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Mexican Gothic Book Cover Mexican Gothic
Sivia Moreno-Garcia
Del Rey
June 30, 2020

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 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.

The hallways are dark, the wallpaper is layered with dark mold, the people are in sullen moods… something is amiss at High Place.

Mexican Gothic is the telling of what lengths we will go for the sake of our family. For Noemí Taboada, that means leaving her fun carefree life in the big city for a visit to a dilapidated house isolated on a mountain in a rural town. Noemí arrives at High Place to ensure the safety and happiness of her cousin Catalina. She stays longer than intended when she begins to feel a power, or life force, existing in the walls of the house.

candle flickerThe somber setting of the house is clear from the moment Noemí enters High Place. Rooms are left unused, there is no electricity in the house, and when the family chooses to speak to her it is to point out their disapproval. It’s immediately clear to Noemí that Catalina needs help escaping the clutches of the Doyle family and their cryptic house; however, she soon realizes that they won’t let her go so easily.

Are the Doyles and their family estate truly cursed?

There’s stories that those who worked for the Doyle’s always fall ill or disappear. She’d like to believe it is a strange coincidence, but the longer she stays at High Place the more she begins to change. Noemí finds herself in dark and twisted dreams. She sees things moving in the wallpaper. She hears noises in the walls. The trouble is, how can she save her cousin Catalina from the terrible place when she can hardly escape the house herself?

Silvia Moreno-Garcia delivers a rather wicked story of secrets, curses, family loyalty, and obsession. I felt as though I was walking along creaking floor boards down long cold hallways, waiting for the next chilling surprise. Mexican Gothic will make you feel goosebumps on your arms, and the tiny hairs rising on the back of your neck.

Mexican Gothic was recently optioned as a limited series on Hulu!