This Thing Between Us

Gus Moreno's "This Thing Between Us" is a meditation on grief with a dash of weird, cosmic horror. The book follows Thiago, a young Mexican man whose wife, Vera, has just died in a freak accident. The time just before her death and especially after is punctuated with bizarre supernatural occurrences that might be related to an Alexa-like smart speaker they bought not too long ago. I won't give away any details of the plot, but stuff gets creepy and abstract when it's not achingly, poignantly melancholy. Moreno's writing is refreshingly candid, brought to life with specifics that aren't too obvious or too obscure but feel genuine, and Thiago's emotional continuum, which springs between devastating sadness, wistful longing, sardonic black humor, and bitterness, rings truer to real-life loss than nearly any other novel I've read. The book is written in the second person, as Thiago's thoughts caught on paper addressed to Vera, and though this choice isn't entirely necessary, it does add a more intimate, vulnerable edge to everything. "This Thing Between Us" spends most of its time ruminating on grief, but the brief detours into horror are pretty horrific and gruesome, and pretty opaque. Moreno doesn't expend much energy trying to explain the forces at work against Thiago, which apparently pissed off plenty of Goodreads members, but I had no issues at all with all the vagueness. There are dashes of Mexican folklore, witchery, Lovecraftian evils beyond human comprehension, the demons our minds create when we're subjected to extreme circumstances, and various other nefarious elements. And it's partially set in a snowy cabin in the woods, a setting that always sucks me right in. Moreno takes a lot of inspiration from Stephen King and there are very direct homages to his work here. Moreno's writing is relatively terse yet poetic, and so much of his phrasing works so well. It's one of those novels with writing that feels simultaneously very fresh and very readable; you won't get tangled up in complex wordsmithing but you'll find yourself taking mental note of at least a few sentences on each page. It isn't a perfect book -- it feels fairly underdeveloped in spots and some events occur just a little too rapidly -- but it was a wonderful read anyway.

Just finished reading This Thing Between Us by Gus Moreno. Took me a little longer than I liked to finish because, well, life, but I throughouly enjoyed the shit out of it. I loved the authors way with words. At times it was comical, and at other times it was down right terrifying. It reminded me a bit of Pet Semetary in some ways, but brings it to a whole different and much more terrifying level. Grief is a powerful thing that can really shatter the reality around you that you think is a part of your everyday life. It puts walls up, brings them down, moves them, and opens your eyes and imagination to things you might not have thought previously possible. I give this a five out of five stars. *****

While I understand what the author was going for with this story, I feel the first third of the book could have either been condensed down dramatically or focused more on the odder aspects. As such, it was a bit hard to keep going until nearly half way through when things finally started to pick up in terms of pacing. That said, it isn't a terrible story, just feels a little lazy starting off. I do enjoy looking back and connecting dots but it's marred by the long bouts of grieving that felt overdone. While the ending was a bit lackluster as well, it was still interesting. If you got the time and not too much else on your plate, give it a start and see if you want to stick with it. It is worth pushing through though don't expect a big outcome.

I chose this book because it was a different choice for me. It was a suggestion on the "Spooky October" reading list (or whatever it's called). The top 20 psychological, horror, supernatural, thriller, fantasy, etc. I'm not the biggest fan of the supernatural genre anymore, but I used to read them a decent amount. I enjoyed the sample, so I figured I'd give it a try.... I really liked the writing style where he would be addressing his wife throughout and actually wound up enjoying the supernatural aspects. It was more than horror, psychological, and supernatural. It dealt with identity and dealings in death. If you've dealt with losing someone you love, then that may be the best part of this book. He relates mourning, loss, suffering, and the like to the reader so well! It's beautifully done. So much so, I highlighted many paragraphs. A full page or two, even. I suggest trying the sample and seeing where it takes you. I'm not sure what else he's done, but I'll check it out.

This is a domestic thriller (sort of), a murder mystery (sort of), and an AI horror story. Put it all together, and it’s terrifying! I’ve read stories where artificial intelligence plays games with humans, even some contemporary stories in which Alexa orders crazy stuff, but I’ve never read a story that had such sinister, powerful intelligence behind it. Moreno writes the story in Thiago’s (the main character’s) deep point of view. We hear his thoughts as he grieves. His sadness is palpable. Moreno develops extended metaphors and inserts allusions to science fiction stories, and the result is a rich, satisfying read. The ending is perfect, absolutely frightening and dread-filled. I loved every minute of this story. I can't think of any negatives, I have no complaints at all. Five well earned stars.

This Thing Between Us is a deeply unsettling novel, not because it relies on constant scares, but because of how emotionally heavy and thoughtful it is. What begins as a story about loss slowly turns into something darker, stranger, and far more disturbing. At its core, this book is about grief and the way it can warp reality. The horror never rushes in. It builds gradually as the main character struggles to process the sudden death of his wife. His thoughts spiral, his isolation deepens, and the line between what is real and what might be haunting him becomes increasingly unclear. The story becomes especially creepy once he moves to Colorado. The atmosphere shifts completely. The isolation feels heavier, the silence more oppressive, and the supernatural elements become harder to ignore. From that point on, the book takes on an almost suffocating sense of dread. The fear is not loud or flashy, but it constantly lingers in the background, making even quiet moments feel unsafe. What makes the novel stand out is its emotional depth. The horror works because it is rooted in something painfully human. Grief, guilt, and loneliness are just as frightening as anything supernatural in the story. The book asks difficult questions about love, loss, and what happens when someone cannot let go. By the time the story reaches its final act, it feels less like a traditional horror novel and more like a descent. The ending is haunting and open to interpretation, leaving the reader unsettled long after the last page. This Thing Between Us is not an easy read, but it is a powerful one. It is thoughtful, emotional, and genuinely creepy in places, especially as the setting grows more isolated and the tension tightens.

Alright. Let’s talk about why this wasn’t my book of the month…. It kept jumping too much. Who’s the bad entity? The cook? The dam Alexa? 2 characters are murdered but it doesn’t seem to fit the rules that were seemingly set beforehand ? Does this entity have no rules? That’s my biggest issue Where are the f***ing rules to this horror? Good horror (to me )gives you boundaries. You watch a tape, 7 days later you die. Sleep with this infected person and a demon follows you until you sleep with someone else, hopefully before the demon kills you. This book was everywhere. As if the author were saying “Instead of this, let’s do this. Better yet. Let’s keep both ideas and add something to make it fit.” Is it spiritual possession. Psychosis? A lesson on humans depending on tech too much? Religion? What angle were you going for? And the ending… I’ve been left on cliff hangers before. Loooove a good open ended ending. “Is he still in the Matrix or did he escape. Who knows!” Exciting stuff, if you pull it off. This didn’t do that. The ending upset me bc I saw this book all the way through and ended THERE. It was like opening a treasure box and you only find a trinket. I just sailed the seven seas and this is wha I get?! However. Emotionally. Oh yea…this author understands grief and where it will take you. Oftentimes I found myself taking on emotions for someone WHO DOESNT EXIST. The author pulled that off very well. But that doesn’t make up for the lacking within the story.

There isn't anything particularly scary about the book, but it was captivating, pretty well written, and I was easily immersed in the author's world. I feel like the description "cosmic horror" is the best synopsis of the book, it oscillates between the psychological and the supernatural. I would give it 4.5 stars because I wish there was a little more backstory from the original tenant and the origins of Thiago's experience.

Wow! Moreno is a very talented writer indeed. Amazing character driven novel. I was so utterly drawn in to his character, Thiago that I could almost feel this poor guy's pain. There are nods to King (with a certain large dog), and also the Lovecraft mythos. Perhaps even a nod to Kubrick and Clarke with a strange monolith... I won't go into the plot as others have done that. The only disappointment for me was the ending. I felt cheated somehow. Spent a lot of time perusing this little gem in my head after. Am looking forward to see what else Moreno comes out with

Chilling and atmospheric but also a beautiful exploration of grief.

Me pareció entretenido. Te atrapa, te hace sonreír a ratos, te hace sentir inquieto y te hace sentir miedo. Está escrito de manera muy amena que hace que no quieras dejar de leer.

Falta de ideas originales. Hay demasiadas similitudes con otros libros conocidos. ¿Alguien ha visto 'Pet Semetary' o 'Cujo'?

O livro é incrível, a história cheia de camadas, é o tipo de livro que você se pergunta se realmente leu aquilo. Fora que ele faz menções a alguns clássicos, desde o guia do mochileiro das galáxias até o exorcista. É simplesmente sensacional.