The atmosphere in Mexican Gothic made my skin crawl - in the best way. It was so detailed and downright terrifying. From literal shivers to figurative shivers, I was haunted. From the beginning, Moreno-Garcia is a master at world building. You can feel the decay in the decadence. The barely disguised rotting floors, the musty carpets, but the way the glory is fighting to cling. I loved the pairing of this Gothic atmosphere with the setting, plus Noemí's glamor, her commitment to fun, and the chills.

If you ever wondered if buildings could talk, what would they say - then you have to read Mexican Gothic. This story perfectly embodies that question - wondering if the walls have ears, if the mirrors have eyes. The concept of living memories, of shadows and hauntings, of phantoms in the corners of dark rooms. Everything had a sinister feeling to it and the family was terrifying.

Noemí Taboada, a young socialite, “a glamorous debutante”, is sent to a distant small Mexican town to check on her recently married cousin. She arrives at a large, old house on the top of the hill that belongs to the Doyle family. The Doyles came from England many years ago to explore the silver mines. With time the mines were flooded with water and the extraction of silver had to stop. The Doyles are no longer the same wealthy family they used to be, and their house definitely took the toll for the worst - growing fungus, withering and decaying from negligence.

Reading the Goodreads interview with Silvia-Moreno Garcia I found it very interesting that they asked her about the house as being the large part of the story, but also working as an additional inanimated character. I loved Silvia-Moreno’s reply to this. Make sure to read the full review as well, if you’re interested in this book. It gives a great general look at the story and the motives behind it.

They were correct in asking about the house and the environment. It was these descriptions that really made the story creepy and eerie - I don’t think it would have been the same without the cemetery, the fog, and the scary stories and gossips

Noemí Taboada reminded me so much of Evie from the Diviners! And I loved her! Her looks and personalities were so different from the High Place and Doyle’s family. She bloomed with life, while the rest of the scenery was very morbid, pale and ugly. And I loved this contrast.

Also, I have to mention the gorgeous cover, that’s exactly how I imagined Noemí (except the dress), she is the one who stands out and it makes even more sense after reading the book.

While fun, fast-paced, and utterly compelling, the book wasn’t shallow, which is a huge plus. Silvia-Moreno Garcia seamlessly weaved into the story conversations about beauty, eugenics - the creation of a perfect human, improving humanity on the genetic level , as well as the conversation about inferior and superior races, supported with some real facts. I just think that it was so smart and made me like this book even more.

I was hoping that «Mexican Gothic» would be my new favorite book. Even though it didn’t happen, I loved Silvia-Moreno Garcia’s writing style and definitely will follow her work and read more of her books in the future . Last year she published «Gods of Jade and Shadow» that I hope to pick up soon!

Such a clever telling of a story deep within the gothic tradition, taking all the tricks of creating a gothic atmosphere but giving it a modern and enchanting twist.

The story of Noemi and her cousin Catalina is at once a charming society story set in 1950s Mexico and a horrific exploration of the deepest desires and diseases of the human heart and mind.

Beautifully executed and truly thrilling, I enjoyed this book so much as it takes you on a revelatory journey to some very dark places, all done with great style and true relish.

Whatcha Reading bimonthly post:

Last week I finished Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s Mexican Gothic (out June 30) after Elyse’s recommendation. I loved it! Socialite Noemí Taboada travels to her ill cousin’s aid after receiving a concerning letter about hallucinations. When she reaches the isolated and gloomy house by the forest, Noemí discovers that her cousin’s English in-laws are not what they seem. This book is creepy AF, so be prepared for spine-tingling dread and gothic horror.


Review:

CW: [murder, epidemic, incest, attempted rape, cannibalism, racism, eugenics, hallucinations, gore (hide spoiler)]

4.5 stars

Mexican Gothic is creepy as fuck and I might never sleep again. I say this with the highest of compliments. It’s a must-read for any lover of horror and gothic literature. I want to send it to my old English teachers; Mexican Gothic begs to be taught/analyzed along with the rest of the gothic horror canon.

I loved it. I’m too much of a scaredy-cat to ever reread it, but I loved it. I adored Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s 1920s Mayan fantasy Gods of Jade and Shadow last year and her foray into 195os Mexican gothic horror is equally brilliant. Not many authors can write well in multiple genres, but Moreno-Garcia deserves all the praise with her success at that feat. I must read her thriller Untamed Shore soon.

Tangential, out-of-context note: I really love mushrooms and now I’m considering cutting them out of my diet. Don’t read at night like me because you will not be able to sleep after finishing at 3 am. 😭

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Mexican Gothic was an excellent creepy gothic horror novel, set in a mouldy old house in the hills of rural 1950’s Mexico.

In the beginning, our likeable modern young heroine Noemí receives a worrying letter from her married cousin Catalina. Catalina seems to have changed from the happy girl Noemí remembers and is now scared and in danger or suffering from delusions. Noemí travels to the isolated High Place to see if she can help her troubled cousin.

Noemí then discovers a sinister family at High Place with silent servants and a mysterious history, She is determined to help her cousin, but gets drawn ineluctably into the weird family dynamic.

This book has everything - a misty graveyard, a yellowing lace wedding dress, an evil uncle and possibly sentient mushrooms. A recommended read, but keep the lights on!

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I never read a spooky gothic story set in Mexico, which would make this book unique for me. But, unfortunately it turned into a disappointment.

First of all, the book was very slow until the very end. Literally nothing happened, and I didn't feel any spookiness or any intrigue. I was literally bored. Also, I don't think the characterization is particularly good. Noemi seemed to have no clue for a very long time in the book. She went to this English mansion to look after her cousin, and she was just hanging around trying to make sense with no success. I don't feel like I got to know any of the characters, so didn't feel attached.
The descriptions of the house was the best part of the book. The writing wasn't bad, but simplistic in my view. I skimmed quite a lot as well.
Overall, it didn't deliver the spooky gothic novel for me.

Thanks a lot to the publisher and NG for this copy.

Thank you to netgalley for my arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

So Mexican Gothic. It’s a solid 3.5 stars from me. Not quite amazing but serious potential. If this was ever made into a film, it’s would be epic! Think A House on Haunted Hill mixed with Crimson Peak.

This book is a bit of a slow burn and very atmospheric. Personally I found it almost a bit too descriptive and I struggled though the first half. Then the book talks one hell of a crazy turn and all hell breaks loose! Definitely worth a read. Horror isn’t my preferred genre so I expect some people will absolutely love it!

Mexican Gothic follows Noemi a rich young socialite who, on the request of her father following the receipt of an unusual letter, travels to the remote mansion High Place to check on the wellbeing of her recently married cousin Catalina. Catalinas letter speaks of hauntings and strange goings on however her husband Virgil insists she is merely sick with tuberculosis. On arrival Noemi is thrust into an odd home with extremely strict rules imposed by its unusual inhabitants - in seeking to ensure the health and appropriate treatment of Catalina, Noemi begins to learn that all is not what it seems at High Place.

Noemi is a head strong individual, with a quirky attitude and an aptitude for enraging the inhabitants of High Place. Her character provides an entertaining base to what is essentially a thrilling paranormal storyline. Her interactions with Francis, an awkward young gentleman with a fondness for fungi, provide a lot of opportunity to see Noemi in action.

Although it took a little while for me to get into this story while the groundwork was delivered, once the pace quickened I found myself absorbed by the events unfolding. The history of the circumstances arising are well detailed without being overly so, pulling the story to a solid and fast paced conclusion.

Overall I enjoyed this book and the characters in it, it made for a thrilling and disturbing read at times and I would recommend it.

This was a gothic novel in the same style as Rebecca for the first half. Then things really escalated into some weirdness.

I found it a bit frustrating, but no doubt true to the times how little power Noemi had over what was going on. I did wonder though, given that she had so little power why her father sent her to try to help with no backup and not much concern for her safety.

I'm also not sure the pacing was as strong as it could have been. I will give it to the writer that when she decided to go there with the weirdness she really went there.

I would read more from this author.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

''The world might indeed be a cursed circle; the snake swallowed its tail and there could be no end, only an eternal ruination and endless devouring.'"

In the darkly rich setting of 1950s Mexico, a socialite named Noemí receives a frantic letter from her cousin to rescue her from the haunting High Place where she lives with her husband and his family. Noemí is drawn into this eerie mansion and thrust into a rather unfortunate situation, as she attempts to separate reality from her mind..

The best part of this novel, for me, was the gothic atmosphere created by Moreno-Garcia, managing to pull from traditional Gothic literature and adding her own spin. Noemí was an intelligent, witty protagonist who did her best at saving herself, her cousin, and solving the mystery of High Place.

I can't say the other characters themselves were very interesting, and I was revolted most of the time (with the exception of the cousin, Catalina, and sometimes Francis). I was mostly reading on for the mystery aspect rather than because I was interested in the character arcs. Since I was intrigued from the start about High Place, I was motivated to continue reading, but I still did read the book at quite a slow pace, even if I was enjoying it.

However, the shift in my feelings happened when the main plot twist was revealed, and the novel started going in an unprecedented direction. It definitely isn't like any other gothic horror book I've read before, and not necessarily in a good way. I think I was more disgusted by what was happening, but I know there were hints throughout the novel so the twist didn't come out of nowhere; it was all just a bit too strange for me, if I'm being honest.

The silver lining is I read the last quarter a lot quicker than the rest, which was made easier since the pace picked up as the climax neared. Though it did get a bit confusing at times, I got the general gist of the action, and was overall left satisfied by the ending.

This was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year and, unfortunately, it has turned into one of my biggest disappointments.

Mexican Gothic is described as a gothic, historical, horror so I was expecting lots of atmospheric spookiness and, though it was beautifully written, it wasn’t atmospheric and it wasn’t spooky at all. This book really dragged and very little happened, certainly nothing that compelled me to keep reading. Had this not been an ARC, I would most likely have DNF’d it.

Things I Liked:
♥ Beautiful writing. Lyrical and great visual, descriptions.
♥ It felt very authentic. I’ve never read anything that takes place in the Mexican countryside and I think this book did a good job of making me feel like I was there.
♥ The concept was fairly unique.

Things I Disliked:
♡ This book was unbelievably slow. Very little happened plot-wise and, when it did, it was so far into the book that I was quite bored.
♡ I didn’t find the characterization to be particularly great. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters, which made it hard to care about how things turned it. The characterization of the house was, in my opinion, miles better than the actual characters.
♡ This book really lacked a spooky atmosphere. It definitely leaned more historical fiction than horror and I found myself more frustrated and annoyed than spooked.

Overall, I find myself very disappointed by this book but I do prefer books that are quicker paced- especially books that are intended to leave me anxious and scared. If you enjoy a slower paced book and don’t mind books that aren’t character-driven, I do think you would enjoy this as it is beautifully written.

Content Warnings - Racism, eugenics, pandemic, sexism, sexual assault, murder, suicide, rape, incest, drugs.

Thank you yo Quercus books for providing this review copy.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia digs deep into the British gothic tradition in her latest novel Mexican Gothic. Set in the mountains of the Mexican state of Hidalgo, Mexican Gothic transplants these traditions into a Mexican setting, creating deeper resonances of imperialism and control.
It is the early 1950s and Noemi Taboada is part of the high society of Mexico City. Attending chic parties, setting herself up as an object of desire for a bevy of young men. But when her father asks her to go and check on the welfare of her cousin she goes without hesitation. Her cousin Catalina has recently married a man called Doyle, heir to a British silver-mining family who have an estate near their now abandoned mines in the mountains of Hidalgo. Noemi soon finds herself in the Doyle’s spooky, isolated mansion, High Place, bristling at the rules imposed on her and her ailing cousin. But she is well read enough to notice the gothic stylings of the place and the silent people in it.
From there Moreno-Garcia turns up the gothic mood and hints of horrors to come. Noemi finds herself having strange dreams and sleepwalking. She starts to see the ghosts associated with family stories of killings. The house itself is perpetually covered in mist, and her walks take her to an even more creepy graveyard where her only ally, her cousin’s husband’s nephew Francis, gathers and sketched mushrooms. Francis is continually trying to encourage her to leave, but Noemi’s sense of honour and commitment to her cousin keeps her in the house even as her dreams get wilder and things get decidedly creepier.
Despite being familiar with gothic tropes, Noemi does not heed the warnings and about two thirds of the way through, Moreno-Garcia turns up the heat on her. The source of her troubles are explained in a way that has been hinted at so does not come as a total surprise either to Noemi or the reader, but by that time it is too late for Noemi to run. At this point the horror and thriller elements start to ramp up and Noemi finds herself confronting a malevolent and seemingly unstoppable force.
Moreno-Garcia has successfully transplanted the English gothic tradition to Mexico, in a way that has an imperial feel. Underpinning this horror tale is the story of how the British exploited the local Mexican people to further their silver mining concern. And there are undercurrents of the inherent racism of those imperialists, that continue through the Doyle family, juxtaposed not only against Noemi’s inherent Mexican-ness but her studies of anthropology. All of this adds depth to what is otherwise an effective gothic horror tale with a plucky, engaging heroine at its centre.

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free Gothic novel.*

That was really creepy! It's the 1950s in Mexico and Noemí enjoys her life to the fullest: suitors, parties, studying at university. When her father receives a weird letter from her newlywed relative, Noemí is sent to the rural area where her cousin lives in an English mansion, high up on the mountain. She has trouble adjusting to the house, the people, and all the strange traditions and rituals, like not talking Spanish but English only or not talking at dinner. The house is in disrepair, there's mold everywhere and Noemí is plagued by dark and/or erotic nightmares. Her only ally seems to be the younger brother of her cousin's husband and the people from town who think the family is cursed.

History haunts the present, the house has a life of its own, and the longer Noemí stays, the harder it is to leave. This was really cool, because I absolutely adores the setting! Mexico during the 1950s is fascinating, I liked our somewhat vain but outspoken protagonist, and I loved how dark - how Gothic - it got. The pitfall of this novel (of all Gothic novels that I've read that were published recently) is how the supernatural is used to explain everything, which is sad. "Rebecca", and "Mexican Gothic" will be compared to "Rebecca", manages to evoke the supernatural but does not use it to explain everything that is going on. But apart from that, this was very very Gothic, very enjoyable and creepy. And the mushrooms!!

4,5 Stars

I love this book so much! It's amAZING!

How do I even begin to express that this book is good? I started off the book with a moderate expectation but honestly, I should have placed a higher expectation cause it’s that good. I really enjoyed this book a lot more than Gods of Jade and Shadow. This book gave me a lot of Crimson Peak moments because of the environment in which the book was set in.

Full review is on my blog!

With thanks to Netgalley and Quercus for allowing me to review this book.



<I>He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.<\I>

<I>When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it's clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her.
Noemí's chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin.<\I>

Where do I start with Mexican Gothic..

First off, it's so dark..and I loved it.

Mexican Gothic is very atmospheric, even thought it's the height of summer here in the uk, the writing style of Silvia Moreno-Garcia made me feel the coldness of High Place and it's super creepiness

Mexican Gothic is very Victorian gothicish, the characters are well rounded . Noemi is my favourite character, she is so strong willed and won't take no for an answer. Howard is the super creepy character who creeped me out every time we met him.

Mexican Gothic is a excellent horror book that will stay with me for a long while and I will be sleeping with the lights on for a bit.

Thanks is extended to Quercus (via NetGalley) for providing me with a copy of Mexican Gothic for review.

Such a creepy read!

I don't read many horror books but I always love me some haunted houses and this book gave me exactly what I wanted. The atmosphere is so creepy, the setting is absolutely fantastic and the residents of the house are so intriguing. The writing style is very accessible and paints a very vivid picture. I can picture the house and surroundings with such detail that I almost feel like I've actually been there.

My favorite thing about this book though is Noemí. She is so smart, capable and logical and I just loved watching her maneuver both the social situations and the more creepy aspects of the story. I was half expecting the stereotypically stupid horror protagonist who keeps wandering into dangerous situations but I was pleasantly surprised by her. There's also another character in here who I absolutely adore and must be protected at all cost!

All in all a fantastic read and highly recommend it for anyone looking for a creepy gothic house of horrors story!

oooo this book right here was so goooood, I loved this was very very much the whole setting of this creepy little town and the Victorian gothic style mansion that our main character says in was so eerie and how the author described this book I was just amazed!!! the house this definitely gave me woman in black and the haunting of hill house vibes, which makes it feel so much more creepy.

the detail in the descriptions were very gruesome and grotesque at parts but that what's make this novel even more special and if you want a horror novel to work it definitely needs to have those moments that make you squirm or just have to put the book down!!!

one final though it that You definitely felt sucked into this book and felt like was actually the main character, the authors writing of this book was just so good and very excited to read more by Sylvia. I definitely need to check out her first novel.

I was really delighted to find that this Mexican Gothic novel was written very much in a style of the Victorian Gothic writers and not as a modern, fast-paced, gory horror.

Noemi travels to High Place, in the mountains, to go and see if her cousin Catalina is well and happy in her marriage. Catalina sent a letter to her Uncle, Nicole's father, in which 'she makes wild statements about her husband' and as her husband, Virgil, claims she is 'behaving in odd and distressing ways'. Catalina is set up as a very fanciful woman who believes in true love and fairy tales. Noemi is described as a socialite, however, we quickly realise is very down-to-earth and practical.

Both women have led very sheltered lives despite living in Mexico City as part of a wealthy, well-known family. Catalina was orphaned at a very young age and is older than Noemi. She has lived with Noemi ever since and despite a large age gap they are close, so it is only natural for Catalina's husband to ask for Noemi to visit. Her father wants her to go to see what is going on, since her father did not approve of the marriage, to try to avoid scandal.

The setting of High Place is very romantic like that of Wuthering Heights with a small village miles away from the house. The house is also up on a mountain with only a rustic track to connect them to the outside. Mist regularly descends obscuring the landscape and when it rains they are isolated.

The world Noemi steps into is very different and the contrast is marked, between the description of her life in Mexico City and this new world where old English traditions are kept going. Virgil's four aunt Florence runs the house with strict rules e.g. everyone must talk in whispers because the patriarch, Uncle Howard, is ill and voices carry. High Place is a Downton Abbey style, neglected house with servants who are seen but never speak. Nicole notes how the wallpaper is faded and mouldy. There are faded patches on the walls showing that paintings have been sold off and everything is weathered and worn.

Straightway Noemi find it strange that servants appear scared
to talk. No one is willing to tell her exactly what's wrong with her cousin. She is only allowed access to her cousin for a 30 minute visit is normally supervised by Florence or a servant so has little or no opportunity to find out what is going on.

The only bright spot is Francis who is Florence's, son and a very stark contrast to Catalina's husband Virgil, who is self-assured and confident, but not very likeable.

The story is well paced and extremely well written in the expected style of a Gothic novel. Thereare lots of secrets, whisperings with no source and pseudo hauntings in the night. Nicole takes us through her rational speculations for why she feels as she does in the house. That the walls are poisoned (Victorian mercury paint) or there's something behind the wallpaper reminiscent of The Yellow Wallpaper (by Charlotte Perkins Gilman). She sees an apparition of a bride in the night reminiscent of Mrs Rochester from Jane Eyre. But when she opens her eyes there's nothing there. She starts to sleep walk during vivid and disturbing dreams.

Expectations are that she, helped by Francis, manages to whisk Catalina back to Mexico City, Virgil comes after them and they all live happily ever after. But spoiler alert, this is not a Gothic novel this is a Gothic Horror novel.

There are good reasons Noemi feels unsettled and a bit freaked out, that Catalina presents as a slightly deranged woman .. you will have to read to find out why.

If you are disposed to be easily scared have the lights on very bright even during the day!

The author is extremely good at subverting our expectations and keeping you reading and wondering what's going to happen next.

That I was tiny bit disappointed when I got the actual reasons behind all of the events is only because I was set up by the author.

I was given the novel free by netgalley.com for my fair and honest review.

“There’s people in the walls,” Catalina said. “There’s people and there’s voices. I see them sometimes, the people in the walls. They’re dead.”

Gothic historical fiction is a go to for me, particularly if it features a spooky house with a presence all of its own. The injection of horror into the mix can usually be hit or miss though, depending on the type of horror. I’m really not into slasher style horror, but if it leans more to the supernatural side of things, then I’m more inclined to enjoy it. On the hit or miss scale, this novel was a firm hit. It really did have all the right elements for this genre and in all the right concentrations too. Nothing was overdone: the atmosphere, the element of dread, the escalation of fear – all balanced with perfection.


“There’s heavy places. Places where the air itself is heavy because an evil weighs it down. Sometimes it’s a death, could be it’s something else, but the bad air, it’ll get into your body and it’ll nestle there and weigh you down.”


This novel is not all just chills and thrills though. There was a very credible storyline relating to female agency within its historical era. Set at the beginning of the 1950s, in Mexico, Catalina and Noemí are both at the mercy of the men in their lives and their experience, and that of the women who haunt this house, highlights the limitations on being not only a woman, but a woman with money, particularly money that your father holds the purse strings of or that your husband has intentions for. There is a special kind of danger for a powerless woman who comes with a big dowry. The exploration of this vulnerability seems to work best in gothic fiction, particularly, The Woman in White, comes to mind, and this novel taps into that same vein, just with a shot of horror to amplify the effect.


“And the first woman, she thought a horror had befallen him, that an evil possessed him, but the other one, she knew this had always been him, under the skin. I feared evil long ago. I feared him.”


This is kind of a story about eugenics gone mad, and while the way it all plays out is definitely supernatural, and therefore, only credible with the use of imagination, I couldn’t help but feel a certain pull of dread with this focus. History is of course littered with examples of where eugenics have directed certain actions, and while the events of this novel could never actually unfold within the context they are imagined, the premise upon which it is built is only all too real. Selective breeding to preserve bloodlines; it makes you shudder to even read that statement, doesn’t it?


“This house had been built atop bones. And no one had noticed such an atrocity, rows and rows of people streaming into the house, into the mine, and never leaving. Never to be mourned, never to be found. The serpent does not devour its tail, it devours everything around it, voracious, its appetite never quenched.”


I’m really very keen to read more from this author. She has great vision and imagination and her ability to evoke atmosphere is second to none. The way she created the house in this novel was extraordinary, it had a life of its own, the presence of a character in itself. The supernatural aspect to this story was also wholly unique, and again, this is testimony to the author’s imagination. The melding of this supernatural side of the story to the historical setting and those pertinent and thought provoking themes I mentioned above, all point to an author of note, one whose work I’d certainly like to become more acquainted with.



Thanks is extended to Quercus (via NetGalley) for providing me with a copy of Mexican Gothic for review.

A chilling and brilliant horror story, 'Mexican Gothic' transplants the classic British style haunted house into the Mexican highlands in 1950. It sounds like a strange idea but it works so very well in practice. The point-of-view character is Noemi, a wealthy young socialite from Mexico City, who receives a disturbing letter from her cousin Catalina at the start of the novel. Catalina had married an English expatriate and moved away to live at his remote estate. Now Catalina seemed distressed - even mad - so Noemi heads off at her father's bidding to find out what is going on. She finds a strange, lonely mansion isolated in mists, with silent servants, hostile inhabitants, and the nearest village full of murmurs about curses, hauntings and terrible past events. Will Noemi be able to unravel the situation and rescue Catalina or will she too fall victim to the curse of the house and family?

This is a perfectly paced and utterly absorbing novel. Noemi is an excellent heroine - believable and very likable. I could entirely empathise with her and willed her to succeed. She is the perfect combination of strength and realism and reminds me of Marian in 'The Woman in White'.. The novel builds up gradually, with a rising feeling of strangeness and unease growing throughout the first half, and a more dramatic second half that is very hard to stop reading.

The characters are well drawn and full of ambiguity - you find yourself doubting them and changing your mind again and again, as the psychological thriller messes with your perceptions of the situation. The descriptive writing is very good - I'm a reader who often skims or even skips descriptive passages, but these deserve to be read and set the scene with chilling accuracy. It should carry a warning about reading late at night - you'll find yourself jumping at shadows - but likewise it's far too gripping to wait for daylight.

Overall this is a masterfully written and very enjoyable novel, if you don't mind your books a bit scary. A great choice for lovers of ghost stories, Gothic fantasy, and psychological thrillers. I will definitely be adding Moreno-Garcia's other books to my 'read next' list!