The El Camino: A Novel

by Car F. Romero

"Skin walkers, shadow people, fire and Romero's intriguing debut hosts a grisly mix that will send you screaming out of this hotel." - The Taos NewsTwo years after dropping out of college and traveling across the American West, Daniel Gardner has accepted the role of caretaker of the historic The El Camino hotel. Built in the high mountains of northern New Mexico, The El Camino served as a remote sanctuary for Industrial Era elites before falling into disrepair after the death of heiress Victoria Vandermueller. Today the renovated resort passes summers in a sleepy lull of business retreats and yoga weekends, something that suits Daniel just fine. Until he discovers that he brought some terrible darkness from the road with him.

Daniel finds himself in a race before summer’s end to unravel the mysteries of the building, from haunted remnants of prior guests to brujo curses and malicious forces that look to exploit the power within The El Camino for their own means. And it is not only the hotel at ultimate stake, but a battle for his own soul.

The El Camino is the first novel from Car F. Romero, a native of Taos, New Mexico. A Gothic horror in the tradition of The Shining and The Haunting of Hill House, this twisting thriller is sure to keep readers guessing to the end.

352 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 29, 2023

Reviews

[J.A. Freely · Rating 5 out of 5]

El Camino is a great ghost story. The setting is vividly described and really puts you into the story. The descriptions are beautifully described, as are the thoughts, feelings, and backstory of the main character. All of this creates a realistic foundation for the hair-raising events that unfold. If you enjoy a good story, and want to learn a little history about the American West along the way, and if you like suspense, and enjoy exploring the boundaries between our world and the spirit world, than you should buy this book.

[James Randall Ditmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought Provoking

This book challenges us to examine our lives and how we interact with others. Highly recommend. The supernatural background helps to heighten the suspense and kept me turning the pages. The author is also sensitive to and respectful of Hispanic and First Nations cultures.

[Guy Estes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good ghost story that is perfectly paced. Daniel takes a temp job as caretaker for the El Camino hotel. Something appears to be off from day one, but it's quickly forgotten as Daniel's tenure progresses. He spends a nice Summer in New Mexico, and you almost forget about anything sinister at the hotel when Dan has some new creepy experience. He delves into the El Camino's history and learns more and more about it, some of the dark things that have happened, as well as discovering a few things about the mysterious corporation that owns it. Things get more intense as the summer progresses and Dan is forced to realize that he is a key component in the strange occurrences. In confronting the disturbing things happening at the El Camino, he has to confront disturbing things about himself.

[Facundo Castro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book - really great pacing, the scarier parts feel natural and, in between them, there's plenty to be enjoyed with interesting characters, a captivating plot and a meaningful regional and cultural backdrop. Very recommended.

[Arriah Kiprujistho · Rating 5 out of 5]

The El Camino, by Car F. Romero, is a chilling debut novel that blends Gothic horror with the suspense of a psychological thriller.
Daniel Gardner becomes the caretaker of a historic, yet dilapidated, mountain resort in New Mexico. The El Camino, once a haven for wealthy elites, now holds more than faded grandeur within its walls. As Daniel settles into his seemingly peaceful new life, he uncovers a darkness that transcends the physical realm.
From restless spirits of past guests to malevolent forces lurking in the shadows, Daniel finds himself entangled in a chilling mystery. With summer's end fast approaching, he must unravel the secrets of the hotel before something sinister takes hold. Not only is the fate of The El Camino at stake, but also Daniel's own soul hangs in the balance.
The author's vivid descriptions transport you to the hotel's eerie setting, painting a hauntingly beautiful picture of the surrounding landscape. You'll be fully immersed in the story as Romero weaves old legends and secrets of curanderos into the narrative, crafting a truly unique and captivating read.

[Clive Hawkswood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding a new slant on supernatural stories is difficult, especially when the greats of the ghost writing world (not least Stephen King) seem to have been there first. in the description of this book there is a specific reference to The Shining and the echoes from that classic do ring through this tale. In particular there is the setting of a remote old hotel and a main character who brings with him his own demons (pun intended). Unfortunately, those comparisons all too often brought me out of the story as something brought to mind an aspect of King's work.

However, putting that aside and judging it on its own merits, The El Camino is well written and for me, as someone not familiar with the area, it evoked a real sense of place and time. I suspect that fans of the genre will not be disappointed.

[Galen · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

The extra blank line between paragraphs bothered me, and caught my eye every time in a distracting way. The writing just didn’t grab me. First person didn’t lend well to the creepy vibes. Also “could care less”, “couldn’t care less!” Among some cliched writing and descriptions.

The evil corporation felt completely unnecessary to me, and stood out like a sore thumb. there was an entire spooky story in the hotel, and it did have spooky parts I liked. I loved the western vibes of the book, the desert windswept “out there” elements, the wandering main character. But overall this book was a miss for me.

[Oryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an engaging story set amidst the stark beauty of the New Mexico. It successfully weaves a sense of isolation together with supernatural intrigue in a unique setting. With fleshed out and well-developed characters, the author crafts a well paced tale that kept me hooked.

[Cj · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book is the type of book you don’t want to put down! You just want to keep reading and reading till the end! Would definitely recommend reading it to everyone!

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Several typos throughout the book. Plot was amazing if you don’t mind reading through a decent amount of misspellings.

[Nichole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really well written!

[KATHLEEN]

Did not keep my interest.