OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR CHILDREN OF CHICAGO
2021 BRAM STOKER AWARD NOMINEE FOR SUPERIOR ACHIEVEMENT IN A NOVEL
"GUARANTEED TO MAKE YOUR HEART THUMP AND SKIN CRAWL”—The New York Times
ONE OF THE 10 "BEST HORROR NOVELS OF 2021"—LIBRARY JOURNAL
ONE OF THE "MUST-READ BOOKS FOR SUMMER 2021"—The Chicago Tribune
2021 INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARD WINNER
ONE OF THE "BEST OF THE BEST BOOKS" OF 2021 BY THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY
NOTABLE MENTION "THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR; CRIME FICTION 2021"—CrimeReads
HONORABLE MENTION "THE BEST NOIR FICTION OF 2021"—CrimeReads
ONE OF "THE BEST NEW CRIME NOVELS"—Book Riot
"Cynthia Pelayo’s wonderfully eerie CHILDREN OF CHICAGO, an ode to Humboldt Park and fairy tales and crime novels and Chicago’s Latinx community, has ambition to spare."—The Chicago Tribune
"Pelayo masterfully ratchets up the tension and the scares. Robert McCammon fans will be pleased."—Publishers Weekly (Starred)
"With superior worldbuilding, a relentless pace, a complex heroine, and a harrowing story that preys off of current events as much as its well-developed monster, this is a stellar horror novel that fires on all cylinders, from the first page through to its horrible conclusion. For fans of dark fantasy based on fairy tales such as Seanan McGuire’s 'Wayward Children' series or novels by Helen Oyeyemi, with just the right touch of Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski."—Library Journal (Starred)
"Cynthia Pelayo combines police procedural with suspense, horror, and a fairy tale to give you a dark genre-bending tale, perfect for X-file fans and readers who eschew cookie-cutter books."—Alma Katsu, author of THE HUNGER and THE DEEP
"CHILDREN OF CHICAGO is equal parts thriller and horror, occupying the same space as the Hannibal Lecter series by Thomas Harris or Falling Angel by William Hjortsberg, and this novel is equally worthy of your time."—Crime Fiction Lover
"Pelayo has crafted a love story to Chicago, particularly the Latinx community, weaving history, culture, and landmarks into the fabric of the story until the city practically breathes. It is also a love story to fairy tales, and Pelayo intersperses retellings throughout the book, examining the structure, meaning, and value of the original tales. Pelayo's dark, reimagined fairy tale will have readers leaving their lights on long after they’ve turned the last page."—Booklist
"I was enthralled with each page. A perfect book for those who love horror."—Suspense Magazine
"Part police procedural, all horror, Cynthia Pelayo's CHILDREN OF CHICAGO is an immensely entertaining and thoroughly chilling novel, which just so happens to combine two of my favorite things: Chicago and fairytales. I challenge you not to have a good time with Pelayo's book. The confidence and style on display here say she's destined to become one of the greats."—Kealan Patrick Burke, Bram Stoker Award-Winning author of SOUR CANDY, KIN, and THE TURTLE BOY
Incredible praise for LOTERIA
"Horror fans will enjoy 54 original stories full of murderers, monsters, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures, reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm and Horacio Quiroga.” —Booklist
"Pelayo steeps her tales in Latin American culture and legends...with such an expansive selection to choose from, fans of speculative fiction are certain to find something to enjoy." —Publishers Weekly
