Secretos de familia by Diego Uribe is a dark and atmospheric thriller that begins with the brutal murder of Emilia Blume, a young woman found dead in her bed with a knife in her heart. The novel unfolds through the investigation led by Inspectora Benatar, who digs into the twisted secrets of the Blume family and the eerie village of Fénix, where superstition, religion, and silence suffocate the truth. What starts as a crime story turns into a psychological puzzle, exploring guilt, repression, and the thin line between love and cruelty. Every chapter drags you deeper into a web of lies and trauma that sticks to your skin.

I have to say, the writing pulled me in right away. The opening scene hit me hard. The author knows how to play with tension, silence, and imagery. The prose feels cinematic, almost like you’re standing in the cold hallways of that cursed house. Sometimes it gets dense with description, but it works. The pacing shifts a lot, slow burns followed by quick bursts of violence, but that uneven rhythm fits the story. It mirrors the confusion of the characters. I found myself anxious, even a little angry, at how the family hid behind politeness and religion while something monstrous was rotting inside their home.

What really got to me were the ideas under the surface. This isn’t just about a murder. It’s about control, silence, and what people will do to keep appearances intact. The women in the story, Emilia, her mother, her sister, and even Benatar, carry a kind of pain that feels too real. There’s also this heavy sense of destiny, as if everyone in that village is trapped by something bigger than them. At times it made me uncomfortable, but that’s a good sign. The author doesn’t let you rest easy. You end up questioning morality, religion, and the price of loyalty.

Secretos de familia is a grim, emotional ride that’s not afraid to stare into the dark corners of the human soul. It’s the kind of book you finish and then sit in silence for a while. I’d recommend it to readers who love crime fiction with real psychological depth, people who like stories that mess with your comfort zone and make you think about the things families hide behind closed doors.

Pages: 343