The Possession of Alba Díaz
by Isabel Cañas
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Pub Date Oct 09 2025 | Archive Date Oct 05 2025
Rebellion | Solaris
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Description
A young woman in 18th Century Mexico becomes haunted by a sinister presence in this historical horror for fans of The Exorcist and Mexican Gothic, from best-selling writer of The Hacienda and Vampires of El Norte Isabel Cañas.
In 1765, plague sweeps through Zacatecas. Alba flees with her wealthy merchant parents and fiancé, Carlos, to his family’s isolated mine for refuge. But safety proves fleeting as other dangers soon bare their teeth: Alba begins suffering from strange hallucinations, sleepwalking, and violent convulsions. She senses something cold lurking beneath her skin. Something angry. Something wrong.
Elías, haunted by a troubled past, came to the New World to make his fortune and escape his family’s legacy of greed. Alba, as his cousin’s betrothed, is none of his business. Which is of course why he can’t help but notice her every time she enters a room or the growing tension between them… and why he notices her deteriorate when the demon’s thirst for blood grows stronger.
In the fight for her life, Alba and Elías become entangled with the occult, the Church, long-kept secrets, and each other… not knowing that one of these things will spell their doom.
Advance Praise
"Isabel Cañas's third novel, a horror-romance mashup about the sins of imperialism, is astoundingly creepy, but it describes love and lust as clearly as it does the closing-in walls of a demonic silver mine so dark and claustrophobic that it swallows Alba's words whole. It's a nauseating pleasure to read." —Vulture
"A gorgeously written tale." —Variety
“With every book, Isabel Cañas asserts jaw-dropping peerlessness at her craft. Chilling and tender, bloody and sensuous, The Possession of Alba Díaz is Cañas working at the height of her prodigious powers, expanding her fascinating Gothic oeuvre with her best and most brutal work yet. I devoured it." –Olivie Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six
"Gorgeous and gory. No one writes gothic like Isabel Cañas. The Possession of Alba Díaz is terrifically terrifying, richly imagined, impossibly sensual and as luminous as the quicksilver that spills across its pages." —Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Tale of The Flower Bride
“Cañas' latest gothic thriller combines an exploration of history, greed, toxic silver mining techniques, forbidden knowledge, and the dichotomies of wealth, family, class, faith, and good versus evil into a compelling, horrifying tale of possession that will only expand her growing audience.” —Booklist (starred review)
"Cañas's vivid and detailed descriptions of the novel's setting in 18th-century Mexico add to the experience of reading this atmospheric and original take on the possession story.” —Library Journal
"Chilling.... the richly layered narrative offers much to hold readers' interest as it probes themes of colonialism, patriarchy, and autonomy. Cañas's fans will not be disappointed." —Publishers Weekly
"Isabel Cañas has quickly become a superstar of historical fiction, and this one looks like the best yet!" —CrimeReads
"If you're looking to read horror, historical fiction, slow burn romance, or simply a few hundred pages of engrossing prose, Alba Díaz and Isabel Cañas will not disappoint." —Latinx Pop Magazine
"It’s a historical possession novel from one of the best historical horror writers out there right now, so you’ll definitely want to add it to your to-be-read stack as soon as possible." —Paste
"Cañas’ latest seems to have it all: plagues, demons, the occult and more." —Ms. Magazine
“Cañas’ blend of horror and history promises a chilling and immersive read.“ —Saving Advice
"Isabel Cañas excels in the genre of gothic horror. With vivid and sensuous prose, the tightening social constraints hovering over Alba's future, forbidden desires, and creeping tension, Cañas effortlessly sends chills down her readers' spines. Each page is immersive in detail and darkly atmospheric. But the heartbeat of her books lies in the well-crafted characters.... If you crave blood-fueled cinematic-quality terrors, Cañas is the author who will scratch that itch. Keep your lights on with this one!" —Historical Novel Society
"I adore the way Isabel Cañas perfectly blends gothic and historical fiction." —Book Riot
Available Editions
EDITION | Paperback |
ISBN | 9781837866328 |
PRICE | £9.99 (GBP) |
PAGES | 400 |