This Is Horror

Look Out For … Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas

“With her latest novel, Cañas puts us in the middle of the Mexican-American War with two long-lost lovers facing ferocious blood-thirsty vampires.”

Nena has faced off against monsters before. A rancher’s daughter in 1840s Mexico, her family has been under near constant threat against Anglo settlers from the north as long as she can remember. But now there’s a new threat … something that lurks near the ranch at night, something hungry for blood.

Something Nena is also very familiar with.

Nestor believes Nena is dead. Running from his grief working ranch to ranch, there’s not enough liquor in the world to shake his nightmares of sharp teeth, and no woman can help to erase the memory of his childhood sweetheart.

Thrust together again when the US invades Mexico in 1846, Nena and Nestor realize their time apart has caused a rift, especially Nena’s rage at Nestor for abandoning her for dead so long ago. Now Nena and Nestor must work through their past and face a nightmare made flesh to survive to see morning again.

Why we’re excited about this book:

Fresh off her debut release just one year ago, Isabel Cañas is back with another book you’re going to want to sink your teeth into. The author of The Hacienda, Cañas’ short fiction has graced the pages of such publications as BookRiot, Tor.com, Beneath Ceaseless Skies, PseudoPod, Lightspeed Magazine, and The Deadlands among others. With her latest novel, Cañas puts us in the middle of the Mexican-American War with two long-lost lovers facing ferocious blood-thirsty vampires. Alex Segura (Secret Identity) calls Vampires of El Norte “A hypnotic, genre-bending supernatural historical novel that grabs you from the opening sentence. Haunting and pulsing with emotion, Cañas’s writing crafts a world where monsters are real—but they might not be the kind you’re thinking of. A one-of-a-kind novel that only she could write.” and V. Castro (The Queen of the Cicadas, The Haunting of Alejandra) says: “Isabel’s writing  is lush, vivid, and lends itself perfectly to this tale about vampires. I loved the Mexican history and culture interwoven with characters who reflected this beautifully. We need more stories like this to bring freshness to old tropes. If you are a vampire fan, I promise you will want to grab this one now. Isabel is an exciting voice you should be reading.”

Unleashing from Berkley 15 August 2023, Vampires of El Norte by Isabel Cañas is available for pre-order now.

BOB PASTORELLA