Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Ann Dávila Cardinal's Five Midnights is a "wickedly thrilling" (William Alexander) and "flat-out unputdownable" (Paul Tremblay) novel based on the el Cuco myth set against the backdrop of modern day Puerto Rico.

2019 Digital Book World Award Winner for best Suspense/Horror Book

Five friends cursed. Five deadly fates. Five nights of retribución.

If Lupe Dávila and Javier Utierre can survive each other's company, together they can solve a series of grisly murders sweeping though Puerto Rico. But the clues lead them out of the real world and into the realm of myths and legends. And if they want to catch the killer, they'll have to step into the shadows to see what's lurking there--murderer, or monster?

"A frightening, fast-paced thriller." --Julianna Baggott, Alex Award-winning author of Pure

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

Biracial "Gringa-Rican" Lupe lives in Vermont but visits Puerto Rico for the summer to see her father's family in this riveting novel. Soon, her love of true crime bleeds into reality when she visits the first of several peculiar crime scenes overseen by her police-chief uncle. When she discovers that someone-or something-is targeting five estranged friends who once called themselves los cangrejos, she's intrigued. But when she learns her cousin was also a cangrejo, the crime hits close to home. She pairs up with recovering addict Javier, also a cangrejo, to venture into the world of gang-related drug crimes and try to save her cousin before it's too late. With a compelling plot and characters that explore alcoholism and addiction, this novel is not only a thrilling mystery but one that will speak to anyone whose life has been touched by these diseases. The spirit of Puerto Rico is infused throughout Cardinal's solo debut, which is peppered with accessible Spanglish and a peek into Puerto Rican cuisine and barrios. A gripping horror read. Ages 13-up. Agent: Linda Camacho, Gallt and Zacker Literary Agency. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal Review

Gr 9 Up-When Lupe Dávila arrives in Puerto Rico to spend the summer with her Tío Esteban and Tía Maria, she doesn't imagine that she'll become so closely involved in one of her uncle's investigations. As two murders take place within the first few days of Lupe's arrival, she becomes increasingly concerned for her missing cousin Izzy and suspects that the cases are related. At the same time, Javier Utierre, close friend of the victims, realizes that both were part of Los Cangrejos, the group that he was a part of when he was younger. Soon he and Lupe are working together to try to find Izzy and discover who is behind the murders. As they get closer to the truth, they learn that the legendary El Cuco, embedded into the heart of the island and present in many places with many names, may be the shadow that is following Javier and Izzy, seeking to take them as well. Told from the perspectives of several of the characters, this fast-paced mystery delves into life in Puerto Rico-from the beauty of the island to the troubles that people face every day. Short chapters and events happening within the span of a few days will make this a quick read that teens will not want to put down until they uncover the truth. VERDICT A unique mystery brimming with suspense that brings a legendary character from Latin legends out of the shadows.-Selenia Paz, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Lupe Dávila, half Puerto Rican, half Irish American, is visiting her uncle in Puerto Rico. They always bonded over his job as police chief, but Lupe never expected a case to hit close to home. Two boys have been brutally murdered within just minutes of their eighteenth birthdays, and her cousin Izzy and two more boys, all of whom belonged to a close-knit group called the cangrejos, made up of kids born during the same two weeks in July, have gone missing. Lupe joins forces with Javier, a former member of the cangrejos to figure out what the boys have in common, and the answers lead to ancient, supernatural legends. Something bad happened the night of the cangrejos' thirteenth birthday party that caused their mothers to call forth El Cuco, a bogeyman who demands retribution from misbehaving children. Cardinal's thrilling horror novel has a vivid sense of place and is richly infused with Latin American mythology, and horror genre fans tired of the usual ghosts, vampires, and werewolves are in for a real treat.--Lindsey Tomsu Copyright 2019 Booklist

Kirkus Book Review

In her solo debut, Dvila Cardinal draws on the lore of her Latinx roots.Sixteen-year-old Lupe, "the Gringa-Rican from Vermont," is determined to get to know the real Puerto Rico, away from tourist hot spots, while visiting her father's extended family over the summer. Javier is holding onto sobriety on the cusp of his 18th birthday when childhood friends begin to be killed in gruesome ways. One young man in the crosshairs is Lupe's cousin, setting her on a course to discover the truth that entangles her with Javier and other islanders who view her as an interloper. Setting differences aside, Javier and Lupe work together but find their top suspect to be a figure from legend, El Cucothe mythical monster Latin mothers warn their children to steer clear of by making wise choices. In the end, however, the true fight is not with a supernatural bogeyman but with one's inner demons. Dvila Cardinal brings both the colorful culture as well as the struggles of Puerto Rico to life, illustrating the saying, "When the U.S. gets a cold, Puerto Rico gets pneumonia." Though pacing is tight through most of the story arc, the climax drags, trifling with the reader's willingness to continue to suspend disbelief. Nevertheless, this novel is a thrilling spin on legendary source material as well as a study in identity, community, and connection.A story that lingers in sinister shadows. (Supernatural thriller. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.