House of Monstrous Women: A gripping debut gothic horror novel set in 1980s Philippines, perfect for fans of Mexican Gothic
Daphne Fama
Aug 2025 · Random House
Ebook
336
Pages
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About this ebook
A young woman is drawn into a dangerous game after being invited to the mazelike home of her childhood friend, a rumoured witch, in this gothic horror set in 1986 Philippines.
'One of the best horror books of the year.' Darcy Coates, bestselling author of The Haunting of Ashburn House
'A stunning gothic and an exceptional debut.' Rachel Harrison, bestselling author of So Thirsty
'(A) brilliantly evocative (and gory) gothic confection of a novel.' SFX Magazine
Carigara, 1986. Josephine del Rosario is the town pariah, left destitute after her parents were assassinated, and destined to marry a man twice her age.
So when Hiraya Ranoco, an old friend, offers Josephine an escape, she can't say no. All she needs to do is spend one night in the Ranoco’s home and play a children’s game of hide and seek. If she wins, she can have anything she wants. Even, perhaps, Hiraya’s heart.
But the manor is sprawling and nightmarish, crawling with insects and rotting from the inside out. The servants stand silently in corners and won't meet her eye. Worst of all, the house itself seems to want to trap Josephine. She must stay hidden until morning, but can she make it through the night?
'This spectacular story will hold you captive until dawn.' Kylie Lee Baker, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bat Eater
'A pulse-pounding tale of family trauma, frayed friendship, and political oppression.' Nick Medina, author of Sisters of the Lost Nation
***Readers Love House of Monstrous Women!***
'I loved this book, I loved the afterword, I loved the characters, I loved the tension and the gothic atmosphere.' FIVE-STAR Review
'A dark, thrilling gothic...This was easily one of my most enjoyable reads this year.' FIVE-STAR Review
'Perfect for fans of Guillermo Del Toro or Silvia Moreno Garcia, this feminist fable is by turns unsettling, thrilling and darkly haunting.' FIVE-STAR Review
'This needs to be a movie!' FIVE-STAR Review
'One of the best horror books of the year.' Darcy Coates, bestselling author of The Haunting of Ashburn House
'A stunning gothic and an exceptional debut.' Rachel Harrison, bestselling author of So Thirsty
'(A) brilliantly evocative (and gory) gothic confection of a novel.' SFX Magazine
Carigara, 1986. Josephine del Rosario is the town pariah, left destitute after her parents were assassinated, and destined to marry a man twice her age.
So when Hiraya Ranoco, an old friend, offers Josephine an escape, she can't say no. All she needs to do is spend one night in the Ranoco’s home and play a children’s game of hide and seek. If she wins, she can have anything she wants. Even, perhaps, Hiraya’s heart.
But the manor is sprawling and nightmarish, crawling with insects and rotting from the inside out. The servants stand silently in corners and won't meet her eye. Worst of all, the house itself seems to want to trap Josephine. She must stay hidden until morning, but can she make it through the night?
'This spectacular story will hold you captive until dawn.' Kylie Lee Baker, Sunday Times bestselling author of Bat Eater
'A pulse-pounding tale of family trauma, frayed friendship, and political oppression.' Nick Medina, author of Sisters of the Lost Nation
***Readers Love House of Monstrous Women!***
'I loved this book, I loved the afterword, I loved the characters, I loved the tension and the gothic atmosphere.' FIVE-STAR Review
'A dark, thrilling gothic...This was easily one of my most enjoyable reads this year.' FIVE-STAR Review
'Perfect for fans of Guillermo Del Toro or Silvia Moreno Garcia, this feminist fable is by turns unsettling, thrilling and darkly haunting.' FIVE-STAR Review
'This needs to be a movie!' FIVE-STAR Review
About the author
Daphne Fama was born in the American South, embedded in its tight-knit Filipino community. When she’s not writing stories about monsters and the women who love them, she’s writing about video games. And when she’s not writing, she’s spending every minute adoring her partner and pup.
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