When sixteen-year-old Grace Martinez, a goth filmmaker in Austin, Texas, is struck by lightning, her crush Blake Abrams miraculously brings her back to life with CPR. Afterwards, the girl discovers she can communicate with ghosts. Among these spectral visitors is a troubled Muslim teen named Mohammad, who appears to her with a noose around his neck. Did he hang himself?!
As she recovers from her brush with death, the girl struggles with her friends’ incredulity about her new ability, evolving relationship with Blake, clueless father and obnoxious stepmother. Meanwhile, haunted by her mother’s suicide, Grace delves deeper into the mystery of Mohammad’s passing, trying to decipher the ghost’s messages—sent via song lyrics from the 80s! Along the way, Grace discovers a treasure trove of secrets about her own family as well as those of Mohammad and other friends.
Against the backdrop of conservative Texas state politics and social filmmaking, Grace learns that her ancestral spirit guide is none other than La Llorona, the fabled Hispanic demon woman! New York Times bestselling novelist Alisa Valdés (previously writing as Alisa Valdés-Rodríguez) pens a suspenseful novel for teens narrated by a quick-witted and articulate young woman dealing with issues all young people can relate to, including friendship, family and the power of belonging.
“The author offers an original premise with cultural depth, high emotional stakes, and intriguing themes of grief, family legacy, and identity, which ground the supernatural elements… The cast of characters, which is diverse in both ethnic background and sexuality, adds richness to the narrative.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Caustic and sharp-witted, Grace is an extremely compelling character with a strong, memorable voice. A little romance, a lot of mysteries, complex and nuanced characters, and a ghostly canine companion meld for an unputdownable ride with plenty of modern social commentary.”—Booklist
Praise for the work of Alisa Valdés:
Hollow Beasts
Named an Amazon Editor’s Choice: Top 10 Thrillers of 2023 and to the Washington Post’s 10 Best Mystery Books of 2023
“Packed to bursting with big questions for readers.”―Kirkus Reviews on Hollow Beasts
“[A] strong action-packed thriller and series launch from bestseller Valdés… Readers will look forward to seeing a lot more of this tough, smart heroine.”―Publishers Weekly on Hollow Beasts
“With a ripped-from-the-headlines plot, Valdés’s novel offers an authentic voice, fine writing and a protagonist with a complicated backstory and one of the most dangerous jobs in American law enforcement: game warden.”―The Washington Post on Hollow Beasts
“Lots of background enriches the plot…”―Publishers Weekly on Blood Mountain
“Valdes-Rodriguez’s debut novel delivers on the promise of its sexy title… This is a fun, irresistible debut.”—Publisher’s Weekly on The Dirty Girls Social Club
ALISA VALDÉS is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Dirty Girls Social Club (St. Martin’s Press, 2003), Hollow Beasts (Thomas & Mercer, 2023) and Blood Mountain (Thomas & Mercer, 2024). With more than one million books in eleven languages in print of The Dirty Girls Social Club, she was included on Time’s list of the twenty-five most influential Hispanics. An award-winning print and broadcast journalist, Valdés is a former staff writer for both the Los Angeles Times and the Boston Globe.
