"A surreal excursion into heartache and horror narrated by a man undone by grief . . . Along with allusions to Rod Serling and The Exorcist, there are shades of H. P. Lovecraft, Stephen King, zombie literature and, at least once, A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy . . . You don't want to read this book right before bed." —Sarah Lyall, The New York Times Book Review
“This intense cosmic horror with a touch of Mexican American folklore is incredibly creepy and moving.” —Margaret Kingsbury, BuzzFeed
It was Vera’s idea to buy the Itza. The “world’s most advanced smart speaker!” didn’t interest Thiago, but Vera thought it would be a bit of fun for them amidst all the strange occurrences happening in the condo. It made things worse. The cold spots and scratching in the walls were weird enough, but peculiar packages started showing up at the house—who ordered industrial lye? Then there was the eerie music at odd hours, Thiago waking up to Itza projecting light shows in an empty room.
It was funny and strange right up until Vera was killed, and Thiago’s world became unbearable. Pundits and politicians all looking to turn his wife’s death into a symbol for their own agendas. A barrage of texts from her well-meaning friends about letting go and moving on. Waking to the sound of Itza talking softly to someone in the living room . . .
The only thing left to do was get far away from Chicago. Away from everything and everyone. A secluded cabin in Colorado seemed like the perfect place to hole up with his crushing grief. But soon Thiago realizes there is no escape—not from his guilt, not from his simmering rage, and not from the evil hunting him, feeding on his grief, determined to make its way into this world.
A bold, original horror novel about grief, loneliness and the oppressive intimacy of technology, This Thing Between Us marks the arrival of a spectacular new talent.
Genre: Horror
“This intense cosmic horror with a touch of Mexican American folklore is incredibly creepy and moving.” —Margaret Kingsbury, BuzzFeed
It was Vera’s idea to buy the Itza. The “world’s most advanced smart speaker!” didn’t interest Thiago, but Vera thought it would be a bit of fun for them amidst all the strange occurrences happening in the condo. It made things worse. The cold spots and scratching in the walls were weird enough, but peculiar packages started showing up at the house—who ordered industrial lye? Then there was the eerie music at odd hours, Thiago waking up to Itza projecting light shows in an empty room.
It was funny and strange right up until Vera was killed, and Thiago’s world became unbearable. Pundits and politicians all looking to turn his wife’s death into a symbol for their own agendas. A barrage of texts from her well-meaning friends about letting go and moving on. Waking to the sound of Itza talking softly to someone in the living room . . .
The only thing left to do was get far away from Chicago. Away from everything and everyone. A secluded cabin in Colorado seemed like the perfect place to hole up with his crushing grief. But soon Thiago realizes there is no escape—not from his guilt, not from his simmering rage, and not from the evil hunting him, feeding on his grief, determined to make its way into this world.
A bold, original horror novel about grief, loneliness and the oppressive intimacy of technology, This Thing Between Us marks the arrival of a spectacular new talent.
Genre: Horror
Praise for this book
"Get ready to throw your electronic virtual assistant out the window! Gus Moreno’s creepy, atmospheric, darkly funny novel will have you side-eyeing your Alexa, thanks to a tech-tinged story about grief, the afterlife, and demonic disturbances. This Thing Between Us is terrifying and unputdownable, with a likable, grounded narrator who pulls back the curtain on the other side, only to reveal something truly unnerving. An unforgettable debut." - Jamey Bradbury
"A horror tale of hair-raising hairpin curves! You won’t be able to guess where Gus Moreno’s cool, weird journey is taking you. Funny, scary, and utterly heartbreaking." - Andy Davidson
"This Thing Between Us brings the very real horrors of living in the world into blazing contact with a supernatural strangeness that refuses to be subsumed into any pattern we can categorize, dissect, and exorcize. In Gus Moreno’s strong, original first novel, reality floats over a void, always threatening to seep out and engulf us." - Brian Evenson
"Hold on, this isn’t a ride, it’s a slide, and it doesn’t care whether you’re ready or not." - Stephen Graham Jones
"Dazzling . . . From its first, startling line, the narrative wraps the reader in graceful prose that refuses to let go until the striking end. Moreno has written a fine, fine book, one I am glad to recommend." - John Langan
"This Thing Between Us is an unsettling, visceral, harrowing descent into loss, madness, and suffering. While there are moments of peace, humor, and reflection scattered throughout this dark journey, Gus Moreno has cast a spell that I’m still trying to shake off. It’s Come Closer meets Angel Heart with a dash of Dante’s Inferno." - Richard Thomas
"As original as it is affecting . . . left me genuinely creeped out, unsettled, and shaken. An existentially frightening book." - Paul Tremblay
"A horror tale of hair-raising hairpin curves! You won’t be able to guess where Gus Moreno’s cool, weird journey is taking you. Funny, scary, and utterly heartbreaking." - Andy Davidson
"This Thing Between Us brings the very real horrors of living in the world into blazing contact with a supernatural strangeness that refuses to be subsumed into any pattern we can categorize, dissect, and exorcize. In Gus Moreno’s strong, original first novel, reality floats over a void, always threatening to seep out and engulf us." - Brian Evenson
"Hold on, this isn’t a ride, it’s a slide, and it doesn’t care whether you’re ready or not." - Stephen Graham Jones
"Dazzling . . . From its first, startling line, the narrative wraps the reader in graceful prose that refuses to let go until the striking end. Moreno has written a fine, fine book, one I am glad to recommend." - John Langan
"This Thing Between Us is an unsettling, visceral, harrowing descent into loss, madness, and suffering. While there are moments of peace, humor, and reflection scattered throughout this dark journey, Gus Moreno has cast a spell that I’m still trying to shake off. It’s Come Closer meets Angel Heart with a dash of Dante’s Inferno." - Richard Thomas
"As original as it is affecting . . . left me genuinely creeped out, unsettled, and shaken. An existentially frightening book." - Paul Tremblay
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