Two Latin American purveyors of horror whose latest works are haunted by children. In the central story of Mariana Enriquez’s The Dangers of Smoking in Bed (translated by Megan McDowell), children return from the dead not quite who they were previously. Elsewhere in this brilliant collection, children haunt Barcelona leaving a stench, a lady haunting a tower looks for a replacement, and teenage girls devour their favourite pop star. In Andrés Barba’s superb A Luminous Republic (translated by Lisa Dillman), strange groups of children appear speaking an unknown language. Fear grips the town and a hunt begins. Andrés is the author of twelve novels including Such Small Hands (translated by Lisa Dillman). Mariana is also the author of Things We Lost in the Fire (translated by Megan McDowell). The Dangers of Smoking in Bed was shortlisted for the 2021 International Man Booker Prize.

Hosted by Mariana Casale and presented in partnership with Instituto Cervantes