The Bewitching - by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"In Silvia Moreno-Garcia's sure hands, every uncovered secret is fraught with intrigue and creeping horror."--Tananarive Due, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Reformatory

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: NPR, Elle, Kirkus Reviews, Book Riot, Library Journal, Crime Reads, She Reads

"Back then, when I was a young woman, there were still witches" That was how Nana Alba always began the stories she told her great-granddaughter Minerva--stories that have stayed with Minerva all her life. Perhaps that's why Minerva has become a graduate student focused on the history of horror literature and is researching the life of Beatrice Tremblay, an obscure author of macabre tales.

In the course of assembling her thesis, Minerva uncovers information that reveals that Tremblay's most famous novel, The Vanishing, was inspired by a true story: Decades earlier, during the Great Depression, Tremblay attended the same university where Minerva is now studying and became obsessed with her beautiful and otherworldly roommate, who then disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

As Minerva descends ever deeper into Tremblay's manuscript, she begins to sense that the malign force that stalked Tremblay and the missing girl might still walk the halls of the campus. These disturbing events also echo the stories Nana Alba told about her girlhood in 1900s Mexico, where she had a terrifying encounter with a witch.

Minerva suspects that the same shadow that darkened the lives of her great-grandmother and Beatrice Tremblay is now threatening her own in 1990s Massachusetts. An academic career can be a punishing pursuit, but it might turn outright deadly when witchcraft is involved.

Review Quotes

"A lush Gothic tale of women and witches, of dark magic and death."--The New York Times Book Review

"Any new Silvia Moreno-Garcia novel is cause for celebration, but this one feels custom-built for us horror nerds."--Paste

"Witchcraft and the power of narrative intersect to yield this evocative, powerful tale."--CrimeReads

"Another spine-tingler . . . Do yourself a favor: Read this one with the lights on."--People

"A compellingly rich saga of history, folklore, and hauntings."--Elle

"Moreno-Garcia [is] a queen of the modern, unsettling horror novel."--Town & Country

"Literary elegance with a sinister bite."--CinemaChords

"Moreno-Garcia doesn't just write about witches--she writes like one, weaving history, grief, and myth into a compelling, character-driven tale."--Horror DNA

"Moreno-Garcia is perhaps one of the most captivating authors alive, and The Bewitching proves it."--Fangirlish

"Moreno-Garcia is a deft enchantress--this is a ghost story in high Gothic style."--M. L. Rio, bestselling author of If We Were Villains

"The Bewitching is a stunning story about the power of generational knowledge that proves that any danger to be found in magic lies solely in the person who wields it."--Jessica Johns, author of Bad Cree

"Remarkably gripping, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's The Bewitching is a gorgeous, propulsive tale of witchcraft across the generations."--J. M. Miro, author of Ordinary Monsters

"Dazzling, terrifying, and sumptuous, this is a 'finish in one sitting' story that won't let you go, even long after you've closed the book."--Marcela Fuentes, author of Malas

"New England dark academia becomes Mexican folklore becomes tantalizing gothic thriller, and the weave binds ever tighter on each heart-pounding page--right up to the phenomenal conclusion."--Afia Atakora, author of Conjure Women

"A thoroughly enjoyable book about power, privilege, dark magic, and the capacity for stories to transcend them all."--Booklist, starred review

"Yet another triumph from one of North America's most exciting authors. Suspenseful and terrifying; Moreno-Garcia hits it out of the park yet again."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A triumph."--Library Journal, starred review

"Unputdownable."­--Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Well-researched and beautifully written, The Bewitching will satisfy fans looking for a darkly atmospheric read."--BookPage, starred review

About the Author