Mexican Gothic

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.

I loved this book! I really love a gothic tale, and this one was such an absorbing read. It was so eerie and atmospheric and I had to force myself to slow down and take my time reading, to really savour the reading experience. I was torn between feeling unable to put it down, but wanting to prolong reading it and not tear through it.

Noemí’s visit to her cousin’s dark, isolated home, High Place, reveals that not only is her cousin’s new husband and family strange, but the house itself is strange, potentially dangerous. I loved reading about Noemí exploring the house and its history, trying to figure out just what was going on with this family. 

This is definitely a slow-build story, but by the end I was frantically reading to find out what was going on and how things would end. Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year!