An adult contemporary novel for fans of character-driven, setting-rich cozy mysteries such as The Lost Apothecary, Under the Tuscan Sun, and The Miniaturist

Spiraling from the recent loss of her last living family member, 34-year-old Simonetta Altobella flees her Bay Area home for a summer volunteer program at Chateau Desrosiers in southeastern France, a destination made popular by a YouTube channel chronicling the chateau’s restoration. It’s also a place with ties to her family, although she has been left in the dark for decades about its significance to her grandfather and the secrets he never wanted to divulge.

So when Simonetta uncovers a broken musical automaton buried deep in the chateau’s attic bearing a maker’s mark inscribed with the Altobella name, it feels like serendipity—but wading into the tangled wires within unearths a complicated history that entwines her with the past, and future, of the enigmatic Chateau Desrosiers.

Simonetta finds herself adrift among the volunteers from around the world, but the automaton’s discovery channels her grief into purpose. While restoring both the castle and the automaton, Simonetta forges a new identity in the aftermath of loss. Does the automaton hold the answers she’s looking for—or will she be left with even more questions about her place in the world?

Set in a richly detailed locale, The Altobella Automaton explores themes of found family, serendipitous discoveries, navigating life with chronic anxiety, and the cycles of history that shape us.

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