Review: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

If you like gothic horror you need this book in your life!

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Published June 2020

Dark Fiction  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon 

Source: Library Borrow

An isolated mansion. A chillingly charismatic aristocrat. And a brave socialite drawn to expose their treacherous secrets. . . .

From the author of Gods of Jade and Shadow comes a novel set in glamorous 1950s Mexico.

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.

My 2 Cents For Free!

I listened to this book as an unabridged audio during a crazy two weeks and I didn’t immediately write a review or take very good notes so this “review” is going to be short and to the point. Try not to be too disappointed, lol.

When it began I wrote, “ugh, a spoiled socialite is pulled from a party to meet with daddy. I think this lady is going to get on my last nerve.” Sheesh, I’m crabby in my notes. Anyhow, she did NOT in fact get on my last nerve. I was captivated by Noemí. She’s so much more than a frivolous socialite. She knows what she wants, she’s tough, persistent and she’s smart. I love a well-rounded character that surprises me as Noemí did.

She’s pulled away from the glamorous life after her family receives a strange, unsettling letter from her dear cousin. Now she finds herself trapped in a creepy gothic mansion filled with questionable men, a domineering overseer, and quite possibly genuine ghosts. One of the men is a pale fellow named Francis who declares that Noemí must “survive on dewdrops and honey and needs iron and a good piece of meat.” I don’t know why but this description cracked me up and endeared me to strange Francis. It’s all the little moments like this that completely enchanted me. You know Francis is probably hiding all sorts of dark secrets but you can’t help but like him a little bit for that dewdrop burn.

There are many villainous villains and gothic staples here amongst the mystery, the horrifying secrets, and the terrific characterization. I absolutely adored it all. It’s one of those rare books that engage the reader and immerses you in its world so much that you might not want to leave. I might never have the opportunity to visit a strange gothic mansion peopled with suspicious weirdos but reading this book was the next best thing so it’s getting all the stars.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐