
Our 2026 global theme, AROUND THE WORLD, continues this month with a literary journey to Mexico.
This month, we are exploring a story centered on a Latina main character, taking us into a haunting world filled with family secrets, history, mystery, and gothic suspense.
We are thrilled to announce that Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia has been selected as our official September 2026 Monthly Book Selection.
Our September 2026 Monthly Book Selection
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemรญ Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. Sheโs not sure what she will findโher cousinโs husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemรญ knows little about the region.ย ย ย
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Noemรญ is also an unlikely rescuer: Sheโs a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But sheโs also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousinโs new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemรญ; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemiโs dreams with visions of blood and doom.
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Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the familyโs youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemรญ, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his familyโs past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The familyโs once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemรญ digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.ย
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And Noemรญ, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.
Meet the Author

Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination. Cachanilla and Canuck, originally from Baja California, she now resides in Vancouver. She has an MA in Science and Technology Studies from the University of British Columbia.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including Gods of Jade and Shadow (Sunburst Award for Excellence in Canadian Literature of the Fantastic, Ignyte Award), Mexican Gothic (Locus Award, British Fantasy Award, Pacific Northwest Book Award, Aurora Award, Goodreads Award), and Velvet Was the Night (finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Macavity Award). She writes in a variety of genres including fantasy, horror, noir and historical.
She has edited several anthologies, including She Walks in Shadows (World Fantasy Award winner, published in the USA as Cthulhuโs Daughters). Her fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Best American Mystery and Suspense.
Join the Discussion
Find your nearest Mocha Girls Read chapter and join the discussion. Come ready to connect, reflect, and share space with a community of Black women who love to read.
Donโt Forget Your Readerโs Passport
As part of our 2026 journey, every Mocha Girl can collect stamps in her Mocha Girls Read Readerโs Passport.
Each month, you will experience a new story through our Monthly Book Selections and discussions. By the end of the year, your passport will reflect a full journey of literary exploration from around the world.






























