House of Bone and Rain

By: Gabino Iglesias

Narrated by: Jean-Marc Berne, Daya Mendez

In the latest from Shirley Jackson and Bram Stoker Award-winning author of THE DEVIL TAKES YOU HOME, a group of five teenage boys in Puerto Rico seek vengeance after one of their mothers is murdered; a Latinx STAND BY ME with a haunted, obsidianly dark heart.

For childhood friends Gabe, Xavier, Tavo, Paul, and Bimbo, death has always been close. Hurricanes. Car accidents. Gang violence. Suicide. Estamos rodeados de fantasmas was Gabe’s grandmother’s refrain. We are surrounded by ghosts. But this time is different. Bimbo's mom has been shot dead. We’re gonna kill the guys who killed her Bimbo swears. And they all agree.

Feral with grief, Bimbo has become unrecognizable, taking no prisoners in his search for names. Soon, they learn Maria was gunned down by guys working for the drug kingpin of Puerto Rico. No one has ever gone up against him and survived. As the boys strategize, a storm gathers far from the coast. Hurricanes are known to carry evil spirits in their currents and bring them ashore, spirits which impose their own order.

Blurring the boundaries between myth, mysticism, and the grim realities of our world, House of Bone and Rain is a harrowing coming of age story; a doomed tale of devotion, the afterlife of violence, and what rolls in on the tide.

Critic reviews

"Gripping, eerie, and impossible to put down, House of Bone and Rain is a dark coming-of-age story drenched with spectral terror. And it’s a page-turning dive into the cost of vengeance, loyalty, and love. Gabino Iglesias walks the electric high wire between crime and horror with breathtaking assurance."—Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of HEAT 2

"A pulse-pounding, blood-spattered revenge tale about the bonds of friendship and the devastation of violence, about ruthless gods and restless ghosts, about love and loss and righteous anger. With breathless pacing, knockout prose, and dynamic characters to follow into the dark, House of Bone and Rain is part crime thriller, part supernatural horror, and completely brilliant."—Rachel Harrison, national bestselling author of BLACK SHEEP

"Thoughtful and violent, lyrical and muscular, House of Bone and Rain is a mystical, moving powerhouse that never lets up -- and lingers long after the last sentence. Buy this book and welcome the storm.”—Michael Koryta, New York Times-bestselling author of AN HONEST MAN

“Iglesias’s relentless and overpowering novel comes on like a hurricane – of wind, of bullets, of blood, of hope – and you read it breathlessly, waiting for the eye of the storm.”—Daniel Kraus, New York Times-bestselling author of WHALEFALL

Jean-Marc Berne and Daya Mendez narrate a thrilling blend of horror and crime set during a terrifying hurricane. Bimbo's on a quest for revenge after his mother's murder in a dispute over drug territory. His friends initially try to stay out of the bloodshed, but after one of them is murdered, they find loyalty a difficult thing to honor. And when a hurricane containing evil spirits arrives, Bimbo and his boys find the murders the least of their worries. Berne shoulders much of the narrative with a keen ear for accented Spanish and the surprisingly beautiful descriptions of gritty neighborhoods and unsettling horrors. Mendez steps in frequently to capture the female characters with a steadfast authority tinged with tension. J.M.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2024]—AudioFile Earphones Award Winner

the contemporary state of Puerto Rico.

The pacing was very good and I liked the sea creatures. wish the Paranormal was mentioned earlier in the story.

unexpected and brilliant

I stumbled upon this after an NPR interview and jumped in sight unseen. What a great listen. The characters are so heartfelt, even in the midst of violence and tragedy. And the twists I didn't see coming kept me hooked till the very end.

Fantástico!

I liked how the character development of the protagonist developed and how he interacted with his best friends. There were wins and losses. Surprises and predictable outcomes. The undercurrent of island mystery was really interesting, and played a major part in the story.

Great story - bad narration

I want to revisit this book in print. I loved the interplay of the mystical/noir elements in the backdrop of Hurricane Maria. However, the narrator chose to play one of the main characters in such a way that his voice would crack every time he played him (which was half the book) and it took me out of the story.

Hurricane Vice

This was a wild ride, and I was here for it. House of Bone and Rain is about high school friends in Ouerto Rico getting revenge when one of their mothers is killed by a drug lord. It’s dark and can be violent, but part of what I loved was the intense loyalty between the young men. But man, it got them into serious trouble. The language is beautiful. Listening to the audio I really got a feel for the characters and the dialogue is terrific. Nice comedic relief just when you need it the most. Someone compared to Stephen King and Don Winslow and I think that’s right but would also add SA Crosby to the list. And like all those, this is not to be missed!