Cynthia Pelayo Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Cynthia Pelayo

Cynthia Pelayo—often known to her readers as Cina—is a master of genre-blending fiction, fusing gritty police procedurals, historical true crime, Puerto Rican folklore, and dark fairy tales against the backdrop of Chicago's moody, storied streets. Because her works span multiple mediums, including novels, short story collections, and poetry, new readers often wonder where to begin. Here are the three best entry points depending on your reading preferences:

• For Dark Mystery and Police Procedurals: Start with Children of Chicago (2021). It is the first official entry in her Chicago Saga and introduces her signature blend of gritty detective work and dark fairy-tale folklore.
• For Bite-Sized Folklore and Horror: Start with the expanded edition of Lotería (2023). This collection of 54 short stories is highly accessible and perfectly showcases her ability to turn cultural folklore and superstition into punchy, chilling tales.
• For Award-Winning True-Crime Poetry: Start with Crime Scene (2022), the collection that won Pelayo the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a Poetry Collection, cementing her place in horror history.

The Chicago Saga (Fairy-Tale Noir)

Pelayo’s most celebrated novel sequence is the Chicago Saga. These books are moody, atmospheric crime thrillers that take classic Grimms' fairy tales and translate them into modern-day urban nightmares set in real Chicago neighborhoods.

1. Children of Chicago (2021) – Inspired by "The Pied Piper of Hamelin," this novel follows Detective Lauren Medina as she investigates a series of gruesome murders in Humboldt Park. The murders mirror a dark, childhood secret Lauren and her late sister shared, forcing her to confront a mythic entity that demands a heavy price.
2. The Shoemaker's Magician (2023) – Drawing inspiration from "The Shoemaker and the Elves," this follow-up shifts focus to Chicago's rich cinema history, silent film eras, and a legendary film critic. When a gruesome murder occurs at the historic Portage Theater, old legends, supernatural forces, and movie magic collide.

Note on Continuity: While these books share the same gritty version of Chicago and thematic ties to fairy-tale retellings, they feature different central investigations and can be read as loose standalones. However, reading them in order of publication enhances your appreciation of Pelayo's atmospheric world-building.

The Case of Forgotten Sisters (2024): Many readers ask if Pelayo's 2024 novel, Forgotten Sisters, is part of the Chicago Saga. Set in a historic bungalow along the Chicago River and inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid," the book shares the saga's DNA of folklore and Chicago history. However, it is officially classified as a standalone psychological ghost story rather than a direct continuation of the Chicago Saga series.

The Santa Muerte Series (Young Adult Horror)

Before launching her adult noir novels, Pelayo wrote a young adult urban thriller dilogy centered on the cult of Santa Muerte and the realities of street violence. These books are fast-paced, intense, and grounded in real-world dangers.

1. Santa Muerte (2012) – Introduces Ariana Molina, a teen girl living in Chicago who finds herself targeted by a drug cartel. Desperate for protection, she turns to the folk saint of death, Santa Muerte, embarking on a dangerous path of survival.
2. The Missing (2016) – In this sequel, Ariana continues to grapple with the aftermath of her choices, navigating the grim realities of missing children, inner-city trauma, and the spiritual forces she previously invoked.

How to Read: This series must be read in chronological order. For collectors, Thunderstorm Books released a combined edition in 2021 titled Santa Muerte + The Missing, which compiles the entire story into a single, cohesive volume.

Standalones, Chapbooks, and Story Collections

Pelayo's standalones are excellent for readers who want to experience her style without committing to a multi-book sequence.

• Lotería (2012 / 2023 Expanded Edition) – Inspired by the traditional Mexican game of chance, this collection contains 54 short stories, each representing a card in the deck (such as La Calavera, El Diablito, or La Llorona). If you are looking for this collection, seek out the 2023 edition published by Polis Books, which features updated illustrations, bonus stories, and an preview of her later novels.
• We Came From an Island (2022) – This rare, limited-edition chapbook from Thunderstorm Books contains three interconnected stories ("Boricua Obituary," "The Lament of the Vejigante," and "The Puerto Rican Syndrome"). It is a deeply personal work exploring the Puerto Rican diaspora, inherited trauma, and family secrets in Chicago.

Poetry and True-Crime Advocacy

Cynthia Pelayo is also a highly respected poet. Her poetry collections are not traditional verse; they function as narrative crime investigations and memorials for real-world victims, blending the stark details of police logs with deeply empathetic lyricism.

• Into the Forest and All the Way Through (2020) – A haunting, Bram Stoker Award-nominated collection of true-crime poetry. Each poem is dedicated to a real case of a missing or murdered woman in the United States, drawing attention to forgotten victims.
• Crime Scene (2022) – Winning the Bram Stoker Award, this collection acts as a poetic autopsy. It explores the psychological toll of investigating death, drawing heavily on forensic science, grief, and the author's own background in journalism.
• Poems of My Night (2016) – A collection exploring grief, memory, and the shadows of the night.

Complete Chronological Publication Order

For readers who prefer to tackle an author's bibliography in the order it was released, here is the chronological publication timeline for Cynthia Pelayo's primary novels, collections, and poetry volumes:

1. Gothic Blue Book: The Haunted Edition (Anthology Contributor, 2011)
2. Lotería (First Edition Collection, 2012)
3. Santa Muerte (Santa Muerte Book 1, 2012)
4. The Missing (Santa Muerte Book 2, 2016)
5. Poems of My Night (Poetry Collection, 2016)
6. Into the Forest and All the Way Through (Poetry Collection, 2020)
7. Children of Chicago (Chicago Saga Book 1, 2021)
8. Crime Scene (Poetry Collection, 2022)
9. We Came From an Island (Limited Chapbook, 2022)
10. Lotería (Expanded Edition Collection, 2023)
11. The Shoemaker's Magician (Chicago Saga Book 2, 2023)
12. Forgotten Sisters (Standalone Novel, 2024)

What to Know Before You Start

Pelayo's works deal heavily with real-world trauma, including grief, violent crime, and systemic issues facing marginalized communities. While she employs supernatural elements like ghosts, monsters, and folklore, the emotional core of her books is grounded in reality. She frequently uses her journalism background to weave actual historical events and real landmarks of Chicago into her mysteries, making the city a living, breathing character in her narratives. If you enjoy atmospheric, culturally rich crime horror, Pelayo is one of the most unique voices writing today.