Latest Books ALL THE MISSING GIRLS with Linda Hurtado Bond

As a crime reporter for a Tampa TV news station, Mari Alvarez knows when an investigation enters dangerous territory. But with her estranged sister missing and almost no information to go on, Mari can’t trust anyone but herself to find the truth. Now she has just 48 hours to sneak into Cuba undetected, track down her sister…and pray to her orisha that she’s not too late.

This is nothing like reporting in her neighborhood, though–a place she knows like the back of her hand. In Havana she has no contacts and only an ice-cold trail of cryptic clues. When Detective Tony Garcia offers to help, Mari puts aside her instincts and tries to let someone in. But soon they’re caught in a maze of lies, deception, and an undercurrent of the island’s own witchcraft, a sinister Brujería.

Every lead draws Mari further into this world of shadows, especially when her sister isn’t the only young woman who’s gone missing. Each step pushes Mari and Tony toward a revelation they never saw coming. And as they close in on the horrifying truth, one thing becomes clear…no one will let them leave Cuba alive.

Emmy-award winning journalist Linda Hurtado Bond recently sat down with The Big Thrill to discuss her latest crime fiction, ALL THE MISSING GIRLS.

Linda Hurtado Bond

Can you pinpoint a moment or incident that sparked the idea for this book?

I visited a place called Fusterlandia outside Havana, Cuba and couldn’t believe how an artist turned his whole beach town into a work of art. A similar town is the backdrop for my new serial killer thriller. What if vulnerable girls vanished into a fantasy land where walls wail and statues scream. I created a spiritual, labyrinth of artistic creations called Oshunvilla.

A novel is such a major undertaking; there’s the writing of it, of course, then you’re spending months and months revising, polishing, and then promoting it. How did you know this was the book you wanted to spend the next couple of years on?

I fell in love with Cuba, the people, and this magical and terrifying place I created called Oshunvilla.

Were there any particular books, movies, or songs that were knocking around in your head while you were writing this one?

Once I realized I was writing a thriller with some horror elements I listened to Stephen King’s The Shining for inspiration.

When you first created your protagonist for this book, did you see an empty space in crime lit that you wanted to fill? What can you share about the inspiration for that character?

I wanted my main character to be hispanic and of Cuban American descent. Her love interest and partner in investigation is also Cuban American and her photographer is African American. I really wanted to showcase diverse characters and the rich Cuban American culture I’ve raised my kids in.

In addition to a great read, what do you hope readers will take away from this story?

I hope they feel as if they’ve visited Cuba and learned a lot about a different culture.

What can you share about what you’re working on next?

The next book, The Phantom Pirate of Gasparilla, releases in February 2025 and deals with artificial intelligence. A killer (who calls himself the Phantom Pirate) frames a reporter for murder using deep fake videos and audio to put her at the scene of crimes she didn’t commit. Very timely and relevant. I explore the use of AI by both criminals, police and journalists.