by Isabel Cañas
Berkley, 2022. 345 pages. Fiction
In the 1820s overthrow of the Mexican government, Beatriz's father was executed and her home destroyed. When handsome Don Rodolfo Solórzano proposes, Beatriz ignores the rumors surrounding his first wife's sudden demise, choosing instead to seize the security his estate in the countryside provides. But Hacienda San Isidro is not the sanctuary she imagined. When Rodolfo returns to work in the capital, visions and voices invade Beatriz's sleep. The weight of invisible eyes follows her every move. Rodolfo's sister, Juana, scoffs at Beatriz's fears—but why does she refuse to enter the house at night? Why does the cook burn copal incense at the edge of the kitchen and mark its doorway with strange symbols? What really happened to the first Doña Solórzano? Desperate for help, Beatriz clings to the young priest, Padre Andrés, as an ally. No ordinary priest, it will take Andrés' skills as a witch to battle the malevolent presence haunting the hacienda.
It's clear that Cañas knows a lot about the genre she's writing in. She uses the best elements of gothic suspense and haunted house fiction to create a truly atmospheric tale perfect for reading at this time of year. Cañas paints the scene in vivid detail, so readers feel Beatriz's desperation and isolation. I especially appreciated the rural Mexican setting, and Cañas' references to Mexican folklore and magic. Pick this book up and settle in for a spooky read.
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey, 2020. 301 pages. Fiction
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. Noemí is an unlikely rescuer: She's a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she's also tough and smart, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noem̕í and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí's dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family's youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family's past. As Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness, and may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
by Zoraida Córdova
Atria Books, 2021. 324 pages. Fiction
The Montoyas know better than to ask questions about their magical family home, where the pantry never seems to run low or empty, or why their matriarch won't ever leave, even for graduations, weddings, or baptisms. When Orquídea Divina invites her descendants to her funeral and to collect their inheritance, they hope to learn the secrets that she has held onto so tightly their whole lives. Instead Orquídea is transformed, leaving them with more questions than answers. Seven years later, Orquídea's gifts have manifested in different ways for Marimar, Rey, and Rhiannon, granting them unexpected blessings. But a hidden figure begins to tear through their family tree, picking them off one by one as it seeks to destroy Orquídea's line.
by Daphne DuMaurier
Avon Books, 1938. 380 pages. Fiction
In this classic novel of romantic suspense, the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter moves into her mysterious and enigmatic new husband's home. There, she slowly uncovers the story of the house's first mistress, to whom the sinister housekeeper is unnaturally devoted.
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