Horror Goes to Hollywood

Set in Mexico City in the 1990s, Silver Nitrate is a horror/thriller novel that focuses on Montserrat, a talented sound editor who nevertheless can’t seem to get into the inner circle of the film industry. Basically, it’s a total boy’s club, and the only one who takes notice of Montserrat at all is her best friend, a soap opera star named Tristán. When Tristán discovers that his new neighbor is cult horror director Abel Urueta, Tristán sees an opportunity for both himself and Montserrat to jumpstart their careers. After Urueta failed to finish his last film, the director swears he’s been cursed for life. Now, he wants Tristán and Montserrat to help him film the final scenes to lift the curse forever. But lifting a curse is never easy, and everyone involved in the film begins to feel a darkness surrounding them and the project.

I know, I know. I’ve been talking about this one a lot lately, but that’s because I’m absolutely obsessed with it. What can I say? I read it earlier this year, and I still can’t stop thinking about it. This book is about a horror movie that was never actually released. During the filming, the set was riddled with disasters, and there were whispers that the project was cursed. Years later, the movie has built up a cult following and is being remade with a big Hollywood budget. At the center of the story is the unnamed narrator, who once played “The Thin Kid” in the original movie. As he returns to the world of the film for the remake, reality begins to blur.