Katya de Becerra does a fine line in YA horror, her novels full of young people haunted by sinister events. So often they are grappling with what should be the ordinary trials of family, growing up and finding their place, but these are inevitably intertwined with the weight of secrets, family history and arcane forces.
They Watch from Below is de Becerra’s latest book on these themes as Addie Velde prepares to attend an orientation program at her mother’s Alma Mater, the University of the Arches. Addie is keen to go, but she’s bringing with her some curious puzzles – like her mother’s habit of drifting into fugue states, staring at nothing, and Addie’s own childhood experiences with her imaginary friends (shown in flashback in the many family videos taken through the years).
On campus, Addie attends orientation, including activities exclusive to her and the other legacy students. Soon she encounters mysteries surrounding her mother’s time at The Arches – what happened to the student who went missing and who was responsible for the tragedy? While Addie experiences things which may or may not be real, she and her new friends begin to investigate the odd symbols they see around the campus, before they’re plunged headfirst into the gateway to the secret. The past begins to repeat itself, and Addie has to make some dangerous decisions if she’s to avert another tragedy.
Katya de Becerra weaves a compelling story of slow-creeping horror in They Watch from Below, drawing on folklore, the occult and her experiences of an oddly esoteric subject from her own university days. She creates distinctive characters, imperfect but likeable, and carefully builds an unsettling atmosphere that pushes the characters and the reader to the chilling finale.
In short, another fine horror tale from this gifted storyteller.