GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK • A young woman wins the role of a lifetime in a film about a legendary heroine—but the real drama is behind the scenes in this sumptuous historical epic from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
“Whenever I want to read a book I know will be good, I go to Silvia Moreno-Garcia.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, author of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

1950s Hollywood: Every actress wants to play Salome, the star-making role in a big-budget movie about the legendary woman whose story has inspired artists since ancient times.

So when the film’s mercurial director casts Vera Larios, an unknown Mexican ingenue, in the lead role, she quickly becomes the talk of the town. Vera also becomes an object of envy for Nancy Hartley, a bit player whose career has stalled and who will do anything to win the fame she believes she richly deserves.

Two actresses, both determined to make it to the top in Golden Age Hollywood—a city overflowing with gossip, scandal, and intrigue—make for a sizzling combination.

But this is the tale of three women, for it is also the story of the princess Salome herself, consumed with desire for the fiery prophet who foretells the doom of her stepfather, Herod: a woman torn between the decree of duty and the yearning of her heart.

Before the curtain comes down, there will be tears and tragedy aplenty in this sexy Technicolor saga.

Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination. Silvia’s debut novel, Signal to Noise, about music and magic, won a Copper Cylinder Award and was nominated for the British Fantasy, Locus, Sunburst and Aurora awards. Her second novel, Certain Dark Things, focuses on narco vampires in Mexico City. It was selected as one of NPR’s best books of 2016 and is a finalist for the Locus and Sunburst awards.

Her third novel, The Beautiful Ones, will be out in the fall of 2017.

Silvia’s first collection, This Strange Way of Dying, was a finalist for the Sunburst Award. Her stories have also been collected in Love & Other Poisons.

She has edited several anthologies, including She Walks in Shadows (World Fantasy Award winner, published in the USA as Cthulhu’s Daughters), Sword & Mythos, Fungi, Dead North and Fractured. Silvia is the publisher of Innsmouth Free Press. She also co-edits The Jewish Mexican Literary Review with Lavie Tidhar and the horror magazine The Dark with Sean Wallace.

She has an MA in Science and Technology Studies from the University of British Columbia. Her thesis can be read online and is titled “Magna Mater: Women and Eugenic Thought in the Work of H.P. Lovecraft.”

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's profile page

“In Moreno-Garcia’s skillful hands, you’ll find the satisfaction of richly drawn characters, saturated settings and deftly constructed plot twists . . . No matter the genre—gothic, horror, noir—she’ll embody its essence with a verve all her own. The Seventh Veil of Salome, Moreno-Garcia’s 10th novel, is an old Hollywood tale crossed with fire and brimstone. And like her previous works, it’s a compulsive page turner . . . [and] a shrewd examination of faith and desire.”—The New York Times Book Review

“When I want to read a book I know will be good, I go to Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Her genres are ever-changing, and her ability to take on a wild story each time is incredible. You never know what she’s going to do, but you know it will be a page-turner.”—Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author of Daisy Jones & The Six

“Using a kaleidoscope of perspectives, Moreno-Garcia skillfully depicts the rise of a starlet in 1950s Hollywood, capturing not only the glamour of poolside parties but also the sordid underbelly of the industry. That alone would be a great read, but she also weaves in the original story of Salome, adding rich layers to a story that bubbles with anticipation and will leave you spellbound.”—Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

“I’ve been a huge Silvia Moreno-Garcia fan since her sensational Mexican Gothic, but this epic of 1950s Hollywood really hits my sweet spot. The Seventh Veil of Salome is absolutely not to be missed!”—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye

“I’ve long been a fan of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s writing—she’s one of the most versatile, quirky, and interesting writers around. In The Seventh Veil of Salome, she reveals—veil by veil—layers of emotion, character, the Bible, and Hollywood. What a fun and compelling dance!”—Lisa See, New York Times bestselling author of Lady Tan’s Circle of Women

“This is a darkly thrilling gem of a novel, a page-turner that winds ever more tightly around its twin heroines as they navigate biblical court intrigues and 1950s studio scandals. Like the best Hollywood epics, The Seventh Veil of Salome catches you in its spell and won’t let go until the credits roll!”—Helene Wecker, author of The Golem and the Jinni and The Hidden Palace

“Intelligent, exciting, and written absolutely beautifully . . . Moreno-Garcia proves, once again, that she is a master of her craft.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“With The Seventh Veil of Salome, Moreno-Garcia turns that remarkable gift to a Hollywood story and conjures another piece of prose magic.”—BookPage, starred review