The Secret Life of Insects and Other Stories

by Bernardo Esquinca, Mariana Enriquez (Foreword), Luis Pérez Ochando (Illustrator)

In 'The Secret Life of Insects', a forensic entomologist tries to solve the murder of his wife, who impossibly seems to have been killed in a forest at the same time she was asleep in bed with him. The husband in 'The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife' becomes concerned by his wife's strange behavior, which includes sleepwalking, muttering strange phrases, and a bizarre erotic fascination with octopi. In 'Come to Me', a woman visits a witch doctor who promises to forge an unbreakable bond between her and the man of her dreams, but things go horribly awry after the man dies. And in the novella 'Demoness', four high school friends reunite at a class reunion twenty years later and must face the long-buried truth of a demonic experience from their youth.

Bernardo Esquinca's haunting tale 'Señor Ligotti' represented Mexico in the acclaimed The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories and was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award. Now Valancourt Books is proud to present this collection of fourteen of his best stories, which also features a foreword by award-winning author Mariana Enríquez and stunning full-page illustrations by Spanish artist Luis Pérez Ochando.

‘These stories are fully cognizant of Horror’s past, but they also provide clear signposts for Horror’s possible future. Very deft, smart stories that manage to do in ten pages what most novels struggle to accomplish in thirty times that. Esquinca is a writer to watch.’ – Brian Evenson, award-winning author of Song for the Unraveling of the World

‘From short, punchy, Twilight Zone-ish stories to longer, far more insidious dances with horror and madness, Esquinca weaves reality with illusion deftly in The Secret Life of Insects, an excellent collection. Recommended!’ – Elizabeth Engstrom, author of When Darkness Loves Us and Black Ambrosia

‘Bernardo Esquinca’s haunting, original stories spin out implications like spider light, strong . . . and very dangerous.’ – Michael Cisco, author of The Divinity Student

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Gothic, Short Story Collection, Fantasy, Weird Fiction

214 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2023

About the author

Bernardo Esquinca (Guadalajara, 1972) es un escritor mexicano cuya obra mezcla los géneros policiaco, fantástico y de terror. Su trabajo está fuertemente influido por la cultura pop, especialmente el cine, las series de televisión, la novela gráfica, la nota roja y la pornografía.

Ha escrito novelas, cuento y ensayo. Su primera obra publicada fue Carretera perdida. Un paseo por las últimas fronteras de la civilización (Nitro-Press, 2001), un libro de ensayos que en palabras de Sergio González Rodríguez es “un corte exacto de las obsesiones de su generación”. Bajo el sello del Fondo de Cultura Económica, publicó la novela Belleza Roja, elegida por el diario Reforma como la Mejor Primera Novela de 2005. En opinión de Rodrigo Fresán, “es una perversa historia de amor, un policial donde el detective es quien menos sabe o se atreve a saber”.

Su libro de cuentos Los niños de paja (Almadía, 2008) fue elegido por la SEP para ingresar al programa Libros del Rincón en 2009. Con motivo de la aparición de este volumen, Bernardo Fernández Bef, “Esquinca es un raro entre los escritores de los setenta. Sus historias se adentran sin miedo en los agrestes terrenos de los subgéneros con bastante éxito”.

La novela Los escritores invisibles (FCE, 2009) fue elegida por el diario Reforma entre los mejores libros del año de su publicación. Luis Jorge Boone consideró que “en un medio contaminado hasta el tope de falsos oropeles y sobrepoblado por egos descomunales, Los escritores invisibles agrega una inteligente nota satírica al autorretrato”. En 2011, con el respaldo de la editorial Zeta, publicó La octava plaga.

Reviews

[Ruben · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Not once before had I read any of Bernardo Esquinca's works, but I can say I was really pleased I did. This anthology of short stories is just what I needed at this point.

Influenced by some other famous writers Bernardo Esquinca writes crime fiction, fantasy, and horror. Through 14 short stories Valancourt Books has done an excellent job by exposing some of Bernardo's best short stories.

One of my favorite ones is definitely "Señor Ligotti", but there are some others like "The Paradoxical Man", "Come to Me, or "Pan's Noontide" which are not to be missed, as they include deities, gods and shamans among some great scary and/or intriguing elements that keep you unable to put the book down.

Something I really loved is that most stories take place in Mexico, and even more so that some take place in my hometown Mexico City.

I also want to express my appreciation to Valancourt Books and NetGalley for having entrusted me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[inciminci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thoughts to come. Maybe 3,5 rounded down.

edit 11.11.2023
Right on time for Halloween AND the día de muertos did I open this bag of horror goodies! It turns out it's a mixed bag, it's how life sometimes goes - I was expecting something rather different, but sometimes it's a mixed bag you get.

It's not that I'm lazy as a reader or see myself above the task of letting my fantasy wander and complete the written story in front of me, but an open ending in horror stories is something that's effective when used sparsely and although I didn't count, I think every other story in The Secret Life of Insects had an open end, exhausting this narrative device for me. The introduction by Marianna Enriquez clarifies that Esquinca has a penchant for the genre true crime/detective, which would explain him wanting to give the reader an inquisitive role. Still, it was too much for me and honestly leaves the impression that the author can't write good endings. Which is, in fact, perfectly fine. For instance, I am fan of an author who has a collection of two Lovecraftian novellas, both of which are truly, amazingly written. You feel like the writing goes into your blood, they're so good, but both have endings that disappoint. There's no shame in it, but when in a collection of many more stories this happens repeatedly, it catches the attention.

Even though towards the end I found the themes repetitive and the characters a little non-distinct, like the narrator often being involved in an adventure either with his cousin/s or brother (I grew up with a ton of cousins and siblings too, so I can picture where that comes from), there were two stories I immensely enjoyed, here they are:

The Paradoxical Man in which a man having nightmares tries to get to the root of the issue and finds out an astonishing truth about himself. A very delightful, Lovecraftian piece of writing with one of the best (semi-open) endings I have come across. I love creativity like that!

Come to Me is my favorite in this collection - a "be careful what you wish for" kind of story, following a very likable main character who wanted nothing but eternal love, leading to a surprising outcome and a chuckle. I realize now while writing this that I prefer Esquinca's more humorous stories.

There's enough range for all kinds of readers, though, from the zombie epidemic to (my beloved) tentacles to a flabbergasting story about Senior Ligotti as a landlord harassing his tenants - I wonder how Thomas Ligotti reacted to that story!
Definitely worth a read, and, as I said, it's just that my personal expectations were different from this book, in that I was anticipating to be knocked off my socks and that didn't happen, but it was still a fun read.

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Life of Insects by Bernardo Esquinca
Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: A story in The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories
Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/978195432...

Release Date: October 3rd, 2023

What You Need to Know: Translated, illustrated, short, horror fiction collection.

My Reading Experience: A short story collection with illustrations? Sold. I read Bernardo Esquinca previously in a collection of world horror stories from Valancourt. His story stood out to me; it was memorable. Esquinca has a flare for building suspense and tension in his stories. Here is my reading activity as I moved through this rich collection.
May 26, 2023 –
8.0% I loved the in-depth foreword from Mariana Enríquez. The first story THE SECRET LIVES OF INSECTS hooks you right in.
“Two things: (1) Today I'm going to talk to my wife for the first time in two years. (2) My wife is dead. She passed away two years ago under strange circumstances.”
May 26, 2023 –
10.0% THE WIZARD’S HOUR- a new father suddenly realizes he is losing blocks of time in his memory. He finds himself doing strange, uncharacteristic activities
June 2, 2023 –
13.0% Where I’m Going, It’s Always Night—THIS STORY! A masterclass in tension and suspense
June 2, 2023 –
21.0% So this author is a new favorite. This last story was about a man plagued by nightmares. He learns that authors, like himself create a work, a story and that is the norm but sometimes, a Work creates an author, and when the story is finished, so is the author
June 3, 2023 –
25.0% A little haunted house story
June 5, 2023 –
42.0% A love spell went horribly wrong
June 5, 2023 –
60.0% So I’ve never imagined being in a bathtub full of cum, lol
This story was one of the longer ones and quite strange
June 5, 2023 –
67.0% A creepy doll story!
June 8, 2023 –
84.0% That was an intense thriller!
June 9, 2023 –
89.0% Loved that zombie story!
June 9, 2023 –
95.0% Mmm that was maybe my favorite story

Final Recommendation: All of these tales are unique and cover a wide range of sub-genres, subjects, and tones. The illustrations add so much to the overall enjoyment. This author loves to explore themes of sexuality so if a lot of talk about sex acts makes you uncomfortable, there are a few you can skip, and you’ll know right away. This is a new favorite collection with some singular stories that stand out as some of the best short fiction I’ve read.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh -- this was great, both in the writing and in the chills department.

full post is here:
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/202...


I initally came across the work of Bernardo Esquinca in the first installment of this publisher's Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories. His story "Señor Ligotti" was a standout in that book, so when Valancourt announced the publication of an entire volume of this author's work, I was elated.

This book ticks every box I have as a reader of the weird and the strange. There are no cut-and-dried solutions to the mysteries the author offers, leaving the stories on the open-ended side of things and allowing the reader's imagination to kick in and ponder the implications of what he or she has just read. Many times, for me anyway, that's when the actual horror of the sitution creeps in, continuing to linger with me long after turning that last page. In Esquinca's words, as quoted in the introduction by Mariana Enriquez, ..." the best stories are like abandoned houses that nobody wants to stay in, but which you can't stop thinking about after spending a night in them." That is exactly what you get here.

All of these stories are beyond good; my favorite is "Pan's Noontide," which seamlessly blends together crime fiction, horror, mythology, modern environmental concerns and greed-based corruption to create an unforgettable tale.

Esquinca's stories are set in his native Mexico, and he incorporates his country's history, landscape and mythologies into his work, and bravo to James Jenkins for his excellent translation. At the same time, his subjects are definitely human, sharing much of the same anxieties and apprehensions as the author's readers outside the physical borders of his homeland. His work reaches depths that move well beneath the world we live in and uncovers hidden, unseen layers we don't see, as well as the small cracks in the universe that his characters don't know exist until they tumble into them. Even more so, he joins the ranks of my favorite writers whose work leaves me with the sense that the old ground has somehow shifted along with my understanding of how things actually are. The stories are fun with more than a hint of seriousness in what the author's trying to accomplish with them; they also acknowledge the influence of writers who came before him, as noted in the introduction, which you should definitely not miss.

All in all, a fine collection of stories by an extremely talented writer, and a book I most highly recommend, especially to people who, like me, love quality translated fiction that makes you think. It's downright creepy as well, aided by the excellent illustrations, so it's a book that will definitely appeal to readers of horror and the weird on the intelligent end of the spectrum.

[Nina The Wandering Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Contrary to what the Catholic Church preached, fleeing the darkness wasn’t the right way: you had to enter it, let your eyes get used to the dark, because learning to see through the night was the only way to perceive the true nature of things.”

I just knew I was going to fall in love with author Bernardo Esquinca’s writing after I’d read his short story contribution in the Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories Vol. 1—where I am constantly being introduced to authors who deliver fright from cultures new to me! And this collection from Esquinca did not disappoint!

In Where I’m Going, It’s Always Night a man is transporting a hitchhiker to a peculiar destination and the story his new passenger tells on the journey is unnerving. In Señor Ligotti, a man accepts an offer too good to refuse, only to discover there are some very unpleasant strings attached—this story was also featured in the World Horror collection and it was even better reading it the second time around. In Pan’s Noontide, a man must solve a murder mystery connected with pagan rituals and possibly his ex-wife. In Come to Me, a woman caught in the piercing jaws of unrequited love seeks a witch doctor possessing the remedy for her heart’s desire, only to discover you really must be careful what you wish for.

These are just 4 out of 14 fantastic stories and I honestly enjoyed every single one! With touches of gothic, occult, cosmic, and folk horror, there’s something in this collection for everyone. To make it even better, many of the stories include stunning illustrations by visual artist Luis Pérez Ochando. Do yourself a favor this Fall and add The Secret Life of Insects to your reading lists!

[Willow Heath]

Mexican author Bernardo Esquinca's lifelong love for the works of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft seeps deeply into his own writing. The stories in this collection aren't only dark; they are strange, unnerving, off-kilter tales of loss, heartbreak, isolation, and so many impossibilities. Stories like Dream of Me, which follows a woman who turned to a witchdoctor for guidance in love, only for the monkey's paw to curl and her romance to turn to horror.

My full thoughts: https://booksandbao.com/essential-mod...

[Andy Weston · Rating 4 out of 5]

Valancourt's focus on world horror in the last few years has added greatly to the genre. In 2020 they published The Valancourt Book of World Horror Stories, Volume 1, followed by Volume 2 in 2022.
Since then they have expanded to several authors' individual contributions with books of their work, Hungarian author Atilla Veres, Italian author Luigi Musolino, and now Mexican author Esquinca.

Esquinca's style is to be brief, many of the fourteen stories are ten pages or so, and to set a scene in which not eveything is at it may seem, and finish with a subtle twist.
Señor Ligotti was the story included in the anthology, but there's better here, which gives an idea of the strength of the book.

The titular tale, The Secret Life of Insects concerns a forensic anthropologist returns to an investigation into the death of his wife, who died under mysterious circumstances. He did not supervise the case himself at the time, but reexamining the evidence suggests something impossible.
This is actually available for free, online at https://bombmagazine.org/articles/200....

My personal favourite is Dream of Me in which the narrator is collector of dolls with dubious histories. When he receives a new doll for his collection, for the first time anonymously by mail, he investigates and discovers the true story of the doll that will make him regret his decision. Its very Robert Aickman.

I'm eagerly anticipating Valancourt's third volume of world horror, though there isn't a release date yet, and the wealth of global writers that that may unearth.

[Rudrashree Makwana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories are clever, suspenseful, creepy and mind boggling. It has beautiful and creepy illustrations. The stories are crafted by blending genres like horror and mystery and bringing light upon mind visions and nightmares blurring the line between fiction and reality. The tales have been translated from Spanish by James D. Jenkins and illustrated by Luis PErez Ochando

The first tale is about the unknown or unthinkable mystery of insects and how they fulfil their purpose, The second tale is about strange things that happens with Dragan like some unknown power controls his mind and make him do strange things. The third tale is about a husband who observes his wife’s strange behaviour like sleep walking and erotic fascination with octopi and creepy ending. The fourth tale is about Literature and how supernatural elements gets combined with it and haunts every night. The fifth tale is about reminiscing childhood memories, haunting house and secret of cave. The sixth tale encapsulates the odyssey of a writer and a monk story. The seventh tale is about suitors and unusual spell. The eighth tale is about four high school friends reunion after twenty years and unraveling the demonic long buried truth. The ninth tale is about cursed dolls, possessions, sinister stories and creepy mystery. The tenth tale is about nightmares, childhood trauma, regret, secrets, belief and marriage life. The rest of the tales are about strange things , strange case and one eyed woman.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Esquinca channels classic horror authors such as H.P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allan Poe in these 14 creepy stories drawn from across his career. The settings include caves, forests and abandoned apartments; and octopi, cursed dolls and dreams are among the subjects. These characters are obsessed – or possessed. As in classic ghost stories, the protagonists tend to be researchers or writers whose absolute faith in logic is shaken by encounters with the supernatural. For instance, the narrator of the title story is a forensic entomologist who makes contact with his murdered wife; the undead feature in a couple of other stories, too.

Mysterious manuscripts and therapy appointments also recur – there’s a scholarly Freudianism at play here. In the novella-length “Demoness,” friends at a twentieth high school reunion recount traumatic experiences from adolescence (not your average campfire fare). “Our traumas define us much more than our happy moments, [Ignacio, a Jesuit priest] thought. They’re the real revelations about ourselves.” Masturbation features heavily in this and in “Pan’s Noontide,” which has both of Arturo’s wives disappear in connection with an ecoterrorism cult. I occasionally found the content a bit macho and gross-out, and wished the women could be more than just sexualized supporting figures in male fantasies.

My favourite story was “Señor Ligotti” (no doubt in homage to American horror writer Thomas Ligotti), in which a struggling novelist unwittingly signs away more than he intended when the title character offers him an apartment and then a publishing deal. The Gothic black-and-white illustrations by Luis Perez Ochando are surreal or grotesque, and recall Bosch, Dalí and Hogarth. There is an introduction by Mariana Enriquez, whose stories I found more memorable in general, and I was also reminded slightly of Agustina Bazterrica. I’m by no means a regular horror reader yet found this book consistently engaging, though I concluded it had more style than soul.

Originally published on my blog, Bookish Beck.

[Dave Musson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quite fantastic and dark collection of short stories that are weird, uncanny and unsettling as heck. Not all of them landed for me, but the ones that did? Well, they really worked.

For me, the best stories here tended to be the shorter ones – Esquinca is skilled at dropping you into a strange world, shaking you up, then whipping you out in a matter of pages – leaving you unnerved and tingling from head to toe. In particular, my favourites were:
- The Secret Life of Insects – a bleak tale with a horrifying dream sequence
- The Wizard’s Hour – a super creepy story centred on a baby’s musical chair
- Where I’m Going It’s Always Night – something of an urban legend that will make you feel differently about liars
- The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife – a wholly disturbing and messed up story with some creepy sleepwalking, a sting in the tail and an image involving an octopus that I don’t think I will ever be able to shake
- The Paradoxical Man – a clever story about a writer plagued with nightmares with a last line that made me laugh out loud
- Senor Ligotti – an almost Faustian pact between an author and a seemingly generous old man
- Come to Me – a warning tale about not messing around with witch doctors, despite how desperate you might be
- Tlatelolco Confidential – a horrifying story of student protestors being shot that turns into a genuinely great zombie yarn

Not only that, Esquinca is something of a master of the opening line. Take the following picks from this collection…
- Two items of interest: (1) Today I’m going to talk to my wife for the first time in two years. (2) My wife is dead.
- Long for him with your soul, the witch doctor had told her, and Laurinda had done just that.
- My house is full of cursed dolls.
- Maya had ben dreaming for weeks about a stranger masturbating.

Admit it – you’re interested to read on, right?

I really enjoyed how tight the prose was here for the most part, and how it was able to blend elements of crime writing with plenty of supernatural and just plain weird stuff. You can see the influences of Shirley Jackson and Edgar Allen Poe shine through here, and it’s a treat to read…with an excellent translation from James D Jenkins too.

Highly recommended, and another author that I’m now keen to find more from.

[Curtis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top notch Weird Lit. "Señor Ligotti" is one for the record books.

[Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extremely good collection of Mexican horror stories with a literary bent. The translation was impeccable, and I enjoyed every single story - a rarity in collections of short fiction.

[Milt Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bernardo Esquinca’s ‘The Secret Life of Insects and Other Stories’ is a terrific short story collection, spanning all kinds of horror, from cosmic and psychological horror to more typical horror tropes, such as hauntings, possessions, zombies, flawed spells, and cursed dolls. Translated from the original Spanish into natural sounding, flowing English by James D. Jenkins, with creepy, full-page illustrations by Spanish artist Luis Pérez Ochando, it feels like the perfect Halloween present for all horror lovers. Still, deeper than that, the collection manages to impress with Esquinca’s absolute mastery not only of the horror genre, but also of mystery, thriller, and even science fiction; it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say that he is a horror genius, each one of his stories unique, immediately dragging you in, with just the right length, whether a novella or a short story. I loved all the stories, but a few should be mentioned for their elegant prose and uncanny visuals: the superb and unparalleled "Sea of Tranquility, Ocean of Storms," the stunning "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife," the bizarre "Come to Me," the trippy "Dream of Me," and the spooky "Where I'm Going, It's Always Night.” These are incredible stories, well worth everyone's time, memorable, with great emotional impact.

Huge gratitude to Valancourt Books and NetGalley for an ARC of the collection.

[Tom A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

2024 #5: The Secret Life of Insects by Bernard Esquinca


We start with the tantalizing title story 1. "The Secret Life of Insects" about a forensic entomologist trying to get to the bottom of his wife's death. Her death is puzzling even in his scientific field, making him reluctantly consult supernatural methods. What he will find will surprise him. From the get-go, Esquinca already grabs our attention: "Two things: Today I'm going to talk to my wife for the first time in two years. (2) My wife is dead." If that line alone doesn't hook you, I don't know who else in Weird Fiction can. 2. "Where I'm Going, It's Always Night" is Esquinca's take on the hitchhiker horror but framed in a story-in-a-story John Langan way. The results are chilling. Fans of Japanese-style horror and the movie "Possession" (1981) will rejoice with 3. "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife." That is all I can say. The incredible feat here is Esquinca making an aquatic horror tale work despite the setting being mostly on dry land and concrete. Ligotti-esque existential dread horror permeates 4. "The Paradoxical Man", is a story about a writer suffering from nightmares. He soon finds out that it's the least of his worries as the source of the nightmares can wipe… Anyway, that's for you to find out. 


I can go on, but I've already made my point: Esquinca's writing and themes are engaging and exciting. Before I encountered his works, I always fell asleep reading the works of other weird fiction writers, most of whom would spend half an eternity describing how the forests foreshadow the coming of some unnamed entity who never appears anyway. Screw that noise: What you need, Dear Reader with a short attention span, is a writer like Esquinca:involving and interesting, and possessing an encyclopedic knowledge of the horror tropes and how to manipulate them. 


Before I end, watch out for 8. "Demoness", a sexually charged and disturbing novella about a group of friends on a reunion where their hidden desires and secrets re-ignite a literal pandemonium. Extra points for quoting the late W. P. Blatty in the opening.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 2 out of 5]

This collection of horror and weird tales by Mexican author Esquinca failed to impress me. Most of the stories felt too short for what they wanted to tell. The endings were not satisfying nor did I find them horrifying. There were a couple of stories I enjoyed but overall I did not gel with this author.
This collection of horror and weird tales by Mexican author Esquinca failed to impress me. Most of the stories felt too short for what they wanted to tell. The endings were not satisfying nor did I find them horrifying. There were a couple of stories I enjoyed but overall I did not gel with this author.

1. A forensic entomologist's wife was murdered two years ago and he's now been convinced to visit a medium. Very creepy ending. (4/5)

2. The Wizard's Hour - After buying a musical chair for their baby the husband suddenly finds himself places he doesn't remember going to. Too short, it felt rushed and wasn't very interesting. (2/5)

3. Where I'm Going It's Always Night - A man driving through the night picks up a spelunker headed for the mountains. Creepy campfire type of story. (4/5)

4. The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife - A man's wife starts sleepwalking and telling him he is the creator, she also becomes obsessed with a vulgar painting of a woman with an octopus. Forgettable. (2/5)

5. The Paradoxical Man - A writer has terrifying nightmares every night and he fears going to sleep. Nothing works to get rid of them until he visits "The Order of the Crow". Very intriguing with a great ending. (4/5)

6. Leprosy in the Walls - A writer reminisces about his cousins' house where he spent a lot of his childhood. He starts having nightmares where he is walking in a tunnel but can only go forward. This was boring. We wait for it to get somewhere and when it does it's a letdown. (2/5)

7. Senor Ligotti - A bit complicated but it boils down to a writer being hounded by Senor Ligotti. I've read this before. It's rather predictable with a boring end. (3/5)

8. Come to Me - A woman goes to a Shaman for a spell to make the man she loves fall in love with her forever. Another story I didn't connect with. I found it predictable and boring. (2/5)

9. Demoness - Four people go to a high school reunion camp near the old unused school. They each were witnesses to the "event". This was much longer than any other story here so far and more enjoyable. We get a real feel for the characters and the horror they experienced at the "event". (4/5)

10. Dream of me - A man collects cursed dolls but is not superstitious. None of the dolls have ever done anything until he receives a mysterious doll in the mail. Another story that just fell flat for me. Nothing really happened. (2/5)

11. Pan's Noontide - This was really good. Usually, I don't like stories about Pan. A man who is a professor of ancient religions is being consulted on some ritualistic murders. Slowly gets creepy. (4/5)

12. Tlateloco Confidential - A student uprising on an ancient Aztec massacre sight proves disastrous for mankind. Predictable. (3/5)

13. Sea of Tranquility, Ocean of Storms - A man's cousin is obsessed with the moon and he now paints it for a living. But this man does not believe man ever walked on the moon. I had to think a bit till I understood the ending. Just ok. (3/5)

14. Manuscript found in an Empty Apartment. - Very short. Two people investigate a mysterious woman. Interesting but just left me "meh". (2/5)

[KDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will admit at first that the first few stories simply failed to click with me. Often too ambiguous or lacking in a satisfying conclusion for my own personal tastes, I nearly put this down. However, when it hit its stride I became absorbed in this master class in short story telling.

There are some stand out stories including The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife; Demoness; and the centre piece story of Senor Ligotti, but almost all of them contain a breathtaking level of prose and a wonderful weaving of the mythological amongst the very real, as Esquinca builds his story, never wasting a word and revealing the brooding horror slowly until we reach the unavoidable conclusion that you suddenly realise has been looming all along.

It’s not just the stories themselves that are the stars here. The illustrations that adorn the title page of some of the initial chapters are gorgeous full page black and white spreads which capture each associated story in its entirety through a single grotesque image

The compilation is also expertly put together, with the early ones starting off lightly and building up to the more dramatic longer tales, before returning to the smaller stories once more.

Highly recommended and another example of exceptional world horror

[Misha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn to The Secret Life of Insects by Bernardo Esquinca (translated by James D. Jenkins) due to my love for Latin American horror and a recommendation by my beloved Mariana Enriquez.

This is an almost perfect collection. A beautiful mix of classic gothic horror and the modern human condition. While this was not as strongly socio-political as I had expected, much of the horror is still rooted in real experiences - sexual repression, loneliness, displacement, isolation amidst economic and social crisis, childhood trauma. Within all of the strangeness in this book, lies much reality about that part of the human psyche where our fears, desires and darkness lie.

The best stories in this collection are more insidious than overt horror, building up slowly - maybe one doesn't react when one finishes reading them, but they settle in your bones and come back to you later in some subtly unsettling, disturbing form, which I find more chilling than reacting at the moment. The fact that most of the stories don't have any real endings enhances this feeling of lingering eeriness.

Now why did I call it 'almost perfect'? Because somehow the last few stories lack the gorgeous subtlety of the rest, being a bit too on-the-nose. Having said that, I am glad I have discovered yet another writer from the Latin Americas that I will look out for.

[Joachim Stoop · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I was hooked. The atmosphere and story angles reminded me of Brian Evenson. But then there were two larger stories that I disliked (especially Demoness) thát much I abandonded the rest of it. This doesn't mean I will skip his next collection, because I know he is capable of a consistently good book.

[Bookish_Spren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Valancourt and Netgalley for my gifted e-arc. I immediately requested this anthology when I saw it. This was my first book by Bernardo Esquinca (Mexico) and it won’t be my last! I will have to look up his books that are in Spanish.

I don’t usually give anthologies 5 stars since many have stories that I like and dislike but I LOVED almost all the stories in this book. I even liked the zombie story and I’m not a fan of the post apocalyptic genre!

This horror anthology has a bit of everything. From insects, creepy dolls, hidden dimensions and space horror. All of them were so well written. They were dark, creepy, atmospheric and so unsettling. My favorites were:

-The Secret Life of Insects
-The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife
-Come to Me
-Dream of Me
-Sea of Tranquility, Ocean of Storms

“Sea of Tranquility, Ocean of Storms” is my favorite one out of all of them. It’s space horror and it’s a genre that really scares me. It’s so subtle but I loved how it talks about how little we know about space and even Earth’s moon. I won’t say any more about it since I don’t want to give anything away about the plot. This story is one that I will think of for a long time!

I will have to buy a physical copy since I will want to reread it and really appreciate the art that is include by Luis Pérez Ochando.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS IS THE SUMMER OF HORROR ANTHOLOGIES! KEEP EM COMING, YALL!

I am so thankful to Bernardo Esquinca, NetGalley, and Valancourt Books for granting me an advanced digital copy of The Secret Life of Insects and Other Stories. This baby packs a punch and is projected to hit shelves on October 3, 2023, for the spookiest month.

In this collection of stories, there's a little bit of everything. Starting at the beginning, we have been spoon-fed a serving of less-than-desirable arachnids and bugs in stories that leave the reader with the worst case of the creepy crawlies, and as the chapters go on, we see instances of paranoia in our subjects like no other.

I love an unsettling ending to an eerie tale, and with each turning page, Bernardo Esquinca delivers.

[pae (marginhermit) · Rating 4 out of 5]

a collection of fourteen darkly atmospheric horror stories that will chill you to the bone. Esquinca is a master of the macabre, and his stories are full of suspense, dread, and the supernatural.

The stories in this collection range from the creepy to the downright terrifying. In "The Secret Life of Insects," a forensic entomologist tries to solve the murder of his wife, who was killed in a forest at the same time she was asleep in bed with him. In "The Dream of the Fisherman's Wife," a woman's strange obsession with octopi leads her down a dark path. And in "Come to Me," a woman visits a witch doctor who promises to forge an unbreakable bond between her and the man of her dreams, but things go horribly wrong.

[Sinead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to get into this collection, despite it being something I would consider almost perfectly catered to my personal taste. To me it felt as though only a small selection of the stories were what I was looking for. Which was short, snappy, horror I could read before bed that would bring me back out of the reading slump I’ve been in for far too long. I hoped this collection would replace my habit of browsing R/NoSleep and push me back into reading physical books again. (It did not, hence the time it took me to actually finish)

I can admit that, maybe I was expecting too much out of it. Yes, some of the stories were gripping and kept me engaged, at least at first. I felt as though, even the best stories in the collection were cut too short, leaving me lusting for more just at the point where I was teetering the edge of actually being invested. This was a really frustrating feeling for me, I understand they are short stories and by default are meant to be short but they really did feel just that tad too short to keep me from caring.

It was even more frustrating when the other stories in the collection either fell flat towards the end, feeling like a waste of time, or the concept itself failed to engage with me at all.

I’m chalking it up to the reading slump I’ve been in, rather than the collection itself. Maybe one I will revisit someday and give a fairer chance.

[Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant collection, which I finished reading just before my first trip to Mexico City, where most of these stories are set. Mariana Enríquez’s introduction is excellent too (though I didn’t read it until after I finished the collection because I like to go into a book cold, with as little information as possible).

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story collection Buy a Mexican author the first story was about a Doctor Who studied insects and how they breed on the deceased and the death of his wife who died in the forest while at the same time in bed with him. I didn’t like the way this one ended I thought it was a blunt pointless ending I was really prepared for the rest of the book to not be so great but boy was I wrong. The rest of the stories were so good it made me go back and read the first one again thinking I must’ve missed something but no I didn’t, it really ended badly or at least that’s my opinion. The rest however are awesome awesome stories especially the one with the spelunker. If you’re like me and love a great short story collection the new definitely love The Secret Life Of Insects And Other Stories I want to thank the publisher and net galley for my free Ark copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Adrian Coombe · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best collections I’ve read, up there with Brian Evenson. Very varied, but consistently excellent throughout.

[Giu]

Gave up at 14%.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a collection of short stories by Bernardo Esquinca. I found each of the stories quite engrossing. I need to learn to read Spanish or perhaps another one of his books will be translated to English. Additionally, the translation was quite smooth.

[Venneh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I was interested in more Mexican horror, and to see what Mariana Enriquez had to say about the author in her short, haunting introduction. I ended up tearing through this in two days, and my god, the way that Esquinca weaves together religious imagery, the horrors of people close to you disappearing and not knowing what happened to them, along with a slight meta sense of the eerieness of writing, and a way of writing succinctly that these stories will be in my head for a while. Definitely pick this up this fall. You'll be in for a treat.

[Alisha Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It didn't matter: the best stories have a way of making us forget the name of the author but never the plot; those are the ones that return to us in the form of dreams"
- "Demoness" from The Secret Life of Insects and Other Stories by Bernardo Esquinca

Most collections of short stories have a few that just didn't work for me, but surprisingly, that was not the case with this collection-I really liked or loved each story! I found myself (day)dreaming of these stories long after I finished reading- a sure sign that they are ingrained into my subconscious.

The author Bernardo Esquinca does an incredible job of building a suspenseful tone quickly and efficiently so that a couple of pages into each story, I found myself so engrossed that I was easily startled by happenings in my surroundings. Esquinca guides the reader into strange territory while making them feel somewhat safe, despite the foreboding tone and the anticipation of the horrors to come. The included artwork was fabulously eerie as well.

Something that makes stories great in my opinion is the feeling of legitimacy that comes from reading about a character that almost seems familar... like that character reminds me of my cousin, or I would have acted the same way in that situation. All of these stories had that feeling for me, which is part of why the tension escalates so quietly and effectively. Each of these stories is unique, but they fit together brilliantly.

Some of my favorites from the collection include:
"The Wizard's Hour"
"Where I'm Going, It's Always Night"
"Demoness"
"Pan's Noontide"
"Sea of Tranquility, Ocean of Storms"

Thanks to Netgalley and Valencourt Books for an advance e-copy of this collection. It was very much appreciated!

[Subin Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Señor Ligotti, The Wizard’s Hour, The Paradoxical Man, Demoness, Sea of Tranquility Ocean of Storms

Si non oscillas, noli tintinnare