Three women in one twisted family race for answers in this "stunning" mystery set in the Mexicali borderlands that "breathes new life into the myth of Persephone and Demeter" (Ana Reyes, author of The House in the Pines).
Adult/minor relationship.
At the edge of the Salton Sea, in the blistering borderlands, something is out hunting…
Malamar Veracruz has never left the dust-choked town of El Valle. Here, Mal has done her best to build a good life: She’s raised two children, worked hard, and tried to forget the painful, unexplained disappearance of her sister, Elena. When another local girl goes missing, Mal plunges into a fresh yet familiar nightmare. As a desperate Mal hunts for answers, her search becomes increasingly tangled with inscrutable visions of a horse-headed woman, a local legend who Mal feels compelled to follow. Mal’s perspective is joined by the voices of her two daughters, all three of whom must work to uncover the truth about the missing girls in their community before it’s too late.
Combining elements of Latina and Indigenous culture, family drama, mystery, horror, and magical realism in a spellbinding mix, Salt Bones lays bare the realities of environmental catastrophe, family secrets, and the unrelenting bond between mothers and daughters.
Don't just take our word for it...
“Salt Bones breathes new poetry and life into the myth of Persephone and Demeter, drawing from the ancient story as deftly as from the contemporary realities of a single mother living on the Salton Sea. A mystery spiked with horror, magical realism, and stunning prose, this book cast a spell on me.”
– Ana Reyes, author of The House in the Pines
“Givhan mesmerizes with this masterful retelling of the story of Persephone and Demeter, set on the California-Mexico border. . . . Givhan thoroughly evokes the harsh beauty of her setting, weaving folklore, mystery, and horror into a breathtaking tapestry. It’s a stunning examination of generational trauma.”
– Publishers Weekly (starred review 🌟)
“Jennifer Givhan’s lyricism and rich storytelling immediately snatch you into this irresistible world of secrets, grief, and horror. Givhan’s poet’s voice brings depth and urgency to a story that feels both contemporary and as old as time, exploring the fault lines between mothers and daughters, myth and reality, beauty and horror.”
– Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory
Taste the very first page
Mal’s chopping block already seeps with blood when the hinge on the door to the carnicería squeaks like a distressed house cat. Mal pays no attention from the back room where she’s butchering today’s cuts. Not that she’d greet whoever’s entered the shop anyway. It doesn’t belong to her. She just works here. Putting on a cheerful face for the customers is Renata’s job.
You have to be a bitch in this business to get anywhere. By bitch, Mal means tough. Her terrible mother named her Bad, so that’s close enough. Like bad seed. Malamar, bad sea. Mami concocted the name as a punishment for the daughter she believed kept her chained to the Salton Sea, wrecked by a series of hurricanes the year Mal was born. Still, they stayed beside the water, which sometimes…
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