Loba is a split timeline gothic horror novel set in a remote lighthouse on the edge of Uruguay, following one woman’s escape from an abusive marriage and into a haunting.
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In This Spotlight On Loba
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About Loba
She’s not the first lighthouse keeper to lose her mind on the shores of Cabo Polonio, but she’s determined to be the first to survive it.
Delmira Torres knows fleeing to Brazil is the only way she’ll be free of her abusive husband. But to get there she’ll need money; it’s why she takes a posting at a lighthouse in Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, a small town where time doesn’t seem to move quite right.
There, she has only a month until her husband and her secrets catch up to her. But the position comes marred by the legend of La Loba, who stalks the lighthouse and the nearby fishing village, and by the spiraling visions that begin to plague Delmira.
A century earlier, Amalia arrives at the same lighthouse. Held captive and desperate to escape her dire situation, her story may hold the answers to Delmira’s torment.
Both of them, desperate for freedom and determined to survive, must find a way to outlive the horrors of Cabo Polonio.
Loba is a dark and haunting gothic mystery blending two stories of mistreated women and explores the price of freedom, and the lengths humanity will go to protect themselves from two different perspectives. Claustrophobic, supernatural horror, it is based on a real life Uruguayan legend, while remaining fresh and innovative. Repetto’s writing is intelligent and literary leaning and discusses topical issues such as women’s rights, generational trauma and body autonomy, while still maintaining a historical feel.
Praise for Loba
“It [Loba] swept me away from the very first chapter.”—Grace Morrow, author of We Become Darkness
“Loba is a yell of defiance against generational trauma, violence, and misogyny. Twisty and atmospheric, this cathartic horror will captivate you with townsfolk who know too much, lost treasure, a haunted lighthouse, and otherworldly sea lions.”—Eli Snow, author of The Divine Gardener’s Handbook
Loba is “A haunting, feverish gothic horror.”—A.T. Rainach, author of The Art of Living Forever
“The ghost in this book works the way a violent hunter works … I finished the book standing up, sat in my studio for an hour making nothing, and then I could not stop drawing. Loba lights that fire.”—Leopoldo Goût, author of Rooted
Loba is perfect for fans of The Bewitching and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Lone Woman by Victor Lavalle, The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro, Diavola by Jennifer Marie Thorne and The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas.
About Valentina Cano Repetto, Author of Loba
Valentina Cano Repetto is the author of Sanctuary (CamCat, 2024) and was born in Uruguay, of native Charrúa descent. She lived in Miami, FL, for twenty-three years before following her mother’s Italian roots and moving to a secluded 1800s watermill in Italy. She resides in Molare, Alessandria, Italy.
Also trained in classical ballet, Repetto is known for her evocative poetry and dark, atmospheric speculative fiction. Drawing deeply on her performance background, she infuses her prose with an innate sense of physical discipline, tension, and emotional rhythm.
Writing as Valentina Cano, she gained critical notice with her haunting poetry and short fiction published in literary journals worldwide before expanding into longer works. In Loba, she delves into primal suspense and transformation, crafting an immersive psychological tale steeped in raw power and untamed instinct. Her storytelling frequently navigates themes of identity, bodily vulnerability, and the blurred boundaries between humanity and myth.
Whether composing visceral verse or pulse-pounding supernatural narrative, Valentina Cano Repetto brings a distinct lyrical elegance and razor-sharp precision to contemporary dark fiction, captivating readers with stories where beauty and terror move in seamless choreography.
You can connect with Valentina Cano Repetto on her website, Instagram, Threads, and TikTok.
Source: Publisher
Publisher: Angry Robot | Penguin Random House
ISBN trade paperback 9781836730606
Pub Date: Nov 10, 2026
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