Book 23 for my 2026 goal of 36 books for the year! Now a little ahead with my reading schedule. My link to the book is through my bookshop.org affiliate account, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy from there.

I’ve been enjoying reading some horror by Mexican authors lately such as Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia and so when I came across V. Castro’s Queen of the Cicadas (2021) in one of my bookstore wanderings I pretty much knew I had to grab it. The fact that it is very recognizably published by Flame Tree Press, one of my favorite publishers, sweetened the deal.

From the title, one might expect that it is a story of Mexican folklore analogous to La Llorona, and it does feel that way at first, but the story becomes so much more as it evolves.

The novel introduces us to Belinda Alvarez, a single woman who in 2018 travels to a remote farm in Texas for her friend’s wedding. Once there, she is shocked to learn that the farm was the site of the urban legend of La Reina de las Chicharras — the Queen of the Cicadas. With this knowledge, we are transported back to the 1950s to learn about Milagros, a migrant farmworker who was then victimized in a crime of hate and jealousy and who evolved into so much more.

Belinda and Hector, the new owner of the farmhouse, start investigating the events around Milagros’ murder and the mysterious and horrible accidents that followed. They soon realize that there are powerful forces behind the legend and that their own fates have become entwined with the Queen and her otherworldly patron — and the world may never be the same again.

This is another book that I don’t want to say too much about where it goes because it surprised me — in the best way. It starts feeling like it will be a straightforward tale of folk horror but evolves into something much more profound, with a lot of commentary on humanity. Once I saw the broad trajectory, I was completely hooked.

The characters — in past and present — are all well-developed and compelling. I found myself caring a lot about Belinda and Hector and Milagros — even though I already knew the doomed fate of the latter. (There is one other central character that is also amazing that again I will not reveal too much about here.)

I should stress that this is still a book of horror — people good and bad meet horrible gruesome fates! Spirits of the dead weigh heavy on the narrative. The Queen of the Cicadas is a fascinating and compelling presence throughout the story.

I’m clearly rather late to the party on this book, which was released in 2021 and was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Novel, but I’m glad I got here at last!

Queen of the Cicadas is a powerful and atmospheric book that I can highly recommend for everyone, even beyond lovers of horror.