The Bewitching
Three women in three different eras encounter danger and witchcraft in this eerie multigenerational horror saga from the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic.
“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.
Reviews
"[S]pooky and sophisiticated... Moreno-Garcia toggles between the gothic, über-privileged world of Stoneridge and the harsh reality of life in Alba’s Mexican village, keeping readers in the dark about how they connect, and then pulls the threads together in a searing finale. It’s as unsettling as it is unputdownable."
"The writing is beautiful, which is par for the course for Moreno-Garcia, and in Minerva, she has created a deeply original character, steely but yearning. This is 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."
"Moreno-Garcia immerses readers in multiple settings; the shifting perspectives keep the tension high as the book barrels to the final confrontation. It's a thoroughly enjoyable book about power, privilege, dark magic, and the capacity for stories to transcend them all. Recommend to readers who enjoyed witchy novels such as Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching (2020) or V. Castro's Goddess of Filth (2021) as well as gothic horror like Caitlin Starling's The Death of Jane Lawrence (2021) or T. Kingfisher’s What Moves the Dead (2022).”
"Moreno-Garcia’s (The Seventh Veil of Salome) latest is a triumph. For fans of intricately plotted horror that immerses readers in an alluring world, such as The Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones or Plain Bad Heroines by Emily M. Danforth."
"[A]s decadent as it is terrifying, filled with delightful turns of phrase and steeped in Mexican folklore....Well-researched and beautifully written, The Bewitching will satisfy fans looking for a darkly atmospheric read. Readers who enjoyed Leigh Bardugo’s Ninth House or Tana French’s moody, character-driven murder mysteries will also revel in this novel’s twists and turns. Minerva, Alba and Beatrice are stalwart, intuitive protagonists who endure and confront immense danger, and who embody what it means to be your own rescuer."
"'The Bewitching' luxuriates in the world of early-20th-century New England horror writers, folk beliefs, spiritualism and the trappings of dark academia... a lush Gothic tale of women and witches, of dark magic and death."The New York Times
"Moreno-Garcia’s skill at precisely evoking particular times and places serves her especially well in balancing these three narrative lines, counterpointing what amounts to a vivid historical tale of Mexican witchcraft, a contemporary literary mystery, and an evocation of a class-conscious New England town in the 1930s... few are as skilled at managing our expectations as Moreno-Garcia is in this chilling but poignant tale."
"Moreno-Garcia builds a compellingly rich saga of history, folklore, and hauntings."
"Moreno-Garcia’s great subject is yearning—across distance, time, and planes of reality... It’s frankly a relief to encounter a novel that so fully honors the aliveness of the past, and the right of lone wolves to stay lonely."
"Moreno-Garcia once again proves why she's a queen of the modern, unsettling horror novel."
"Moreno-Garcia’s language really does soar when she writes about Mexico [...] As with most stories about witches, this novel too brings women together across time and space, sharing their stories in order to stay safe, and keep each other safe."
"In Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s sure hands, every uncovered secret is fraught with intrigue and creeping horror. This multigenerational story weaves class, history and brujeria in a way only Moreno-Garcia can. Fans of Silver Nitrate and Mexican Gothic can rejoice – The Bewitching does not disappoint!"Tananarive Due, Bram Stoker Award-winning author of The Reformatory
"Moreno-Garcia is a deft enchantress--this is a ghost story in high Gothic style."ML Rio, bestselling author of If We Were Villains
"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. This is Silvia Moreno-Garcia at the height of her powers!"Afia Atakora, author of Conjure Women
"The Bewitching is a stunning story about the power of generational knowledge and proves that if there is any danger to be found in magic, it lies solely in the person who wields it. By gently leading readers through different time periods, places, and perspectives, Silvia Moreno-Garcia shows just how a story can be a spell — one I was happy to be under."Jessica Johns, author of Bad Cree
"Remarkably gripping, Silvia Moreno-Garcia's The Bewitching is a gorgeous, propulsive tale of witchcraft across the generations. This is a novel of eerie beauty, a book you won't want to turn your back on."J.M. Miro, author of Ordinary Monsters
"The Bewitching is un embrujo espectacular—a harrowing, multi-generational saga that possesses and devours anyone who reads it. Garcia Moreno deftly weaves together a lush folk horror, basement-of-the-soul nightmare and an atmospheric mystery, in this intoxicating tale of Minerva, her great-grandmother, Alba, and a legacy of women destined to cross the paths of witches. Dazzling. Terrifying. Sumptuous. This is a “finish in one sitting” story that won’t let you go long after you’ve closed the book."Marcela Fuentes, author of Malas
“Moreno-Garcia is back to give us a multigenerational horror saga that will possess anyone who reads it with its entrancing storytelling. Following the lives of three women, this story holds the power of women, stories, and witches.”
"Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic, imbues her novel with evocative prose and razor-sharp wit to spectacular, creepy effect."
"With a style that’s wholly her own, and yet a story that at times reminds us of memorable books like Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s The Shadow of the Wind, The Bewitching is a magical story about, ironically, magic, family, and stories... Those of us familiar with Moreno-Garcia never doubted her capacity to deliver exactly what this book does: a gripping tale that you’ll be unable to put down and an ending that will both shock you and leave you satisfied."
"Moreno-Garcia doesn’t just write about witches—she writes like one, weaving history, grief, and myth into a compelling, character-driven tale. For fans of folk horror, feminist Gothic, and literary hauntings, this is recommended."
"One of Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s most layered and intricately structured novels to date, this is a must read for her fans and highly recommended for readers of creepy, witchy fiction."
"A truly incredible convergence of Mexican folklore, gothic horror, and Northeastern academia"
“If there is such a thing as Summerween, Moreno-Garcia has dominated it and made it her own with THE BEWITCHING, a beautifully written and eerily unsettling novel that only she --- a master of literary horror --- could write.”
"“I also appreciated the seamlessness with which the plot unfurls. There was never a moment in which I thought a character acted unrealistically, never a too-convenient plot point, or sensationalized moment of terror. The supernatural elements enter gradually, starting as eerie sensations and shadows. Because of the subtle introductions and the realistic characters, I easily accepted even the plot points that might have otherwise been hard to believe. The pacing, too, is excellent, with the author building suspense but not drawing it out needlessly.”
“Haunting and harrowing The Bewitching will captivate you and not let you go soon after finishing. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has penned a horror to curse your summer TBR and demand your attention.”
“With this combination of elements, Moreno-Garcia seamlessly weaves Mexican culture and folklore into standard U.S. horror tropes. She is a master not just of igniting the slow-burn read, rich in suspense and terror, but of building stories filled with proud Mexican culture. Her voice is one that not only provides a unique take on the genre but also gives us representation that we so desperately needed.”
"The Bewitching is bound to delight... This one knows exactly what it wants to be and delivers a compelling story that’s easy to binge."
Awards & Accolades
#10 USA Today bestseller!
#5 Indie bestseller!
In its 2nd hardcover printing!
People: "Silvia Moreno-Garcia Wants New Novel The Bewitching to ‘Keep You Up at Night’ (Exclusive)"