The Haunting of Alejandra

A Novel by V. Castro

By: V. Castro

Narrated by: Raquel Beattie

A woman is haunted by the Mexican folk demon La Llorona in this “utterly terrifying and wholly immersive . . . story about generational trauma, colonization, systemic oppression, and the horror at the heart of motherhood” (Library Journal, starred review).

“Castro is one of the most exciting genre authors on the scene right now, and this might be her most powerful book yet.”—Paste

A POPSUGAR AND CRIMEREADS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her.

Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness.

But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

Critic reviews

“The provocative novel is haunting and packed with dark secrets.”—Today

“Creepy yet insightful.”—Culturess

“Castro is one of the most exciting genre authors on the scene right now, and this might be her most powerful book yet.”—Paste Magazine, Most Anticipated Horror Novels of 2023

“V. Castro’s The Haunting of Alejandra isn’t your typical horror novel. Follow along as Alejandra digs into her past and taps into the power of her ancestors so she can save her future.”—People en Español

“V. Castro’s heroine is haunted by the spirit of La Llorona. . . . She must go to a curandera and process her personal and generational trauma . . . in what also functions as a perfect metaphor for . . . seeing the societal structures and history that contribute to our present-day malaise.”—CrimeReads

“Speaking of Goddesses, Castro is the goddess of Indigenous Mexican Indigenous horror, and I also can’t wait for The Haunting of Alejandra.”—Literary Hub

“[A] ravishing and provocative literary horror novel about motherhood, family legacy, and self-discovery.”—Jump Scares

“Provocative, haunting, and packed with secrets.”—Electric Literature

“The Haunting of Alejandra is deeply rooted in culture and beautifully explores diaspora and generational trauma through the lens of the supernatural horror genre.”—Zoraida Córdova, author of The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

“A powerful story about motherhood, trauma, love, and the ways that myths can and should be rewritten . . . If you’re a horror fan and you haven’t picked up V. Castro, you need to fix that.”—Sarah Langan, author of Good Neighbors

“V. Castro charts a terrifying legacy of tears with The Haunting of Alejandra, an empathic epic that maps out the birth of a curse and tethers itself to the very ancestry of its tragic protagonist.”—Clay McLeod Chapman, author of Ghost Eaters

“Sometimes being a woman can be hell. In V. Castro’s dark, heroic tale, a woman draws on her familial roots to save herself and her children—by facing down a soul-devouring demon.”—Alma Katsu, author of The Fervor

“Wonderfully heartfelt, relentlessly dark, and superbly written . . . Don’t miss it.”—Gabino Iglesias, author of The Devil Takes You Home

“An intricate tale that blends folklore, grief, and revenge to create horrifying images that are sure to be etched into the imaginations of readers for years to come . . . a must-read.”—Sergio Gomez, author of Camp Slaughter

The Haunting of Alejandra

Beautiful audio, helped understand the story and follow along with the suspense. Definitely would recommend listening to this read!

Must Read For Any Struggling Mother

One of the reviews I read for this book said that they couldn’t relate to the main character, Alejandra, and that it was all unrealistic. I’m not sure what their circumstances were, but good for you. Motherhood and marriage are different for everyone, and your experience does not invalidate anyone who is struggling where you are not. This book opened something within me that has been closed for a long time. I am not healed, but the cracks are forming right where they need to. I found so much of myself in Alejandra’s pain, anguish, love for her children, and desire to be better. I hope I can garner strength like her one day, I hope all women can, because we are capable. I hope that whoever reads this book finds some piece of healing like I did.

Such a great read!

I love the way they incorporated such a classic urban legend into a story about female empowerment!

The Haunting of Alejandra

Powerful story about generational curses and culture. I absolutely loved it and would recommend to all!

Wow! What a great story

I enjoyed listening to this story about a woman who is going through emocional issues and self hatred. This was an interesting take to the old Mexican stories about la llorona. This was a great story about generations of strong women and a family curse. I can't wait to listen to more stories from this author and this narrator.