A young woman is drawn into a dangerous game after being invited to the mazelike home of her childhood friend, a rumored witch, in this gothic horror set in 1986 Philippines.

In this game, there’s one rule: survive.

Orphaned after her father’s political campaign ended in tragedy, Josephine is alone taking care of the family home while her older brother is off in Manila, where revolution brews. But an unexpected invitation from her childhood friend Hiraya to her house offers an escape. . . .

Why don’t you come visit, and we can play games like we used to?

If Josephine wins, she’ll get whatever her heart desires. Her brother is invited, too, and it’s time they had a talk. Josephine’s heard the dark whispers: Hiraya is a witch and her family spits curses. But still, she’s just desperate enough to seize this chance to change her destiny.

Except the Ranoco house is strange, labyrinthine, and dangerously close to a treacherous sea. A sickly-sweet smell clings to the dimly lit walls, and veiled eyes follow Josephine through endless connecting rooms. The air is tense with secrets, and as the game continues it’s clear Josephine doesn’t have the whole truth.

To save herself, she will have to play to win. But in this house, victory is earned with blood.

In House of Monstrous Women, Daphne Fama has leaned on her heritage to create a haunting and visceral narrative full of dark and gothic horrors. She combines the horror of the dictatorship in the Philippines under Marcos with the dark mythos of the culture to keep the reader engaged and enthralled in Josephine’s story. 

What I love best about this story is that it is about the darkness in people’s hearts but also about the choices that we make, the sacrifices that we are willing to make but also those we are unwilling to sacrifice for success. Even at the darkest moments, Josephine’s love for her family and her friends shines through as the story sweeps you along in this mysterious and haunting tale. The intrigue and visceral quality of the story as Josephine slowly discovers the truth of the house and of the Ranoco’s is powerful and the ending is emotional.

If you like dark, gothic tales that are haunting and visceral, this is an amazingly powerful story about the choices women can make even in the darkest of times, to help their families and save themselves. The story will sweep you up and keep you thoroughly engaged with an ending that will haunt you long past the time you finish. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 servants

Penguin RandomHouse

Daphne Fama website