Signal to Noise

Moreno-Garcia’s (The Seventh Veil of Salome) debut novel—first published in 2015, rereleased in 2022, and now available in audio—follows Meche Vegas, who in 2009 is summoned back to Mexico City for the funeral of her estranged father, Vicente. Her return to her hometown prompts a long overdue reunion with her high school friends, flooding her with flashbacks to the magic and drama of their teenage years. In 1988, Meche, then 15, discovered she could cast spells by playing vinyl records. Meche and her friends Sebastián and Daniela made the most of this newfound power, navigating new fractures in their friendship even as they tried to improve the lives of those around them. Kyla Garcia narrates, seamlessly interweaving Spanish words and phrases and effectively capturing the intensity of the group’s interactions. Moreno-Garcia’s back-and-forth timelines and Meche’s teenage regrets make this coming-of-age story compelling, and listeners will likely respond to how music helps to heal old wounds. Even so, the story’s earlier paranormal twists aren’t fully developed and may leave audiences wanting more.