CATEGORY FIVE

In the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, Lupe returns to Puerto Rico to solve another paranormal mystery in this follow-up to Five Midnights (2019).

Lupe has spent the last year since defeating El Cuco back home with her recovering alcoholic father in Vermont—while worrying about her loved ones back in Puerto Rico as they grapple with their new normal. Marisol has turned her frustrations toward activism, rebuilding homes, and defending land from buyouts by mainland corporations. Javier, meanwhile, is just trying to make ends meet while struggling under a dark cloud of unresolved trauma. When Lupe returns to spend the summer on the island, however, all are quickly wrapped up in a murder mystery with ghostly ties. On the island of Vieques, developers putting in a new resort seem to have raised the dead, and ghostly sightings are being reported amid violent deaths. The pacing is tight as each chapter focuses on the developing plot through the shifting perspectives of the main characters. The climactic moment feels a little cheesy and Scooby-Doo–esque, but there is a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness of the "meddling kids" trope. Though not explored in depth as the mystery unfolds, themes of colonialism, trauma, and recovery are woven throughout. Most of the cast is Puerto Rican; there is also some light romance between two male characters.

A page-turner: part mystery, part ghost story, with touches of romance and social commentary.