Where to Start Reading Edgar Cantero
Because Edgar Cantero's English-language novels are self-contained, standalone stories, there is no single mandatory timeline you must follow. However, his books vary wildly in tone and storytelling format, meaning your best starting point depends on your personal taste:
- For general readers (Recommended): Start with Meddling Kids. It is his most famous work, a New York Times bestseller, and perfectly showcases his signature blend of pop-culture nostalgia, cinematic action, and creepy cosmic horror.
- For mystery and puzzle lovers: Start with The Supernatural Enhancements. It is a slow-burn, atmospheric gothic mystery told through epistolary found-footage, transcripts, and ciphers.
- For fans of fast-paced action and satire: Start with This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us. This is a chaotic, laugh-out-loud noir spoof that reads like an R-rated cartoon.
Publication Order of English Novels
If you prefer to watch Cantero's English-language style evolve naturally, you can read his novels in publication order. Each book is a standalone story with unique characters and no direct narrative crossovers.
- The Supernatural Enhancements (2014): When a young European man named A. and his mute companion Niamh inherit a historic, haunted Virginia mansion called Axton House, they find themselves caught in a decades-old society conspiracy. Rather than a traditional narrative, the story is pieced together via letters, audio recordings, security camera transcripts, and blueprints.
- Meddling Kids (2017): In 1977, the Blyton Summer Detective Club (plus their trusty dog) unmasked the "Sleepy Lake Monster." In 1990, the now-adult members are haunted by trauma, addiction, and the realization that what they caught wasn't a man in a mask. They must reunite to face real, tentacled Lovecraftian horrors.
- This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us (2018): A fast-paced detective noir featuring A.Z. Kimrean—a pair of male and female twins who share a single physical body. They are hired to navigate a dangerous cartel war in California, forcing the two distinct personalities to cooperate under extreme pressure.
Understanding the "Dark Corners" Collection
In 2018, Cantero contributed a short story titled "There's a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed" to the Dark Corners collection, an anthology of standalone horror-comedy stories published by Amazon Original Stories.
Readers looking at database lists often get confused by the "Dark Corners Books" series. It is crucial to know that this is not a series written entirely by Edgar Cantero. Rather, it is a multi-author anthology series where each writer contributed an individual, unrelated piece. The other entries in the collection include:
- Hannah-Beast by Jennifer McMahon
- The Sleep Tight Motel by Lisa Unger
- Miao Dao by Joyce Carol Oates
- The Tangled Woods by Emily Raboteau
- The Remedy by Adam Haslett
- Oak Avenue by Brandi Reeds
If you are a Cantero completist, you only need to read "There's a Giant Trapdoor Spider Under Your Bed," which centers on a group of kids at a sleepover whose childhood fears begin to physically manifest.
Edgar Cantero's Catalan Novels
Before transitioning to writing directly in English, Cantero built a successful career writing in his native Catalan. He returned to the language in 2024. Except for one short story, none of his Catalan-language books have been translated into English. The author has stated that he does not plan to translate his earlier Catalan novels, feeling they represent a different phase of his writing career.
Dormir amb Winona Ryder (2007)
Cantero's debut novel translates to "Sleeping with Winona Ryder." It is a coming-of-age story that won the Ciutat de Badalona and Joan Crexells awards, establishing him as a rising star in Catalonia's literary scene.
Vallvi (2011)
A dystopian punk thriller set in Vallvidrera, a neighborhood in Barcelona. The novel stirred local controversy due to its rebellious style and departure from traditional Catalan literary structures.
Ràdio Free Camaco (2024)
Marking Cantero's return to Catalan, this noir/crime thriller is the first entry in his Cegador de Verri series. The plot follows a homeless ex-convict living out of his Lancia Delta who is framed for a triple homicide. It pays homage to Philip K. Dick's Radio Free Albemuth and offers a satirical look at contemporary, post-political Catalonia.
Anthologies and Translations
If you want to read a sample of Cantero's Catalan work in English, you can check out the anthology Best European Fiction 2016 (published in 2015). Cantero contributed the short story "Aesop's Urinal", which is a direct translation of his 2005 Catalan story "L'urinari d'Hesíode". To date, this remains the only piece of his Catalan-language fiction officially translated into English.
What to Know Before You Start
Cantero's style is heavily influenced by his work as a cartoonist for the satirical Spanish magazine El Jueves, as well as classic video games, Hollywood blockbusters, and comic books. His writing is cinematic, prioritizing snappy dialogue, strong female leads, and quick-witted, often inappropriate jokes during tense situations. If you enjoy genre-bending books that refuse to take themselves too seriously while still delivering genuine mystery, his library is a perfect fit.