Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes exquisite prose and weaves amazing stories and worlds, seemingly, effortlessly. When Noemí arrives at High Place to find her cousin Catalina taken ill, after receiving such an alarming letter from her some weeks before, she is immediately suspicious – as are we, the readers. What follows is an expert lesson in the Gothic full of intrigue and suspense in a remote 1950’s mould-ridden mansion in Mexico, inhabited by some very peculiar characters in the Doyle family. A family obsessed with England and holding on to some very racist and misogynist ideals in an overly strict household that ‘no one leaves’.

Without giving too much away, Mexican Gothic will have you guessing from the start as to what is really going on at High Place. Where Noemí’s nightmares may take you one way, her conversations with the various Doyles will take you another, and all the while we wonder what is really behind Catalina’s sickness? This is a great book from a brilliant writer and a must-read for any Gothic Horror fans.

For me, the Gothic genre is not quite my thing and I found the first half of the story a little slow, which is why I’ve given it 4 stars instead of 5. The final third of the book flew by and will certainly ensure you remember to watch what you eat in creepy strangers’ houses.

This was book #38 of my 2020 reading challenge.