Silvia Moreno-Garcia

United Kingdom and British Commonwealth only: Represented in these territories on behalf of  Jabberwocky Literary Agency.

Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination, Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of the novels VELVET WAS THE NIGHT, MEXICAN GOTHIC, GODS OF JADE AND SHADOW, and a bunch of other books. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). She has won the British Fantasy Award and the Locus Award for her work as a novelist.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s debut novel, SIGNAL TO NOISE, about music and magic, won a Copper Cylinder Award and was nominated for the British Fantasy, Locus, Sunburst and Aurora awards. Her second novel, CERTAIN DARK THINGS, focused on narco vampires in Mexico City. It was selected as one of NPR’s best books of 2016 and was a finalist for the Locus and Sunburst awards. Her subsequent novel, THE BEAUTIFUL ONES, received the Romantic Times Seal of Excellence.

Silvia’s short story collection, THE STRANGE WAY OF DYING, was a finalist for the Sunburst Award.

As an anthology editor, her works include SHE WALKS IN SHADOWS (World Fantasy Award winner, published in the USA as Cthulhu’s Daughters), FUNGI, DEAD NORTH and FRACTURED. Silvia is the publisher of Innsmouth Free Press. She co-edited the horror magazine The Dark with Sean Wallace from 2017 to 2020. She’s a columnist for The Washington Post and reviews books for NPR.

She has an MA in Science and Technology Studies from the University of British Columbia. Her thesis can be read online and is titled “Magna Mater: Women and Eugenic Thought in the Work of H.P. Lovecraft.”

You can find Silvia on her website.

Agent Contact: John Berlyne

titles


SILVER NITRATE (2023)

UNTAMED SHORE (2023)

THE DAUGHTER OF DOCTOR MOREAU (2022)

VELVET WAS THE NIGHT (2021)

MEXICAN GOTHIC (2020)

covers

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  • UK Editions (Jo Fletcher Books)

reviews

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    • UNTAMED SHORE
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      ‘This thriller sets a quiet tone before building slowly and evenly, showing how a meek teenager trapped by circumstance grows into a strong woman who takes control of her future.’ — Library Journal (Starred Review)

      ‘This insightful look at criminal lifefrom the viewpoint of a sardonic yet lonely soul seems destined for more plaudits.’ — Booklist (Starred Review)

      ‘Silvia Moreno-Garcia jumps into the Noir genre… Brutality takes on an almost divine quality‘ — L.A. Review of Books

      ‘UNTAMED SHORE is a fever dream of a thriller, a coming-of-age tale set amidst disturbing and dangerous circumstances.’ — BookPage

      ‘Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s UNTAMED SHORE is an engrossing book […] astounding in both its maturity and its cynicism.’ — Mystery Scene

      ‘[This] compelling crime debut […] is a small masterpiece and presages well for Moreno-Garcia if she continues on a criminal path.’ — Crime Time

      ‘This is a really good slow-burn suspense novel […] if you like character driven suspense, and are looking for an interesting setting you’ve probably never read before, definitely pick this one up!’ — Book Riot

      ‘[I]t’s measured, thought-provoking and darkly fascinating, the sort of insightful character study that Moreno-Garcia does so well, full of characters who are largely irredeemable but – in spite or perhaps because of this – utterly believable. Psychologically complex and darkly satisfying, it’s an absolutely fascinating, compelling read.’ — Track of Words

      ‘While it is a slower paced novel, the focus on atmosphere and character development make it a compelling one. Moreno-Garcia once more draws the reader into her Mexico and presents a rich and vivid world.’ — Grimdark Magazine

      ‘Any fan of Moreno-Garcia should read UNTAMED SHORE confident in another story rich in a sense of place and with well-developed characters.’ — SF Book Reviews

      ‘This novel was a masterclass in subverting my expectations.’ — The Book Smugglers

      ‘Weaving suspense, murder, romance, and the throes of young adulthood together, UNTAMED SHORE is a page-turner that will leave you hooked (pun intended) until the very end.’ — Criminal Element

      ‘The Great Gatsby meets Night of the Iguana in this elegantly spare and darkly twisted story of undercurrents, deception, and colliding cultures.’ — Hank Phillipi Ryan

      ‘Atmospheric, compelling, and very suspenseful.’ — Alison Gaylin

      ‘UNTAMED SHORE is a masterpiece. I loved this book and can’t get Viridiana out of my head.’ — Amina Akhtar

    • SILVER NITRATE
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      ‘Combining real history with unsettling magic, Moreno-Garcia effortlessly ties explorations of misogyny, addiction, antisemitism, and racism into a plot that never falters from its breakneck pace… This is a knockout.’ — Publisher’s Weekly (Starred Review)

      ‘[T]his heart-pounding paranormal thriller melds real history with things that go bump in the night.’ — TIME

      ‘Silvia Moreno-Garcia is one of the most unique and exciting voices in contemporary fiction, so when it comes to Silver Nitrate, each of these things only makes me want to read the novel even more. Moreno-Garcia makes darkness shine, and this one promises to be very dark.’ — NPR

      ‘Our lady of suspenseful horror, Silvia Moreno-Garcia, is back with another trip into a spooky Mexico City’ — Shondaland

      ‘The intricate plot is supported by a fully realized setting and seamlessly integrated information about the detailed work of sound editing. Recommend to fans of Night Film, by Marisha Pessl (2013), Last Days, by Adam Nevill (2013), or Ring, by Koji Suzuki (2003).’ — Booklist

      ‘An engaging, inventive story of moviemaking and the occult for film geeks and genre buffs.’ — Kirkus

      ‘Moreno-Garcia effortlessly delivers the details of place and Montserrat and Tristán’s complicated personal relationship without sacrificing the novel’s compelling pace and intriguing plot, one that contemplates racism and sexism. Moreno-Garcia…has written a love letter to Mexico City’s film industry and an excellent entry into the popular horror subgenre of occult films.’ — Library Journal

      ‘This book has everything, and I could not recommend it enough!’ — CrimeReads

      ‘Moreno-Garcia is a master of pacing, gradually ramping up the supernatural stakes while peppering the tale with fascinating bits of occult esoterica….Moreno Garcia’s affection for a nearly forgotten corner of film history, as well as her almost gleeful appreciation of occult arcana, are undeniable fun, as are her two engrossing main leads.’ — Locus

      ‘I’m still thinking about this book. Still turning elements of it over to examine them, to better appreciate them. It’s a fabulous novel.’ — Fantasy & Science Fiction Magazine

      ‘SILVER NITRATE is a popcorn thrill ride into the underbelly of 90s Mexican horror movie and occultism—Moreno-Garcia crafts a world so rich with details and history that you won’t be able to look away. Beyond being a break-neck read, this is a book that forces readers to reckon with the monsters that scare us, on screen and in the shadows.’ — Dana Schwartz, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anatomy: A Love Story

      ‘Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a treasure and SILVER NITRATE is a gem: a chilling roller coaster of a tale that captures perfectly why we love horror movies, scary books, and things that go bump in the night.’ — Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of The Lioness

      ‘You don’t just read this book, you live in it — and it will charm you, intrigue you, and scare the daylights out of you.’ — Tim Powers, World Fantasy Award winning author of The Anubis Gates