Mexican Gothic
by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
What is it about:
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. 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 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. 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.
What did I think of it:
I very much enjoyed Certain Dark Things, so wanted to try another book by Moreno-Garcia.
And I can tell you this book was another winner.
The mood and atmosphere in this book are deliciously creepy. The Doyle family that Noemi's cousin married into are subtly and less subtly hostile as Noemi tries to find out what's wrong with her cousin. And then there's the old moldy house, the weird rules, and the creepy cemetery.
As Noemi's investigation and stay at the mansion go on she starts to have nightmares that seem frighteningly real. At times it was hard to figure out if what Noemi is experiencing is really just a dream or if there's more going on.
I was totally engrossed in this suspenseful mystery. Other's have compared it to Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, but I will confess it had definite Lovecraftian vibes to me, especially in the way the mood and atmosphere of the house were described. Moreno-Garcia definitely knows how to creep you out without actually showing you anything creepy.
After all this delicious buildup I was not disappointed by the reveal and the conclusion. It turned out that some of my suspicions were correct, while other reveals took me by surprise. But all fit the story and had me on the edge of my seat to see how things would end for Noemi.
All in all I had a great time with this book, and I will absolutely read more by Moreno-Garcia in the future.
Why should you read it:
It's a deliciously creepy and atmospheric read.
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