Germán Castro Caycedo was one of Colombia’s most celebrated journalists and authors. His 1994 book La Bruja (The Witch) stands as a groundbreaking work of narrative nonfiction. It blends rigorous investigative journalism with the gripping pacing of a thriller. The book explores the intersecting worlds of politics, drug trafficking, and the occult in Colombia during the late 20th century.
The descriptions of Fredonia, the sensory details of the consulting rooms, and the tense political atmosphere are rendered with meticulous journalistic precision.
The first chapter of La Bruja is a masterclass in crónica , a genre that sits between journalism and literature. It begins with the sacred—a blessing from a monsignor—and ends with the profane—the confession of a soulless man. But in between, it captures the entire moral, social, and historical chaos of Colombia at the height of the cartels. For anyone looking to understand the turbulent history of the late 20th century in Latin America, or for anyone who simply enjoys true crime as black as the cloth the monsignor wore against the January cold, this book is an essential and unforgettable read.
