“A creepy hotel with a sinister history, frightening dreams, a young woman determined to learn the truth behind her mother’s death … Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro’s debut novel brings this Gothic nightmare to life.”
1923, Columbia. La Casona, perched above the legendary Salto del Tequendama waterfall, is a lavish mansion that was once home to Antonia and her family. Constant nightmares and the house’s malevolent spirit makes living there difficult. Tragedy strikes when Antonia’s mother falls to her death into El Santo. Consumed with grief, Antonia’s father tries to burn the mansion down, with Antonia still inside.
Flash forward three years, and Antonia’s disturbing dreams, and her mother’s cryptic journal entries, beckon her back to her childhood home. Now a luxurious hotel, Antonia confronts her shattered memories and the history of the estate.
Antonia wrestles with unsettling questions she cannot ignore: Did her mother die by her own hands, or was someone else responsible? Antonia’s navigates the shadows of La Cosana, unearthing its darkest secrets and confronting a legacy that threatens to swallow her whole.
Why we’re excited about this book:
Early word of mouth says Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro is a name to watch out for in 2025. Hailing from Medellín, Columbia, this is her first novel. A creepy hotel with a sinister history, frightening dreams, a young woman determined to learn the truth behind her mother’s death … Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro’s debut novel brings this Gothic nightmare to life. Ana Reyes (The House in the Pines) says: “Bochica introduces a powerful new voice in gothic horror. Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro weaves indigenous Colombian mythology and Roaring Twenties opulence into her story of a woman who must face her family’s secrets within the haunted mansion they once called home. I devoured this book!” Jennifer Thorne (Diavola) says: “Rich in Colombian culture, legend and history, along with a welcome dose of feminism, Bochica amps up the gothic terror with every dread-drenched page.”, and Cynthia Pelayo (Vanishing Daughters) says: “An absolutely stunning debut! Bochica is a rich, lush, historical Gothic. This is an author to watch and a book to pick up!”
Releasing from Atria/Primero Sueno Press 13 May 2025, Bochica by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro is available for pre-order now.
BOB PASTORELLA
