by R. M. Koster
First published 1975
Camilo Fuertes faces a daunting doctoral requirement at his American university. He must write about his father Leon Fuertes, the slain president of Tinieblas. The academic task becomes something far stranger when Camilo discovers he can enter trance states and commune with the dead. He calls forth his ancestors from beyond the grave and interrogates them about their family's scandalous past. Each spectral conversation reveals more about the Fuertes lineage and the violent political history of Tinieblas. Camilo must navigate between his scholarly obligations and the supernatural revelations that threaten to overwhelm his research. The dissertation transforms from academic exercise into a journey through generations of family secrets and national trauma.
Genres: historical-fiction, fantasy, family-drama, academic
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: family-secrets, supernatural-elements
Setting: Tinieblas, America
Period: 20th-century
438 pages · Paperback · William Morrow & Co
Content warnings: violence