GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a simmering historical noir about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of the missing woman they’re both desperate to find.
ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, New York Public Library, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, BookPage, She Reads, Library Journal • “An adrenalized, darkly romantic journey.”—The Washington Post
Mexico in the 1970s is a dangerous country, even for Maite, a secretary who spends her life seeking the romance found in cheap comic books and ignoring the activists protesting around the city. When her next-door neighbor, the beautiful art student Leonora, disappears under suspicious circumstances, Maite finds herself searching for the missing woman—and journeying deeper into Leonora’s secret life of student radicals and dissidents.
Mexico in the 1970s is a politically fraught land, even for Elvis, a goon with a passion for rock ’n’ roll who knows more about kidney-smashing than intrigue. When Elvis is assigned to find Leonora, he begins a blood-soaked search for the woman—and his soul.
Swirling in parallel trajectories, Maite and Elvis attempt to discover the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, encountering hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies. Because Mexico in the 1970s is a noir, where life is cheap and the price of truth is high.
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“[Velvet Was the Night] is a noir with a heart of gold, and it’s a narrative in which the empathy we feel for its characters ultimately reveals an important truth: That Moreno-Garcia is not only a talented storyteller but also an incredibly versatile one.”—NPR
“An absolute flex . . . [Velvet Was the Night] left me marveling at what kind of sorceress Moreno-Garcia must be as she reworks genre after genre, weaving in Mexican history and culture, satisfying familiar cravings without resorting to mere pastiche. The most tantalizing suspense of all comes with wondering what she’ll do next.”—Slate
“Moreno-Garcia proves her prowess as a historical fiction powerhouse again.”—BuzzFeed
“Immensely satisfying, refreshingly new and gloriously written . . . Moreno-Garcia mashes up Anglocentric genres with midcentury Mexican history, resulting in a brew flavored with love, heartbreak, violence, music and unsettling dread. . . . The gift of this book, and Moreno-Garcia’s storytelling, is how it imbues this well-worn genre with added strength, grace and even musicality.”—The New York Times Book Review
“An enthralling tale that’s as fun as it is mysterious . . . The characters are fascinating, the tone lush and romantic, and it’s all wrapped up in a mystery with twists and turns one likely won’t see coming. . . . [Moreno-Garcia is] the sort of author whose works automatically end up on your ‘must-read’ list.”—USA Today
“The author’s previous novel, Mexican Gothic, turned the screw on the traditional ghost story; here she gleefully pries hard-boiled noir from the cold, white hands of Chandler and Hammett.”—Oprah Daily
“A delicious, twisted treat for lovers of noir. Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a masterful writer who pulls you into her dark world and never lets you go. From the suspenseful, slow-burn plot to the crisp, desperate characters, you will be obsessed.”—Simone St. James, New York Times bestselling author of The Sun Down Motel
“A lush, magnificent trip into a world of danger and discovery. Not to be missed!”—S.A. Cosby, author of Blacktop Wasteland and Razorblade Tears
“A rich novel with an engrossing plot, distinctive characters, and a pleasing touch of romance. Readers won’t be able to put it down.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Fans of Moreno-Garcia’s other novels will relish this title, as will noir aficionados and readers who like stories about everymen and women rising to the occasion.”—Library Journal (starred review)
“It’s hard to describe how much fun this novel is. . . . A noir masterpiece.”—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A winner that brings together a romance-fiction obsessed secretary and a lovelorn enforcer during the brutally suppressed student riots in 1970s Mexico City.”—Booklist (starred review)
"Another “this should’ve been cheaper when I first purchased it” book"
— Moony (5/5)
Great
"this book was amazing, love her work and the imaging she paints"
— Kennedy (4/5)
A New Favourite
"This book caught me fully by surprise. I was not expecting to absolutely love it. I apologize to miss Moreno-Garcia and will never underestimate her again. The plot was slightly predictable, but I wasn’t bothered by it because I fell in love with the odd characters. The book playlist was a nice addition. While I listened to the songs, I was able to completely submerge myself into the atmosphere that the author was trying to create. That jukebox scene will forever have a piece of my heart. You will not regret reading this book!"
— Theresa (5/5)
A New Favourite
"An absolutely riveting book with unique characters who aren’t your typical heroes or villains. The atmosphere is so steeped in mystery and intrigue that it’s almost dreamy- it captures the noir vibes so perfectly while being a solid historical fiction novel"
— Cassandra (5/5)
Great characters, predictable plot
"This missed the mark for me in that the mystery was so obvious it failed to create that suspenseful drama for a gritty noir. That being said, the historical back-drop was certainly an interesting time to place our two oddball anti-heroes. Two lonely souls, unknowingly searching for connection and to feel alive in this deadly battle of censorship. Maite was very investing as a character with her obsession of romantic comic, music and lying. More so as she is seemingly inconsequential to every around her. Elvis too was developed to make him likeable despite being a brute. So excellent characters within an interesting point in time, bit the villainous El Mago was too transparent and Leonora too cliche in the end. I didn't like this as much as Mexican Gothic, but I applaud Moreno-Garcia's ability to switch lanes and to create really layered characters."
— Karishma (3/5)
Really enjoyed it
"Excellent bool"
— Courtney (5/5)
Secret Romance/Surveillance and Spys.
"This is the 2nd book I have read by this author and it does not disappoint. The central character is a gal named Maite who leads an ordinary & quiet life when she is called upon by a neighbor for the simple favor of feeding her cat while she is gone. Only is this writers capable hands can the story explode off the pages from there. This story is so entertaining and wild and completely believable. All the characters are well fleshed out people living their lives in their own individual way. This author can sure write !!! Cant wait to see what she writes next, maybe even a sequel."
— NovelGirl (5/5)
Noir at its best
"Maite reads romance graphic novels aka comic books, and ends up in an adventure more graphic than any of them. Set in 1971 Mexico City this novel is violent and hopeful and full of families of blood and of choice. Highly recommended."
— Caryn (5/5)
Velvet was the Night
"This is a Noir story, main female character from the middle of 20th century Mexico. The author does a fantastic job in keeping us on the edge, understanding the social and cultural environment. Enjoyed it very much!"
— Howler D. (5/5)
Very intriguing!
"If you are a fan of Mexican Gothic, I have a good feeling that you will like this book. The story sounds very interesting and I am kind of curious to see what happens between these two characters, and who knows, it might even be good. ;)"
— Lillias (3/5)
Q&A
Published date: May 03, 2022
Language: English
No. of Pages: 320
Publisher: Random House Worlds
ISBN: 9780593356845
Dimensions:
5.5" W x
0.63" L x
8.18" H
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of the novels Velvet Was the Night, Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow, and a bunch of other books. She has also edited several anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award–winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu’s Daughters). She has been nominated for the Locus Award for her work as an editor and has won the British Fantasy Award and the Locus Award for her work as a novelist.
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