The Hacienda- Isabel Cañas

𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂

Keep the copal on hand while reading this spine-chiller.

1823; two years post Mexico’s savage eleven year War of Independence. The country is left reeling in its aftermath; countless lives are lost, homes destroyed, families broken, and money meager, at best.

It is the loss of her father, her home, and the world she and her mother had known that propels Beatriz Hernández Valenzuela to pursue an advantageous and lucrative marriage to Don Rodolfo Solózaro, despite the rumors and implications surrounding Rodolfo and his first wife’s unforeseen death.

Beatriz is the mistress of the Hacienda of San Isidro but the security and safety she had been after soon dissipates. After her husband leaves to tend to business in the capital, visions, whispers, and an overall feeling of unease alert Beatriz to the fact that the hacienda is very much inhabited….and that she is not welcome.

As others seem unwilling to help Beatriz with her plight, she teams up with Padre Andrés. It turns out the handsome, young priest has a great deal invested in this mission and may very well be the only one equipped with the supernatural tools needed to vanquish the house’s sinister presence.

I want to continue writing but think it’s best if you experience this for yourself. I loved The Hacienda. Reminiscent of Mexican Gothic, this gothic noir was visceral, eerie, and utterly absorbing. It tells a story of greed and just how far people are willing to go for power. It is also a narrative of resilience and fortitude against what haunts us most. And yes, there’s a sprinkle of romance.

I appreciated the merging of metaphysical with historical fiction. There are so many layers to this book and I personally think it was all done masterfully. 💃🏻

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩/5