From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic and Velvet Was the Night comes a sizzling noir about desire, danger, and greed, in which seduction is the ultimate con.
“Lush and passionate with magnetic prose . . . The Intrigue will grab you by the throat and not let go until its earth-shaking finale!” —S. A. Cosby, author of King of Ashes
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK: The New York Times, People, Book Riot, Southern Living, Marie Claire, Time
Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters in order to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won’t last forever, and he’s desperate to get his hands on a real fortune.
He thinks he’s found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn’t expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household.
When Inés discovers Ulises’s true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast, and clean. But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained for. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated.
Venture into the streets of a small town where a patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust.
Intriguing Noir written with Vivid Colours
"Ulises is a con-man though not as clever as his father. His latest mark is Perla, the owner of a boarding house in Veracruz. However, her niece, Inés, has her own intentions to escape her aunt’s control and teams with Ulises. Is Ulises and Inés conning Perla? Is Perla the con? No one can paint a picture with her words as vividly as Silvia Moreno-Garcia. It’s a moody, psychological read with bits of dark humour and surprising raw vulgarity. The story is mostly told in 1940’s Mexico though we do revisit the past. Perla’s failed relationship is explored and how it relates to the rise and fall of her father’s business. We learn of her relationship with her siblings and how that relates to the present circumstances. It’s a story about dated traditions that families uphold and the classism during that time period. Though it reads at a slow pace, the story progresses perfectly. The development and growth of the characters is exceptionally well-done. What you initially think of the characters, as you proceed, changes dramatically. It's an intriguing read from start to finish that's just as timeless and classic as the other books the author has written."
