delicious and seductive gothic nightmare. Seances, seduction and desperate sisters are reminiscent of early Victoria Holt favorites. The setting is lush with detail, the pacing is breakneck, and it all adds up to a great nostalgic diversion for lovers of historical gothics!”—Kimberly Brock, award winning author of The Fabled Earth and The Lost Book of Eleanor Dare

“A treat for fans of historical fiction set in 1930s California. A sumptuous tale of intrigue and deceit, featuring quirky and creepy characters, that explores themes of grief, regret and the bonds of sisterhood.”—Shannon Morgan, author of Grimdark

“With her signature lush detail and Gothic flair, Kelsey James delivers a suspenseful tale of sisterhood, secrets, and the lengths we’ll go for those we love. The Colony of Lost Souls is a thrilling ride—equal parts haunting and heart-pounding—that will keep you turning pages late into the night. If you crave secret passageways and the prickling sense of a ghost just behind you, this is your next must-read!” —Amanda Skenandore, award-winning author of The Medicine Woman of Galveston

“A well-wrought, atmospheric, and unsettlingly creepy read.” Historical Novel Society

About The Author

Kelsey James

Kelsey James is a historical fiction author and content marketer whose work has appeared in Conde Nast Traveler, Insider, ABC News, and The Huffington Post, among other outlets. Her novels include The Colony of Lost Souls, Secrets of Rose Briar Hall, and The Woman in the Castello, an Indie Next Pick and a LibraryReads selection. Born and raised in Sacramento, California, she is an alumna of Dartmouth College and now lives with her family outside New York City.

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