I simply don't understand how Silvia Moreno-Garcia can throw herself into all of these genres of fiction and do them all so excellently. What I've read before from her has been more on the fantasy/speculative side, but not this book. This book did not mince words. It was dark, gritty, and a perfect example of modern noir fiction. I loved it.

Thank you so much to Random House for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Velvet Was the Night is a crime/noir novel set in 1970s Mexico City. We follow a woman named Maite, who is bored with her life and gets sucked into a political mystery when her neighbor Leonora goes missing. We also follow Elvis, a member of the Hawks, a secret police force trained by the CIA to break up student protests, as he follows Maite in an attempt to track down Leonora.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is such a versatile author, no two of her books ever feel the same and this one is no exception. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was incredibly excited when this book was announced. I really enjoyed both of the POV characters. Each of them felt like real people with real insecurities and struggles. I do wish their storylines had crossed over earlier than they did, I would have liked to see more of the two of them interacting. The mystery was also deeply intriguing and although the novel was a little slow to start, by around 40% I was completely hooked. If you are a mystery and/or historical fiction lover, I'd definitely recommend checking this one out!

Velvet Was the Night by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, author of Mexican Gothic is a fiction noir set in 1970’s Mexico City.

Maite is a thirty year old secretary who loves listening to her records and reading romance comics. When her young and beautiful next door neighbor, Leonora, goes missing Maite tries to find her and has to face the political upheaval in her city.

Elvis, a music loving thug, is also looking for Leonora and keeping his eye on Maite. When his violent lifestyle pulls him deeper in to crime, Elvis struggles with his own doubts and challenges.

I felt it was a bit slow getting started, but once it picked up it was a fast paced read that I could not put down. Maite and Elvis are MCs who both struggle with insecurities and a feeling of restlessness in their day to day lives that makes them human and relatable.

This book is perfect for lovers of noir and historical fiction. I enjoyed the backstory from the author in the afterward and the Spotify playlist is perfect for the story. I always enjoy learning something new while reading and this book did not disappoint.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing and Sylvia Moreno-Garcia for this free digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The setting: Maite, a secretary, dissatisfied with her job and life in general, lives for the comic book Secret Romance, Her neighbor, Leonora, asks her to take care of her cat-. Maite agrees--thinking it's for a few days, but then Leonora goes missing--setting the overall plot in motion. People are searching for Leonora as she supposedly has film that would threaten certain people. Add into the mix Mexican thugs [especially Elvis, a member of the Hawks] student radicals/political activists, Russian spies, government agents, Maite's mother and sister, and more. Set in the period of the "Dirty War."

Billed as historical crime noir, but... Certainly noir-ish, but I found it more like a soap opera--similar to the Secret Romance comic of Maite's devotion.

For the most part, the novel rotates between Maite and Elvis. And there is a certain threading of the needle that revealed certain plot points.

Lots of loneliness and darkness and turmoil and interconnections and backstabbing.

An easy read, but I did not feel the love that many readers did.

However, there were certain descriptions that resonated with me:

"Everything was beautiful. It was a pageant of prosperity."
"...sit on the bed, and when he did the bed creaked, as if uttering a complaint."

So overall, ok. But the playlist in the back--wow!

Silvia Moreno-Garcia can tackle every genre and write a great book. This time she aces a noir. I’m not a fan of anything involving mobsters or corruption schemes and anything involving politics usually bores me. At first, I feared that I would not get engrossed by a plot about the political struggles of 1970’s Mexico, but this author could make me care about anything. Maite is a secretary. 30 and unmarried, she’s considered a spinster at the time. She’s not smart, informed, likable or even pretty. All she cares about is music and romance comics. When her neighbor asks her to feed her cat while she’s away and then disappears, Maite gets involved in a plot that she doesn’t even begin to understand. Elvis, a thug and a petty criminal who’s part of a conspiracy that’s way above his head, is just trying to survive in a situation where he’s expendable. Maite and Elvis both have many similarities and would make a great couple, if only they met. All the other characters are typical of the noir genre, but they are well fleshed out and not just background. The writing, as always, is flawless and beautiful. Moreno-Garcia is a very talented writer and one of my favorites. This is just a great read.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine-Del Rey!

I hated this almost as much as I hated her first book, Mexican Gothic, which was a disappointing and predictable read. I was extremely underwhelmed with Mexican Gothic and the same goes for Velvet Was The Night but for different reasons. Mexican Gothic was trying to bring on the thrill and horror; this book was trying to be a noir, suspense, romance, idk... seems like the Garcia could not stick to one genre for this one. I really wanted to like Maite, but she was just such a bland character who had some moments of breaking out of her shell after she met Elvis. Elvis was portrayed as a foul-mouth gangster and an edge. I really wanted to like him too, but he kept making bad choices continually even when trying to help Maite.

I understand the different chapters switching back and forth between Maite and Elvis, I like different POVs/timelines in books. Again, Maite's chapters were filled with observations and wanting to be more courageous and Elvis' chapters were filled with swears, that usually do not bother me as long as there is a point, and there really was not one.

It was a struggle to suffer reading through yet another horrendous Silvia Moreno-Garcia book. I was hoping this one would be better than the undeserving, over-hyped, disappointing mess of Mexican Gothic, but it was not. It was just disappointing in a different way. At least this one was trying to fictionalize an actual event, its only redeeming quality. I just hated it!

I do not know if I can struggle through a 3rd SMG book in the future or not. I need to stop reading her books because I am always disappointed and PO'd. This book, if you have the hard cover edition, would be better as a coaster or a door stop......

Henceforth, I cannot and will not recommend this book. I would like to get my time spent reading this filth to something else I could have been reading. JMO. Do not mean to be so harsh, but totally over the hype of this writer and her disappointing books. Is it possible to give 1/4 or 1/2 a star to a book?

Thanks to Netgalley, SIlvia Morena-Garcia and Random House Publishing Group Ballantine Books for an ARC in exchange for honest review, and believe me; it was honest!

Available: 8/17/21

WoW! What's not to love here!
This cover is just stunning..... Hot!

Velvet Was the Night has been on my lost for awhile now. And I hate to have read it so early before release date..... But no self control here!

Things I loved about it-
The dual perspectives
Set in the 70s
We are in Mexico City..... Swooning!
Its a thriller/historical fiction read
Its a little political
Music is added in the mix
The writing..... Amazing! Amazing!

Disliked- Absolutely nothing!
Its that damn good y'all!

I seriously can't thank NetGalley Ballantine and Author for this advance ebook copy!

Ill post to my Goodreads and Bookstagram account closer to pub date!

This was an action-packed crime thriller with tension, drama and heart. I love how Moreno-Garcia brings her settings and time periods to life, and I appreciated the allusions to music and pop culture throughout. I equally enjoyed both POVs, and was happy with where Elvis and Maite ended up.

Velvet Was the Night was my first historic noir novel. And my first read by this author! The writing style is beautiful and I loved how the author set up the atmosphere and setting of the book. But otherwise, this book wasn’t for me. I think my main struggles were the pacing and the genre- I wanted more suspense and action. I found myself skimming chapters. I also would have liked more character development. But I do think that fans of this genre and this author’s writing will enjoy this! Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

Slow to develop the characters, but worth the wait. A suspenseful plot and character development to the very end.

I typically love Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books, but I was unfortunately disappointed. It was a slow read for me and I had a hard time becoming invested in the story or characters. From the start, I struggled, because I thought the first chapter introduced events in a confusing manner and named so many characters that it affected my focus and the desire to move forward almost immediately. She is a wonderful author in general, but I was underwhelmed by this one, unfortunately.

I absolutely adored Moreno-Garcia's "Mexican Gothic" so I might or might not have screamed a little when my request for the arc of her newest book got approved. I had high expectations because I love her writing style, and I wasn't disappointed.
"Velves Was the Night" is a beautifully written historical pulp noir novel set in Mexico, and it very much reads like pulp noir, too. I admit that I'm not the biggest fan of that subgenre and rarely do read it, but it's always fun and I'm always entertained. The same goes for this novel. What really drew me in, though, was the political and historical background of it. I've heard about the Dirty War and the student protests, but really, I barely know a thing. It was fascinating and brutal to read about it. The Author's Note made me go on a Wikipedia binge, wnd Moreno-Garcia is right when she calls it a real-life horror story.

In the end, though, I was still just a little bit... bored. The plot is complex but at the same time very simple, there is a lot going on while at the same time nothing substantial is really ever happening. It's a short, quick read with slow pacing so I never really felt the sense of urgency needed to create excitement. Maybe the reason for it is that I just didn't connect at all with the characters, either. Both Elvis and Maite are interesting protagonists and their perspectives on what's going on in Mexico, what they learned through meeting different people, were enlightening and intriguing. But I just. Did not care about them. Neither of them managed to get me emotionally involved, leading to me being kind of meh about their fates in the story.

It's definitely a good novel and I'm pretty sure that fans of the pulp noir genre can appreciate it much much more than I do.

Velvet Was The Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a historical novel with a noir twist. I went into it thinking that I would love it, as I love historical fiction and also the mystery/thriller genre.

The writing in this book was outstanding. The author had a knack for writing lush descriptions and complex characters, however, I just don't think this was the book for me.

I love a good mystery/thriller as I said above, but they need to quickly draw me in, Velvet Was The Night started with a protest and gangs and moved extremely slow for me. From that point I found myself skimming and skipping over the chapters that dealt with the gangs because they just did not hold my interest. For this reason, I think the book lost something for me.

I feel like there will be a market for the book, some will find the authors writing riveting and be able to get past the more technical chapters, that just wasn't for me!

I have to admit that I listened to the Spotify Playlist for this book prior to reading it. I wanted to get my mind into the right frame of mind. I highly suggest all readers do this.....a beautiful playlist that perfectly pairs with the book's mood. With that said, Velvet was the Night is an amazing 1970s crime noir that draws you in and won't let go. Set in Mexico City and centered around the two main characters, Maite and Elvis. The plot is not a direct one, but a sort of dreamy crime scene...did that just happen? This title is unlike any of Moreno-Garcia other titles and dedicated readers will be blown away. New readers of this author will be entranced and transformed to another time. Many thanks to Netgalley for an advanced reader's copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Velvet was the Night
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Pub date: August 17, 2021

I read Mexican Gothic a few months ago and wow... So I was excited to get the opportunity to read Velvet was the Night. While Mexican Gothic was gothic horror, Velvet is historical noir. A dark, slow paced story about Mexico in 1971. Jumping between Maite, a secretary who feels plain and boring and wishes her life was more like Secret Romance, her comic, and Elvis who is part of the Hawks, a group that unofficially works for the government.

When Maite’s neighbor, Leonora, disappears and leaves Maite with her cat (and the promise of payment for cat-sitting duties), Maite finds herself drawn into the world of protests and government cover-up. Elvis is also looking for Leonora, but because her camera may have some incriminating photos from the Hawk Strike on a group of student protestors.

Maite and Elvis are ships in the night, both searching for Leonora and both trying to stay safe from danger. Silvia Moreno-Garcia provides us with a slow burn of intrigue. Maite and Elvis, at the heart, are two lonely people trying to find their place as they both follow leads to find Leonora, the truth about the events in Mexico, who they can trust and who they really are.

And that cover... 😍

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #randomhousepublishing #silviamorenogarcia #velvetwasthenight

Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for this ARC!

First off, look at that gorgeous cover! I definitely judged this one by the cover and requested it before even reading the description. No regrets!

This is a noir set in Mexico City. Admittedly, I spent a lot of time searching “what does noir mean?” And this book fits the definition! Stakes are lower, main characters are questionable, and what does right and wrong even mean?

My only experience with SMG has been Mexican Gothic, and this book is nothing like that. However, SMG is a master storyteller. She brings you right into the time and place and doesn’t let you out of her grasp until it’s finished.

While this story begins slow and mundane, it quickly builds into something violent and tense. Give this one a try in August!

** Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this for review. **

I really really enjoyed this story. It's most certainly not the usual stuff I read, but I have been trying to branch out. I love reading Moreno-Garcia's work. She calls this story a "historical, simmering noir," and I could not agree more. It feels like a detective crime show that we have watched, but the stakes are not as high as in those shows. In this case, it's a good thing. The pacing is slow, but it truly reflects what it would be like if it was set in real life. Everything is slow in real life. Definitely filled with action, in case you're wondering.

Maite is not your typical main character. She has flaws. Real flaws. There are times where you disagree with her actions because she is a flawed woman. I loved having that. You really do root for her to figure out the mystery she was dragged into, and the ending isn't wrapped up in a cute, pretty bow. It ends how any type of big event ends, as just another chapter in our lives. This is the second book of Silvia Moreno-Garcia that I have read, and I have enjoyed it just as much as the first one if not more.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the atmospheric undertones and as always adore Silvia''s beautiful writing style. Would definitely recommend!

I requested Velvet was the Night immediately, because I have read Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s other books and enjoyed them, and because I do love a good noir story.

The story is told from two different perspectives: Maite the lonely spinster, and Elvis the romantic thug. Their paths intersect while they are searching for a missing woman and her potentially incriminating photographs. It takes place during a volatile period in Mexico’s political history, and is slow paced to start, but ends with excitement. I loved the setting in Mexico City, as I haven’t read many books that take place in that city, and I have always wanted to visit.

But I have to be honest, and say that I did not really enjoy this book. It had such a slow pace, and I did not find any of the characters in this book likable in the least. Maite was so self-deprecating that it had me almost rolling my eyes at times. It was tough for me to finish! The heavy political storyline was tough to follow at times as well, and wasn’t described in an exciting enough way to keep me interested. The ending felt abrupt and I didn’t feel it did the main characters enough justice based on all they went through throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC!

Stunning!
The mood of this was just what I needed.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia is slowly becoming a fav author