Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latiné Horror

by Cynthia Pelayo

Dive into the chilling depths of Latiné horror with Something Followed Us Home, edited by Bram Stoker Award–winner Cynthia Pelayo, a groundbreaking anthology where each story reimagines immigration, colonization, faith, and folklore as the fears we inherit and carry across borders and generations.

Something followed us home. It crawled in with our prayers, slipped into our beds, watched from mirrors, waited in water, and learned our names. In these stories, horror does not announce itself. It possesses, feeds, whispers, and waits.

Gathering chilling work from some of today’s most acclaimed Latiné voices, this anthology moves through haunted households, brutal landscapes, sacred spaces turned dangerous, and bodies claimed by forces both ancient and intimate. The dead murmur behind locked doors. Bones rebuild themselves under merciless suns. Love becomes a doorway for demonic hunger. Prayers summon answers that arrive too late…or too fully. Blood, devotion, and memory intertwine as the past presses back with teeth.

Something Followed Us Home is a landmark anthology of Latiné horror. These stories remind us that the past is never gone, the dead are never silent, and the places we come from will always find their way back to us. Featuring stories Agustina Bazterrica, Ann Dávila Cardinal, Cynthia Pelayo, Isabel Cañas, Gerardo Sámano Córdova, Zoraida Córdova, Mariana Enriquez, Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro, Ananda Lima, Xochitl Gonzalez, Leopoldo Goût, Juan Martinez, Mónica Ojeda, Daniel Jóse Older, Lilliam Rivera, Alex Segura, Diana Rodriguez Wallach

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Short Stories, Horror Thriller

Kindle Edition

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

Cynthia Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet.

Pelayo writes fairy tales that blend genre and explore concepts of grief, mourning, and cycles of violence. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, The Shoemaker’s Magician, as well as dozens of standalone short stories and poems.

Loteria, which was her MFA in Writing thesis at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, was re-released to praise with Esquire calling it one of the ‘Best Horror Books of 2023.’ Santa Muerte and The Missing, her young adult horror novels were each nominated for International Latino Book Awards. Poems of My Night was nominated for an Elgin Award. Into the Forest and All the Way Through was nominated for an Elgin Award and was also nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. Children of Chicago was nominated for a Bram Stoker Award in Superior Achievement in a Novel and won an International Latino Book Award for Best Mystery. Crime Scene won the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection. The Shoemaker’s Magician has been released to praise with Library Journal awarding it a starred review.

Her forthcoming novel, The Forgotten Sisters, will be released by Thomas and Mercer in 2024 and is an adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.”

Her works have been reviewed in The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Review of Books, and more.

Reviews

[Mai H.]

Halloween TBR

Latine Heritage Month TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Primero Sueno Press

[Dozelina 666 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great anthology.

As the description says, this is a collection of short horror stories from multiple authors, and I was really excited to see some familiar names included.

Overall, I had a really good time with this. The stories are short and easy to get into, which makes it super bingeable. You can just pick one up, get fully immersed, and then move on to the next without feeling overwhelmed.

And the variety? So good.

We get ghosts, demons, curses, folklore, all kinds of creepy and unsettling vibes. Some stories leaned more into that weird, eerie atmosphere that I personally love, and those were definitely my favorites.

Of course, like with any anthology, some stories stood out more than others, but overall the collection felt really solid and satisfying.

Also… it’s coming out on my birthday, so obviously it gets extra points from me. ( hi, hi) :D Oh, and almost forgot, I love the cover too!

⭐ 4.5 stars (rounded up)

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Followed Us Home and that is colonialism and the side effects of the western mindset. This short story anthology features several Latinx voices. People have had enough and horror is the mechanism that brings these words to life for people to understand just how harsh colonialism has been in our daily lives. Every story is spine tingling, some are poetic, while others are downright daunting. A collection that speaks more than the words bound to the pages and will give you an eerie unsettling fact to think about as you read each one.

Once I saw that Cynthia Pelayo was involved in this project – I came running to read this. I cannot wait for this beautiful anthology to be released. The bright colors lurking in the darkness is a great metaphor for the type of stories you will come across. It is difficult to pick a favorite one because they all resonate with this feeling of being over the establishment. I appreciated the stories that recognized us Puerto Ricans who were not raised speaking Spanish. This is anthology that you will see yourself in one shape or monster.

The anthology flows from each story to the next with that uncanny setting remaining persistent. What stands out as loud is the Latinx authors making their voices heard through metaphor, horror, and magical realism that makes you think. The diction that is used will impact that way you approach anthologies. I appreciate a collection that really connects with one another and creates pieces that linger in your mind. The imagery that comes from the words is visceral enough to send you running in the woods.

Make sure you read this and have a firelight nearby to keep the ghouls at bay. An enchanting read that you should not miss the opportunity of. A collection for the horror enthusiasts, LATINX, and readers expanding their library with inclusive reads. There is something creepy here for everyone amongst all these short stories. Thank you to the authors, Atria Books/Primero Sueno Press, and Netgalley for this advanced digital copy.


For tarot readings, recommendations, and reviews, check out my blog https://brujerialibrary.wordpress.com/

[Caitlin Teaches · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Followed Us Home is a fantastic sampler of different Latine horror writers and themes. It offers a variety of themes, ideas, and cultures to help introduce you to some new potential favorite authors. Unsurprisingly, colonialism is a major theme, and expect a lot of folklore, faith, immigration family, and identity throughout.

When the stories are hits, they were haunting and fantastic, including two different explorations of women and monstrosity that come from very different angles but intriguingly similar conclusions. Her First Cruise Ship branded its ending on my brain. Fidelity and We Are Gathered Here both scratch an itch for fiction I've needed terribly without even knowing it. Pomelo has a degree of sacred weirdness to it that I have a hard time explaining.

Given the high quality of the stories I did enjoy, I suspect those that didn't work for me are did so as a mix of not being to my taste and/or me missing culture references and touch stones. The one story I just couldn't quite settle with was Guardian Angel, which has some pretty rough incest themes that I just couldn't get past. Child death and varying levels violence are present throughout the collection, so be aware. The overall experience is still very worth while.

Thanks to Atria Books and Net galley for a copy of this arc.

[frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Atria Books and Net galley for a copy of this arc.

I literally averaged this short story collection by stories and it came to a like 3.6 BUT I have so many 5* that I had to bump this up.

Honestly the ones stars too are just a matter of personal taste.

The absolute stand outs for me are

We are Gathered Here by Diana Rodriguez Wallach
A vampire revenge tale that paints a hopeful if bloody picture on just what a undead creature could spend all that endless time on

The World from Above and the World From Below by Mónica Ojeda.
A story about grief that is so well written it felt like splitting open old wounds. I will never read this again and think I might hate it but also doubt I will forget

The other 5* for me are

Her First Cruise Ship by Ann Dávila Cardinal
The Return of La Muelona by Carolina Flórez-Cerchiaro
Pomelo by Xochitl Gonzalez
Fidelity by Alex Sequra

This is such a well rounded anthology. It has something for Horror fans of all flavors and is not one to miss. Cynthia Pelayo blew this one out of the water

[Julia Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

The description of this book really drew me in and got me in. I also love to read books that support diversity and hear from authors new to me. I've discovered favorite authors and 5-star books this way, and I am eager for more. Love discovering new books to fall in love with. Enough about that, on to the review. The blurb for this book says this is a 'groundbreaking anthology where each story reimagines immigration, colonization, faith, and folklore as the fears we inherit and carry across borders and generations.' This book features numerous authors' work, and it was so interesting to read each story in the authors unique voice. I am familiar with a few authors and their work, but most of them were new to me!
It seems like all the authors who contributed to this anthology intertwined their stories with the same idea. The past is never gone. You can't escape or hide from it, It will be there wating.
The very first story Blue Flowers features body horror and is graphic and unsettling. As the body begins to break down, the self does as well. Mariana Enriquez also has a story, Guardian Angel that will stay with you long after you finish this book. It shows a slow decay where life becomes contaminated by something supernatural and creeps in slowly. By the time you realize it's far too late.
There are so many stories that create such a creepy atmosphere and give the reader intense feelings of dread. im giving this 4 stars. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, which I received in exchange for my opinion.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something Followed Us Home is an uncanny collection of short horror stories from Latiné authors. These tales vary across time and subject, but they all contain unsettling elements. They are eerie and atmospheric. From demonic dating disasters to land haunted by its history, this collection is sure to satisfy readers seeking scares.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for providing me with an eARC.

[Juli Stadler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love horror anthologies. This is the eighth one I've read so far this year. Unfortunately, it's also my least favorite. Although some of these short stories contain elements of horror, the majority of them would best be categorized as dark fantasy mixed with magical realism. If that speaks to you, I think you will enjoy "Something Followed Us Home: Tales of Latine Horror.”

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the complementary DRC. All opinions are my own.

[Holly Hinkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my ARC review from Something Followed Us Home coming out September 28, 2026. This is a horror anthology written by the most acclaimed Latina and Latino horror writer including Agustina Bazterrica, and Cynthia Pelayo and many more. These stories themed around colonization, folklore, faith, and immigration with a twist of horror I have this book 5 stars

[Soledad · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good collection of Latin short stories! There's a story in here that everyone will like. It's also a good look at each authors writing style. I had some I liked more than others. Thank you to Netgalley and Atria/Primero Sueno for the eARC!

[Trisha]

I love short story anthologies - especially Horror sets. And this one sounds amazing - tackling some really good topics!

Can't wait to read it!! Pub Date: 9/2026

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

For you and me, and for us.

[Lottie]

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for this e-arc! review to come