Noemi, a young woman of independent means and mind, must visit her cousin Catalina in a rural community far from Mexico City. Only a year married, Catalina had written a letter which concerned her uncle. Her husband Virgil says she is sick but can be handled.
Noemi is on the next train. The house, High Place, is from another time. The Doyle family made their money in silver mining but that is no longer feasible, the money has dried up. Workers are buried on the property due to an epidemic that ravaged the community. All this builds the gothic and noir sense of the book and leaves the reader guessing of the horror of this house.
Noemi is more outspoken than Catalina which bothers the Doyle family. She becomes friend with Virgil’s brother Francis who is somewhat of a recluse. He searches for mushrooms in the local fields. The family is otherwise separated from the community. The don’t communicate with others in the town.
What is the story behind this strange and reclusive family? Fans of gothic novels will find this book a page turner. At times it’s a little excessive. But, all in all a good story.
“She was the snake biting its tail. She was a dreamer, eternally bound to a nightmare, eyes closed even when her eyes had turned to dust.”
― Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Mexican Gothic
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