Blog Tour + Review - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 336

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Release Date: 30th June 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.

When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it's clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her.
Noemí's chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin.

Tough and smart, she possesses 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 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, 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 leave this enigmatic house behind . . .

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My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Jo Fletcher Books and NetGalley*

Noemí Taboada usually spends her time drinking champagne and flirting with eligible men.

Then her father receives a worrying letter from Noemí’s recently married cousin, Catalina, who claims her new home is full of ghosts and that her husband is poisoning her, and Catalina begs Noemí to save her. Noemí’s father decides to send his daughter to investigate and determine whether there is any truth in Catalina’s letter or if she needs psychiatric help.

Noemí sets of to High Place, Catalina’s new home, and the home of Catalina’s husband and family.

High Place and the Doyle family are strange and Noemí finds that her only ally is Francis, the youngest of the family. Francis helps Noemí, but is afraid of upsetting the rest of the Doyles.

Noemí soon begins having strange dreams and digs into the Doyle family past.

What secrets are the family keeping?

Is Catalina telling the truth?

I’m a huge fan of the author’s previous novel, Gods of Jade and Shadow, so I was very excited to read Mexican Gothic. While I don’t usually watch or read horror, I was intrigued and willing to give this a go, and I’m glad that I did.

I wasn’t sure how much I would like Noemí, but I did like her and found her to be relatable. There was a lot more to her than there appeared to be. She was out of her depth at High Place so it was interesting to read her interactions with the other characters and her thoughts.

Apart from Noemí, Francis was my favourite character. I really felt for him and wanted to give him a hug.

I really liked that the novel was set in 1950s Mexico and I felt that the author did an excellent job of making High Place very atmospheric and real. There were a few times when I almost felt like I was within the rundown walls of the house alongside Noemí.

The plot was good and held my attention. It did take a little while to get going, but once it did I found myself getting sucked into the story. I did have an inkling about one of the twists, but didn’t guess them all entirely.

There were a few times when I found what I was reading quite disturbing and I was most definitely thoroughly creeped out, which I think shows just how good the author’s writing is. This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Mexican Gothic is a novel that has something for everyone – action, mystery, historical elements, hints of romance, horror, and well-written characters.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.