![In 'A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens,' debt takes on many meanings - podcast episode cover](https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2023/10/31/45-botd-tues---edited-image_sq-952bfdcd88e619b4de4c9664bd1b22c2229b9ade.jpg?s=3000&c=66&f=jpg)
Episode description
Hugo Contreras, the protagonist of Raul Palma's new novel, is a babaláwo; he can cleanse evil spirits. Except he doesn't really believe in the whole thing. So when he's able to strike up a deal with a debt collector – get rid of the ghosts in his house in exchange for a clean slate – he assumes he can mostly fake it. In today's episode, Palma joins NPR's Scott Simon to discuss A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens, and how the concept of debt – not just financial, but personal, too – stirs up a lot of trauma for Hugo.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
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