Review - The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

 

 Title: The Intrigue

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 325

Publisher: Del Rey 

Release Date: 14th July 2026

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

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. 
 
Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters 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' 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 on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated. 
 
Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust. 

  

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My Review:

  *I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey* 

 

Ulises is a con artist down on his luck. After a con that went wrong, Ulises is running out of money. Using his tried and tested technique of charming, lonely women through love letters, Ulises decides to pay one of his marks a visit. 

Perla is the owner of a boardinghouse in a small town. Never married, Perla spent her youth caring for her parents. 

Perla has a niece, Inés, who was born out of wedlock to Perla's younger and now deceased sister. Inés longs to escape the small town and doesn't turn Ulises in when she discovers his scheme. Instead, Inés offers to help Ulises steal Perla's money. 

 

Having read several of the author's previous books and enjoyed them, I was looking forward to reading this new one. 

Inés and Ulises were interesting protagonists. They were both morally grey characters. I empathised more with Inés and hoped her situation would improve. 

The setting of Mexico in the 1940s was interesting, especially a small town where everyone knew everyone else.  

The plot was good overall and held my attention, but the pacing was a little off and not that much actually happened. I also found the events a bit predictable. 

 I'm a little disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more. 

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. 

 

 

Review - Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

 

 

 Title: Certain Dark Things

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 274

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Release Date: 7th September 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

Welcome to Mexico City, an oasis in a sea of vampires. Domingo, a lonely garbage-collecting street kid, is just trying to survive its heavily policed streets when a jaded vampire on the run swoops into his life. Atl, the descendant of Aztec blood-drinkers, is smart and beautiful - and very dangerous. Domingo is mesmerised.

Atl needs to escape the city quickly, to get far away from the rival narco-vampire clan relentlessly pursuing her. Her plan doesn't include Domingo, but little by little, she finds herself warming up to the scrappy young man and his undeniable charm. As the trail of corpses stretches behind her, local cops and crime bosses both start closing in.

Vampires, humans, cops, and criminals collide in the dark streets of Mexico City. Atl and Domingo stand little chance at all of making it out alive before the city devours them all - but they are determined to try . . .

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Storygraph

 

 

 

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley*

Domingo lives in Mexico City, collecting garbage to get by.

His life changes when he meets Atl, a vampire descended from a line dating back to the Aztecs.

Atl's on the run from a rival vampire clan who want her dead, and Domingo quickly agrees to help her.

Atl reluctantly accepts Domingo's aid, and they will have to work together to get Atl out of the anti-vampire city, avoiding enemy vampires and humans along the way.

The premise for this book really intrigued me, and as a fan of the author's other work, I was excited to read this.

Domingo and Atl were both likeable and interesting characters who I enjoyed finding out more about. I felt sorry for them both for different reasons.

The concept of the different vampire subspecies was really interesting, and I liked how unique/different they were to anything I had read before.

The plot was interesting and held my attention throughout, but I wasn't gripped and didn't feel as invested as I perhaps could have been. Some things did happen that I wasn't expecting, but nothing particularly shocked me.

The writing style was easy to follow and I like how versatile the author is.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

Review - Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

 

Title: Velvet Was the Night

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 288

Publisher: Del Rey

Release Date: 17th August 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a “delicious, twisted treat for lovers of noir” about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of a missing woman they’re both desperate to find.

1970s, Mexico City. Maite is a secretary who lives for one thing: the latest issue of Secret Romance. While student protests and political unrest consume the city, Maite escapes into stories of passion and danger.

Her next-door neighbor, Leonora, a beautiful art student, seems to live a life of intrigue and romance that Maite envies. When 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.

Meanwhile, someone else is also looking for Leonora at the behest of his boss, a shadowy figure who commands goon squads dedicated to squashing political activists. Elvis is an eccentric criminal who longs to escape his own life: He loathes violence and loves old movies and rock ’n’ roll. But as Elvis searches for the missing woman, he comes to observe Maite from a distance—and grows more and more obsessed with this woman who shares his love of music and the unspoken loneliness of his heart.

Now as Maite and Elvis come closer to discovering the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, they can no longer escape the danger that threatens to consume their lives, with hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies all aiming to protect Leonora’s secrets—at gunpoint.

 

Goodreads | Storygraph | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. My thanks to Quercus Books and NetGalley*

 

 

Maite is a secretary in 1970s Mexico City. Unhappy with her daily life, she finds escape in music and through reading romance comics.

Elvis is a criminal who works as part of a gang but doesn't like getting his hands dirty and dreams of more.

When Maite's neighbour, Leonora, goes missing, Maite is drawn into the search to find her which will become more dangerous than she could have imagined.

Elvis is also involved in the search for Leonora, and finds himself observing her neighbour, Maite.

Can Maite or Elvis find Leonora?

Will they survive the search?

 

As a fan of the author, I wanted to read this novel as soon as I heard about it, especially as it's described as an historical-noir.

Maite was an OK protagonist. I did find her relatable at times, but I also struggled to fully connect with her. However, I did feel sorry for her with the way she was treated by her mother and sister.

I preferred Elvis as a character and found him more interesting, rooting for him more.

The setting was interesting, especially as I didn't know anything about that period of history in Mexico.

The plot was enjoyable, but I predicted several things that happened. However, while I wasn't gripped, I never lost interest and was intrigued to see how the novel would end.

The writing style was easy to follow, and I love how different the author's novels all are.

I am a little bit disappointed that I didn't enjoy this more, but, for me, this didn't quite live up to its potential.

 

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

Review - The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

 

 

Title: The Beautiful Ones

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 320

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Release Date: 27th April 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic.

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and himself — that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

 

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Bookshop

 

 

 

 

My Review:

 *I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Jo Fletcher Books*

Nina is an outsider in Loisail where the wealthy, well-established families are known as the Beautiful Ones. She is staying with her rich cousin and his socialite wife while she is in Loisail for her first Grand Season.

Nina’s ability of telekinesis has always made her the subject of gossip and is something she struggles to control.

At a party one evening, Nina meets Hector Auvray, a performer who has telekinesis like Nina.

Nina and Hector spend time together and grow close, but Hector is hiding a secret.

Will Nina’s debut go to plan?

As a fan of the author’s more recent novels, I was really excited when I heard that some of her backlist books were being republished. The Beautiful Ones especially intrigued me with its mix of telekinesis and the regency-esque/society backdrop.

Nina was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She was quite naive in some ways, but this contrasted nicely with Valerie who was in many ways the antithesis of Nina. It was interesting to read their interactions and what they thought of each other. I have to say that I definitely preferred Nina out of the two, but Valerie was a complex, rather bitter, character who I did feel for at times. Another character I felt for and found interesting was Hector, who I enjoyed getting to know more.

The setting of Loisail was quite intriguing, but I preferred the sound of Oldhouse, where Nina usually lived. It sounded like a unique place with that would be nice and peaceful.

Plot-wise, not much really happened, but this was definitely a book that was more focused on the characters. So, I think I would have enjoyed this more if I’d felt more connected to the characters.

I liked how sweet and understated the romance was, and while I did root for them to be together, it wasn’t one of my favourite romances.

I liked the writing style, which was easy to read and follow, but despite this it did feel like it took me longer to read the book than I expected.

While I did enjoy this novel, I wasn’t gripped by what was happening or enthralled with the characters. I’m disappointed that I didn’t enjoy this more, but I did enjoy it overall and found it to be unique and interesting.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read.

 

 

Can't-Wait Wednesday - The Beautiful Ones

 

 Can't-Wait Wednesday is a feature hosted at Wishful Endings where people showcase an upcoming book they are looking forward to.

 

 

 This week I'm looking forward to . . .

 

 

Title: The Beautiful Ones

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 320

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Release Date: 27th April 2021

 

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a sweeping romance with a dash of magic.

They are the Beautiful Ones, Loisail’s most notable socialites, and this spring is Nina’s chance to join their ranks, courtesy of her well-connected cousin and his calculating wife. But the Grand Season has just begun, and already Nina’s debut has gone disastrously awry. She has always struggled to control her telekinesis—neighbors call her the Witch of Oldhouse—and the haphazard manifestations of her powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.

When entertainer Hector Auvray arrives to town, Nina is dazzled. A telekinetic like her, he has traveled the world performing his talents for admiring audiences. He sees Nina not as a witch, but ripe with potential to master her power under his tutelage. With Hector’s help, Nina’s talent blossoms, as does her love for him.

But great romances are for fairytales, and Hector is hiding a truth from Nina — and
himself—that threatens to end their courtship before it truly begins. The Beautiful Ones is a charming tale of love and betrayal, and the struggle between conformity and passion, set in a world where scandal is a razor-sharp weapon.

 

 

Why I'm Anticipating This Book:

 After the success of Mexican Gothic, some of the author's previously published books are being re-published, one of which is The Beautiful Ones.

Having loved Gods of Jade and Shadow and enjoyed Mexican Gothic, I'm really looking forward to reading The Beautiful Ones - the mix of romance and telekinesis is very intriguing and I love the cover!

 

 

Blog Tour + Review - Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Mexican Gothic

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Pages: 336

Publisher: Jo Fletcher Books

Release Date: 30th June 2020

Blurb from Goodreads:

 

He is trying to poison me. You must come for me, Noemí. You have to save me.

When glamorous socialite Noemí Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging to be rescued from a mysterious doom, it's clear something is desperately amiss. Catalina has always had a flair for the dramatic, but her claims that her husband is poisoning her and her visions of restless ghosts seem remarkable, even for her.
Noemí's chic gowns and perfect lipstick are more suited to cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing, but she immediately heads to High Place, a remote mansion in the Mexican countryside, determined to discover what is so affecting her cousin.

Tough and smart, she possesses an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: not of her cousin's new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemi's dreams with visions of blood and doom.

Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family's youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family's past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family's once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness.

And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to leave this enigmatic house behind . . .

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Waterstones

My Review:

*I received an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Jo Fletcher Books and NetGalley*

Noemí Taboada usually spends her time drinking champagne and flirting with eligible men.

Then her father receives a worrying letter from Noemí’s recently married cousin, Catalina, who claims her new home is full of ghosts and that her husband is poisoning her, and Catalina begs Noemí to save her. Noemí’s father decides to send his daughter to investigate and determine whether there is any truth in Catalina’s letter or if she needs psychiatric help.

Noemí sets of to High Place, Catalina’s new home, and the home of Catalina’s husband and family.

High Place and the Doyle family are strange and Noemí finds that her only ally is Francis, the youngest of the family. Francis helps Noemí, but is afraid of upsetting the rest of the Doyles.

Noemí soon begins having strange dreams and digs into the Doyle family past.

What secrets are the family keeping?

Is Catalina telling the truth?

I’m a huge fan of the author’s previous novel, Gods of Jade and Shadow, so I was very excited to read Mexican Gothic. While I don’t usually watch or read horror, I was intrigued and willing to give this a go, and I’m glad that I did.

I wasn’t sure how much I would like Noemí, but I did like her and found her to be relatable. There was a lot more to her than there appeared to be. She was out of her depth at High Place so it was interesting to read her interactions with the other characters and her thoughts.

Apart from Noemí, Francis was my favourite character. I really felt for him and wanted to give him a hug.

I really liked that the novel was set in 1950s Mexico and I felt that the author did an excellent job of making High Place very atmospheric and real. There were a few times when I almost felt like I was within the rundown walls of the house alongside Noemí.

The plot was good and held my attention. It did take a little while to get going, but once it did I found myself getting sucked into the story. I did have an inkling about one of the twists, but didn’t guess them all entirely.

There were a few times when I found what I was reading quite disturbing and I was most definitely thoroughly creeped out, which I think shows just how good the author’s writing is. This book is definitely not for the faint-hearted.

Mexican Gothic is a novel that has something for everyone – action, mystery, historical elements, hints of romance, horror, and well-written characters.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.