“Driven to madness, driven to anger, driven to despair, and even now a sliver of that woman remained, and that sliver was still screaming in agony.”

Thank you to Del Rey books for gifting me a copy of MEXICAN GOTHIC by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. 

“After receiving a frantic letter from her newlywed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find – her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region.

Noemí is also 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, with an indomitable will, 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 Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi’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. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind”

First, let me say that this book was completely out of my comfort zone. I love thrillers and books with suspenseful elements; but to me, this book also had touches of the horror genre. I was anxious going in and while it took me a few chapters to become fully immersed in the writing style of Moreno-Garcia, once that happened I was sucked into the world of the High Place. 

I would also like to point out that I don’t normally read with my phone near me, it is often more of a distraction and I will sometimes pick it up instead of allowing myself to be fully committed to reading. But, with the case of MEXICAN GOTHIC, I encourage you to have your phone near you and to look up anything that you have questions about. I did this on numerous occasions as I was unfamiliar with some of the plants, locations, and names that were referenced. By looking up this information, I feel that I had a firm grasp on where the author was leading her readers and could fully appreciate the work and research that she put into creating this book.

Also, if you are at all squeamish, there may be pieces of this story that you will be tempted to skip but just stick with it. It will all make sense in the end. 

I applaud the author for writing such a mesmerizing storyline that kept me guessing and held my attention but also for educating me on all of the oddities found within the walls of the High Place. 

MEXICAN GOTHIC was released on June 30, 2020, and is available to order now!