This is a very dark novel set in Mexico. It’s the take of bad choices and survival, and ultimately discovering who you really are meant to be. It is relatively slow moving and I really struggled to continue it until I was about 2/3 of the way through. This was an early ARC from NetGalley to which I promised an honest review.

Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Gatcia. This was the first book I have read from this author, so I wasn't sure what to expect. I didn't know what went on in Mexico in June 1970. So I learned something new. I liked Elvis, what a hard life he had, so I was hoping some good would come his way. I liked Maite, seems she had it rough also. Image getting involved in all of that for taking care of your neighbors cat. But I was hoping they would find each other because they had a lot in common. I love the playlist at the end!! I wish this would happen more often. There were a few typos and words that used in the wrong sense..if instead of. Thanks for letting me review!

<i> Velvet Was the Night</i> is another hit by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. However, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it just because you’ve liked her other stuff. Where much of her other work has a fantasy element to it, this one is historical fiction, suspense, and noir.

As always, SMG has done some great world building. The setting, 1970s Mexico City, felt very real and unforgettable. Through this story I learned about a time in history that I had never heard about and I really appreciate that from a historical novel. Facts about the time period were included at the end so that the reader could better understand what was real and what was fiction.

The alternating view points kept the novel interesting even though it wasn’t a very high stakes or plot-driven story. Both characters were easy to like and relate to. They came across as deep, flawed, actual humans.

While this wasn’t my favorite of Moreno-Garcia’s works it proves that she can write beautifully across many genres. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next!

The first two chapters of this book had me wondering if the story would be for me. In those chapters we meet our main characters, El Elvis, a thug, and Maite, an ordinary, and depressed, secretary. I pressed on and discovered a suspenseful and well written story. I appreciate that there was a solid foundation based on historic events. I also checked the dictionary and web regularly to be sure that my interpretation of the context was correct. For me, there was a learning curve, and it made the experience more interesting.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia draws us into a world, unfamiliar to my experience, and while there were sections that were more violent than I am typically comfortable reading, there was redeeming value to the scenes, and they were integral to the story. The interweaving of the two character's experiences built suspense, and the narrative was stronger for the style of the writing.

While there is limited, to no, interaction between Maite and El Elvis, their similarities are raised throughout the book, giving an interesting thread to follow. As they each pursue investigations into the missing Leonora we learn more about their motivations.

Overall, the story had fascinating elements, and as mentioned earlier, the historic elements gave a foundation for this author-described pulp fiction novel. The mood was set, and the story was developed.

This book will be very popular with my patron base, and I look forward to the opportunity to recommend it when published in August of this year.

Okay first things first.. that cover!!🤤

I absolutely loved this book. A fictional novel based on an actual historical event- told through multiple POV's. Elvis, a member of the hawks, that is debating his entire life and Maite, a bored and lonely secretary that daydreams about living the lives of her favorite romance graphic novels. And everyone is searching for Leonora, Maite's beautiful and mysterious neighbor. The story is so well written, the characters weaving in and out of their own stories but blended into the entire story.

I am new to the noir genre but if this what it's all about, give me more! The simmering plot combined with well developed characters, set against the backdrop of the El Halconazo, or dirty war. A historical event I knew literally nothing about but found fascinating.

Thank you to random house publishers and netgalley for the ARC.

One thing I really admire about Moreno-Garcia is her ability to write any genre. This book, however, wasn't my favorite of hers. Mainly because of the character Maite. She rubbed me the wrong way, and by the time she started to become interesting there were only a few more pages left of the story. I didn't mind this was noir, though, like some of the reviewers mentioned. I look forward to whatever bit of Mexican history SMG writes next.

I like chick-flickish style of Silvia Moreno-Garcia. I'm sure there is a better literary term for that but oh well.. this is me! She can give you all the historical and geographical information you need to understand the environment and what characters might possibly be going through while putting you into shoes of this romantic, constantly day-dreaming lady's shoes.

We are in 1970s Mexico City. Oppressing government is trying to smash students and others who don't like them under their thumb (or talon? - you'll get what I mean when you read the book). Our hopeless romantic Maite's neighbor is one of those who wants to do some good for her country but she is not sure how to do it. The problem is her family is part of the government and military. It's bit tough for her to act out, yet she still does it. Only to pull adventure seeking but clueless Maite with her...

Rest... rest is a big ol' mess where police, government, government backed gangs, Russian spies, students, civilians all died, disbanded and crashed. Characters will entertain you as much as they shock you. if you are into noirs, here is your book.

A really cool, anxiety-inducing historical suspense set around real events in 1970s Mexico. At the beginning of the novel, neither of our shifting-point-of-view characters has much to recommend them—Elvis is a government goon-for-hire with shallow aspirations, and Maite is a depressed secretary with low self esteem and kleptomania. Neither seems to have a lot of empathy or concern for other people, but they are also so intriguingly relatable, with their quirks, passions, and identical longing for the real attachments and support both their lives are lacking. Elvis and Maite don't know each other, but both are drawn into a dangerous conflict between the corrupt government and the idealistic counterculture, formed around a missing woman in possession of some damning photographs. The story keeps you on the edge of your seat, hoping our two protagonists can make it through the ambushes and shootouts unscathed—and maybe to one another.

5/5

It’s 1971, and in Mexico City a quiet secretary becomes embroiled in a complicated plot linked to the political unrest currently transforming the town. All Maite wants is to escape into the latest issue of Secret Romance; with every passing page she can feel the world's problems fade away as she is swept up in tales of passion and danger. When her beautiful next-door neighbor asks her for a favor, and then mysteriously disappears, Maite attempts to put together the pieces, and finds herself drawn deeper into Leonora’s secret life and something far more insidious. Across town, someone else is tasked with tracking down Leonora, a commander of a squad created to quell political activists. Elvis wants nothing more than to leave his life behind; he cares little for the violence that comes with the job, but when he encounters Maite on his search for Leonora, he begins to envision just what that life could be. As tensions escalate on both sides, two individuals united by loneliness will have to fight with everything they have, for the chance at a future they've been waiting for.

Velvet Was the Night is a riveting historical crime noir that swept me up in its lush descriptions and complex characters consistent with everything else its author has written thus far. While this book is much different than Moreno-Garcia’s previous six novels, it stays true to much of what made her other works so impressionable: profound characters and her general talent for storytelling. This is a novel that draws upon the intrigue to an almost impossible point, fraying the minute hold I had on everything that was happening, and leaving me unaware of what to expect next. Among the complicated alliances and brimming hostility, Moreno-Garcia captures a profound loneliness in each of her characters, a loneliness that propels them forward even when facing dangerous circumstances. Elvis and Maite specifically, have an underlying bond that is only strengthened by the things they are experiencing. Something that added a much needed lightheartedness to an already intense story. Utilizing dual perspectives creates a kind of split viewpoint in the novel, juxtaposed against the exterior of the Dirty War only beginning to escalate in the small period of time in which this takes place. I’m not sure what this would have looked like if it only centered around one character's perspective, the outsider or the inside man. Both are necessary to craft the picture that Moreno-Garcia so brilliantly captures in the story. Even the connection between the two main characters is only strengthened by the existence of an alternating point of view, aiding in their respective development from start to finish. Having never read noir before, I can safely say I am planning on continuing given how much I enjoyed this. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has once again demonstrated her ability to write incredible stories in almost any genre, and I have no doubt her next project is going to be just as remarkable. Her seventh novel gives a glimpse into two lonely people living vastly different lives, and the potential they have to become something more together.

Trigger warnings: guns, violence, blood, death, murder

Velvet Was the Night is a historical noir set in the tumultuous 1970s in Mexico City. Maite and Elvis, who share their POVs in alternating chapters, are wildly different people. Maite is a secretary in her early 30s, dismayed with the boredom and poverty of her life. Elvis is a member of the Hawks, a government-run paramilitary group used to harass and kill protestors. But they have two things in common: music and Leonora, Maite's beautiful neighbor. Leonora asks Maite to watch her cat and disappears mysteriously. Elvis has been tasked to search for her. As they both seek out the other woman, their paths converge.

Our two main characters are multidimensional and imperfect. Maite's fondness for romantic comic books and petty thievery fleshes out her ennui. Elvis's distaste for violence and his fear/adoration of his boss prevent him from becoming cliché.

This is definitely best described as a noir novel rather than a thriller. There are some intense scenes, but they're tampered by a slow, meandering pace. The book is far more about atmosphere and grey areas and desire and dissatisfaction (in particular, Maite's distaste with her life is palpable). Those who have read Moreno-Garcia's Signal to Noise will recognize the power of music here.

Moreno-Garcia's versatility is astounding. Each of her books I've read has been in a different subgenre and an absolute treasure in its own right. If you're looking for a means of calibrating expectations, I'd categorize this as closer to Untamed Shore based on time period and lack of the supernatural, but note this is not a thriller. I'd also argue Maite is a much more complex and interesting character than Viridiana.

Highly recommended, like all of Moreno-Garcia's books, though I hope we see more fantasy and sci-fi in the future too.

After reading this novel I saw the author's comment about it being a noir. Going into it initially I was expecting more excitement and suspense, so that makes a bit more sense now. Apparently noir is not really my thing; I wanted more to happen and felt a bit let down by how everything played out.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent!! This book is different from others by SMG in that it is historical and noir. I would also say thriller because I could not put it down! I know next to nothing of the history of Mexico in the 1970’s and at first I was unsure I could connect with the plot, but in the end it didn’t matter. The characters are so intriguing that they pull you into their own little view of the world and make you invested in the outcome!
The plot unfolds through alternating POVs. One of Elvis: a low member of the paramilitary group ‘The Hawks’, and the other of Maite: a thirty year old women in a dead end job she hates, with no prospects, and a very small understanding of the world around her (especially her own country’s political turmoil). These characters seem different when examined from a distance, but up close they have the same feelings of loneliness and loss of direction/self-concept. These are both traits that make the characters relatable to any human no matter the situation. I myself am guilty of trying to ignore the happenings of the world at times and losing myself to a good book or playlist of music!
When Elvis and Maite are thrust into a situation involving Maite’s neighbor, through their own separate circumstances, we see them take their own personal journey’s of self- discovery and maturation. I love the parallel these two characters have in their own journey’s respectively. I think by the end they have a much greater sense of self-worth. They never meet in person throughout most of the book, but you can feel their outlooks and perspectives change almost as one. Perhaps two lonely lost souls can find similarities and peace with one another in a political war-torn country? Perhaps just coffee?
Great writing, excellent characters, intriguing plot! I highly recommend you give it a try! 🪛🖋🎞📷🎶📚☕️I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.

I received this ARC with the promise to review. Velvet Was the Night is a noir detective story set in Mexico. Silvia Moreno-Garcia has done an amazing job with this excellent follow-up to her award winning Mexican Gothic. The characters are ever-changing and the book abounds with plot twists and turns as we follow this cat and mouse tale. I love the constant action and the interesting shift in the roles of the characters. I was not ready for this exciting story to end. I cannot wait to read her next book! I totally recommend this book to those who enjoy a dark psychological mystery filled with endless surprises.

Book Review for Velvet Was the Night
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

I initially requested this book because of the author. I assumed it would be fantasy or supernatural because of her previous works. I was surprised when I opened Goodreads and saw a note from her stating that this story was not in fact fantasy or supernatural and not to label it as such. My excitement went down, not because of her merit as an author, but because I was really looking forward to some supernatural stuff turning up in this book! Well, it did a very fine job even without a vampire or two making an appearance! This book was extremely well written and made me wonder what would happen if this was her debut. The story is a small scale character study/mystery involving two very different people, from two very different walks of life that are connected through a mystery that can only be solved together. It takes place in a decade filled with turmoil and political uprising. I don't mean this in a bad way at all, but it was a very low stakes story. It was intimate, and captured a melancholy tone that I missed when it was over. I enjoyed it and learned a valuable lesson about not judging a book by its genre! 4 out of 5.

2.5 - I respect and admire Silvia Moreno-Garcia as an author who has successfully written hit novels in a variety of genres. I love that she is bringing Mexican settings and characters to genres that may be lacking in that representation. With that being said, I think anyone who reads a lot will come across a few generally well liked authors who they just don’t jive with. Silvia Moreno- Garcia seems to be one of those for me. Her covers are gorgeous, the premises draw me in, and then I’m never a huge fan of the story.

I wanted MORE from these characters - Mostly I wanted something to come out of Maite’s romance comic book obsession!! I felt like for Maite and Elvis they each had one little quirk/passion and that was sort of the extent of their personality — besides being naive. This is a pet peeve of mine with most of this author’s main characters that I’ve encountered. They are adults but are as naive as teenagers, which I find hard to wrap my head around.

The 1970’s Mexico setting was great and I loved the incorporation of history into the narrative. The noir genre choice was fun for this and I’m interested in learning more about this period in time.

I haven’t given up yet though, I’m confident this author will end up writing a story I love!!

Book releases August 2021 - will post review now on my Goodreads and will post again/update review after release date.

Thank you to Penguin Random House , the author, and NetGalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

First off, I have to say the cover of this book is absolutely gorgeous. I love it so much. This is my 2nd SMG book, I read Mexican Gothic and loved it. Going into this one, I knew it was a different genre than Mexican Gothic and that it would be much different. With that being said, I do not think the noir genre is for me. This book was well written and SMG is an amazing author, but the historical and noir genre is just not my style. It wasn’t suspenseful enough for me and I just didn’t feel myself connecting with the book and the characters. I am glad I gave this book a read and tried the noir genre. Even though this one wasn’t for me, I will definitely be reading any future SMG books.

Thank you to Net Galley, Random House Publishing and Ballantine books for an Advanced Read copy in return for my honest review.

I will be leaving my review on Net Galley and Goodreads right now, as well as Amazon and Instagram on publication day.

I will read anything by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. Her ability to write across genres is amazing and I can't wait to see where she takes us next. Velvet Was the Night takes place in a moody and atmospheric 1970s Mexico and is rightly classified as noir - the stakes are fairly low and the plot doesn't move super quickly. As historical fiction, this one really works and I'm definitely interested in learning more about this period of Mexican history. I'll hand this to fans of noir and pulp fiction at my library.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Random House for sending me this ARC!

I didn't think I was going to enjoy this one too much if I'm honest. But I'm giving it a solid ⅘ stars. My hats off to Silvia Moreno-Garcia. She is truly a talented writer. Author's, even some of my favs, fall into a pattern of writing that is easy to spot and their work becomes very familiar in tone and characters. I've read now four books by Ms. Moreno-Garcia, and each one has never fallen into any of the usual patterns.

I loved the tone of this book. Set in the 70s in Mexico City the story follows Elvis and Maite. Elvis is a mobster/gang member and Maite is a secretary at a dead-end job who lives for reading comic romances. Their stories will intertwine when Maite's neighbor Leonora disappears, presumably taking something of great value to many others.

I felt like I was in the 70s and images that came to my head were from the 2018 movie, "Bad Times at The El Royale." I did like the characters without really liking the characters if that makes sense. I understood to a degree where they were coming from but I wasn't crazy about them. It didn't stop me from enjoying the story and learning about the political history of that time. I strongly recommend giving this a read.


The review will be posted on my Instagram on 4/16. Username: booknookcook04

I so wanted to enjoy this one, as I've enjoyed Silvia Moreno-Garcia's other books, but I just found myself longing to go back to her fantasy worlds.

I felt disconnected from these characters and this story. I wanted this to be like a second MEXICAN GOTHIC but for me it lacked atmosphere and depth.

Overall, I was not a fan.