Extremely strong debut collection from Juan Valencia. The nine stories in here include body horror, Lovecraftian pastiche, Black Mirror style psychological terror and commentary on institutional racism and relationships.
The variety is impressive, but what’s even better is the fact that a consistent voice and set of themes ties the stories together. At its heart this is a book about power structures and the way they’re abused. Horror lends itself perfectly to such discussions, and Juan Valencia’s love and knowledge of the genre shines through again and again.
This is a VERY disturbing book at times, so approach it with that in mind. It’s also often excellent and memorable as much for its sensitivity as for its extreme content.

Full review coming soon on CriminOlly.com and my YouTube channel.