Velvet Was the Night by Silvia-Moreno Garcia

Book Review

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of Velvet Was the Night, the latest from Silvia Moreno-Garcia (the author of Mexican Gothic). Whether or not you read/enjoyed Mexican Gothic, I encourage you to pick up Velvet Was the Night…out next week on August 17th!

Admittedly, Mexican Gothic wasn’t really for me. While I could certainly appreciate the fact that it was beautifully written, it was a bit too out there for me 😅. I’m also not much of a horror fan. However, apart from the country in which the book takes place, this historical fiction noir could not be more different than the author’s last book.

Set in Mexico City in the 1970s, the book follows the overlapping stories of Maite and Elvis. Maite is a lonely secretary who spends her days reading romance and listening to her vast record collection. Elvis is an ex-convict turned “Hawk” (a government-trained paramilitary group). When Maite’s neighbor, Leonora, goes missing after a deadly political riot, Maite begins searching for answers. Meanwhile, Elvis is assigned to investigate the disappearance of Leonora. As the two wander down a path of lies, murder, secret agents and political secrets, Maite and Elvis’ lives eventually intersect.

I really enjoyed reading this one and learning about the political upheaval in 1970s Mexico. While the book certainly has elements of a mystery/thriller, it reads much slower than a typical thriller and instead focuses on character development and the historical setting. If you enjoy slow-burn mysteries and/or political conspiracies, this one’s for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Do you read books on NetGalley?? If so, what’s the best one you’ve read recently? If you're not familiar with NetGalley, you should check it out for digital advanced copies of books from mainstream publishers!

[Disclaimer: Not my cigarette. Smoking kills ☠️]