Isabel Cañas' official bio refers to her as a Mexican-American writer of speculative fiction, though I feel that is underselling her. In a brief period of time, she has gained quite the reputation as an author to watch in the area of historically infused gothic horror. Her latest effort, THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DÍAZ, has all of this and more in a smartly written, disturbing look at possession and the nature of evil.

The setting is Mexico in the year 1765, and the story opens with reference to a legend seldom known outside of the Zacatecas region --- that of the Monterrubio mine. Residents describe an ancient terror or a pagan devil that inhabited the mine, and those who chose to work in it or even enter it did so at their own peril. These same individuals still speak of the young woman named Alba Díaz de Bolaños and how she was possessed by the mine’s evil. The last image most people have of Alba is her screaming and being covered in blood as she stumbled down the steps of the local cathedral.

"Isabel Cañas once again masters the gothic history of her Mexican birthplace and infuses it with her doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations."

But I am getting ahead of myself. The slow burn and extremely frightening possession that takes over Alba will shake anyone to their core and does indeed lead up to a finale that is bloody and memorable. Concerns about Alba begin with her daily confessions to Father Bartolome, where she talks about blackmailing her fiancé, Carlos, and mentions tragic figures she encounters in the mine that do not exist except as either ghosts or demonic temptations.

The one character who throws the novel into a whirlwind is Carlos’ cousin, Elías, an ex-con who Alba finds beguiling. He will play a significant role in the story’s development and what happens to Alba. Elías is also sensitive to the temptations in the mine and is the only person aside from Alba who claims to hear female voices crying out from the depths. Carlos becomes immediately jealous and suspicious of Elías, especially when his relationship with Alba grows after he finds her sleepwalking one night and saying odd things.

A man has been murdered, and Elías is the only one to realize that the killer had to have been Alba, under the possession of whatever evil inhabits her mind and body. When others in the village recognize that Alba is indeed possessed by some demon, they decide to take the most extreme action they can to correct it --- an exorcism. To Alba’s horror, the exorcism will be done not just by Father Bartolme but also by a team of Inquisitors who arrive at his behest to do whatever it takes to drive the evil out, even if it means destroying her in the process.

The exorcism scenes are quite intense, and the presence of Elías, Carlos and Alba’s family makes the situation even worse for Alba. This demon will not leave gently, and the bloodshed that occurs during the exorcism and beyond is indeed the stuff of nightmares.

Isabel Cañas once again masters the gothic history of her Mexican birthplace and infuses it with her doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. THE POSSESSION OF ALBA DÍAZ will linger with readers long after the last page is turned.