This story drives you deep into the action right out of the gate. The pacing is such that you feel immersed in this world, that you know these people well enough to sit down and have a full conversation with them. This author draws such complete, real characters that I'm starting to think there's something to this multiverse hypothesis. This is a classically written, intricately painted novel; it was so satisfying that I now have a book hangover and need a couple days to recover. thank you to #Netgalley for the preview!.

This isn't my first time to read anything of Silvia Moreno-Garcia, but it is my first time to read a noir novel from her. The thing about Moreno-Garcia is that you can be sure every novel of hers is well researched. You can see it in the small details, and this is no exception. While this novel isn't my fave of hers (I feel her Gods of Jade and Shadow and The Beautiful Ones are more to my taste), it's still a testament to her range as writer. She can pretty much write anything under the sun and you'll be sure she's going to do a heck of job at it.

Velvet was the Night takes place during a political conflict in Mexico in the 1970s that came to be known as the Dirty War. It was a time of political protests, which the government attempted to counter with the force of local gang members that it discreetly controls.

Maite is a secretary in a local law firm who dreams of romance and dreams of romance, which hasn’t really been a part of her life for some time. She keeps a copy of Secret Romance tucked away in her purse for a quick escape to imagined lovers whenever she can steal away a minute from work or her family. She has no desire to get involved with the protests, yet becomes very involved when she takes on a weekend cat sitting job for her neighbor, Leonora, who goes missing.

Elvis has been living on his own in Mexico City since he was a teen and is a rising member of the Hawks gang. Members of the Hawks were mainly tasked to counter student protestors. After a job goes terribly wrong Elvis is surprised to be assigned the lead to track down a student protestor named Leonora, who is believed to have photographs detrimental to the Hawks. Slowly, we see Maite and Elvis cross paths during their search for Leonora. We also get to learn about the ways that Eliv and Maite aren’t quite so different from each other.

What I have come to love about Silvia Moreno-Garcia is that she skips around between genres and writes to her interests. There are always elements within the stories that are well-loved and well-researched. This book is no exception. I recommend this title not just to readers of noir, but to fans of Moreno-Garcia’s exceptional storytelling.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy of this book, I have decided to share my review of this title. I truly enjoyed this book and already pre-ordered the hardcover to keep on my bookshelf for future reading.

It doesn't matter what the project is, if Silvia Moreno-Garcia's name is attached, you know its going to be a wonderful novel. This is so different from Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jades and Shadow, and The Beautiful Ones but equally as well done and engaging. I honestly can't wait to see what she takes on next.

I'm pretty sure I could read a novel length description of folding laundry and I'd love it as along as it was written by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. There is something about her prose that just sucks me in completely. I really enjoyed this noir - and LOVED reading it while listing to the accompanying curated Spotify playlist. The story was appropriately "small" for a noir, but richly atmospheric, with delightful layers built in to the character development about the way we see ourselves vs the way the world see us.

Maite is tired of her plain life in Mexico City as a secretary. She escapes into her record collection and issues of Secret Romance, telling her coworkers about dates and boyfriends she only daydreams about.
Maite is practically oblivious to the political unrest in the city and the dangerous student protests. What she does notice is her neighbor, Leonora, who she envies for her beauty and the interesting life she seems to lead. When Leonora asks her to watch her apartment and feed her cat for a couple of days, Maite agrees. However, Leonora fails to return and Maite begins a search for the missing woman, leading her on an adventure full of the passion and danger she’s only daydreamed about.

Velvet Was the Night is an atmospheric historical fiction / noir. It’s a slow burn … a bit too slow for me, causing the suspense to fizzle out unfortunately. The characters are intriguing enough for me to recommend this book but there was a level of disappointment in the restrained storytelling.

Thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Velvet Was the Night is scheduled for release on August 17, 2021.

Maite lives in Mexico City and she's a secretary. It's the 1970's and there's a lot of political turmoil. When her next door neighbor Leonora goes missing under suspicious circumstances Maite decides to try to find her. As she searches she uncovers Leonora's secret life of student rallies and political activism. It seems that many people are looking for Leonora. Elvis is one of them. Technically he's a criminal with a tender heart. As they both begin to unlock the secrets about Leonora's disappearance things start to get dangerous. According to the synopsis, "Velvet Was the Night is an edgy, simmering historical novel for lovers of smoky noirs and anti-heroes."

What a wild ride! I couldn't read this book fast enough! This story is ACTION PACKED and I felt like I was watching a crime movie play out in my mind. The story alternated between Maite and Elvis' perspectives. I loved both of these characters so much and it was neat to see the story develop through their eyes. As we learned more about Leonora, what she was involved in and who was looking for her, it left me unsure of who I was supposed to be cheering for and I loved that. It was one of my favorite parts. I haven't heard much about the Mexican Dirty War either, which is the historical setting of the novel. It made me want to learn more about this war. I highly recommend this one!

**Thank you Randon House-Ballantine/Del Rey for the advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. Velvet was the Night is out August 17th!

This is an edgy, simmering historical novel for lovers of smoky noirs and anti-heroes. Maite is living for Secret Romance, a comic book. Elvis is working for the mob. Leonora is their connection.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an incredible writer and always shows such versatility in her books -- Velvet Was the Night is no exception! So different from her other novels, Velvet Was the Night is a noir mystery set in 1970s Mexico City. It follows Maite, a secretary who is clearly unhappy with her life, losing herself into comic book stories of romance and passion. She dreams (and sometimes fibs) of men sweeping her off her feet and into a different life.

When asked to watch her neighbor Leonora's, cat, she agrees. Yet, in a time filled with student protests and political unrest, Leonora disappears and with her, a canister of film that everyone seems to be looking for. Maite is pulled into her Leonora's life of student radicals and dissidents as she searches for her, racing the clock against hitmen, government agents, and a Russian spy who are also searching for her.

Fast-paced and exciting, Velvet Was the Night quickly pulled me in with a character that felt so realistic. Not only was the story great, but it was a book I could hear; often records were mentioned and Silvia Moreno-Garcia provided an excellent playlist that fit beautifully with the story. I highly recommend this one, especially for those who enjoy noirs!

Velvet Was the Night is an historical fiction noir. At a much slower pace than its cousin the thriller, the atmosphere and mood of this book is deliciously, velvety, dark. Silvia Moreno-Garcia can genre hop better than most authors I've read. She writes consistently good prose. This tale uses the early 70s of Mexico City and its civil unrest as the backdrop of a political suspense story, propelling various interesting characters toward each other that culminates in a very satisfying conclusion. Velvet begins with the university students protesting oppression and the dictatorship that was masquerading as a democracy, when they are attacked by Los Halcones. Our two main protagonists, Elvis and Maite, are both searching for one such protestor, for very different reasons. The narrative switches seamlessly between the two. I found myself leaning forward in my chair to hasten the chase to the conclusion, and I was satisfied when I reached it. Moreno-Garcia has done it again, and I applaud her.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's books have been a bit hit and miss for me in the past but I can safely say that this one was totally awesome. I've never read a noir before so I was going in cold, but found the story so gripping! It's set in 1970s Mexico, naturally a period of history I know nothing about (like most periods of history to be honest), so I learned a lot. Loved the blunt writing style, loved the characters and loved the mystery.

Velvet was the Night follows two characters who appear to be a little bit lost in life. Elvis is a goon in a squad called the Hawks. He’s not really happy being a criminal – he hates violence and loves music, but there doesn’t seem to be another place for him in the world. Maite is a legal secretary who lives for romance comics. She lives alone, feels plain and uninteresting and is constantly reminded that she is 30 and unmarried. But her somewhat uneventful life takes a turn for the chaotic when she agrees to feed her neighbour Leonora’s cat. When Leonora disappears, Maite and Elvis’ stories become intertwined as they both look for the lost art student.

So, let’s start with Maite’s character. I LOVED her a lot. She’s a seemingly average person working at a job she doesn’t really like, with dreams of breaking the monotony that she never has the energy to achieve. When Leonora disappears, Maite doesn’t really have to get herself involved but ends up drawn into this world of goons, government agencies and Russian spies, filled with danger and suspense. For someone introverted and quiet, she handles it all surprisingly well, and I view her as a character with quiet steel in her. I also found myself relating to Elvis, doing this job that doesn’t fit him because he lacks choices. Both characters are romantic and have a soft-spot for music, which draws Elvis to Maite even before she knows who he is. I found having these two perspectives so interesting – the characters felt very real to me which is no mean feat in a 300 page novel with as much plot as this one has.

OK, so not going to lie, the big mystery is set around these photos that Leonora supposedly has, and I did guess what it was about. But this didn’t take away my enjoyment from the story, there were plenty of other strange twists to keep me intrigued. There is a whole cast of side characters and it is difficult to work out who Maite can trust. I was shocked on reading some of the history after I finished the book – some of the conspiracy style events actually happened. Such a dark period of time for Mexico.

Overall, this was a thrilling read where relatable characters are thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I loved the blunt writing style, the pace, the tension – all of it was excellently crafted. Never expected I’d like a book about spies and goons but here we are. Silvia does such a great job with the imagery of the whole thing, I think it would make for such an exciting TV show.

When Maite's next door neighbor Lenora disappears, Maite starts trying to figure out what happened to Lenora. Mexico City in 1970 was filled with political unrest and student protests. As Maite digs deeper into Lenora's life, Maite finds herself in danger and crosses paths with a criminal named Elvis. This was a good historical thriller that kept me reading until the very last page. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

A historical mystery story taking place in Mexico City during the 1970s…yes, please! This one had a lot of aspects I enjoyed. The author can definitely write well, and had some very eloquent and memorable descriptions. Unfortunately, the storyline itself felt slow. It falls in the middle for me! Not a favorite story, but one I did like at times…would be curious to read more by the author.

After loving her first novel, I was a little surprised about how much I did not enjoy this one. I think the noir genre might just not be for me? I also wasn't loving how much history and politics was in this book, although her character development continues to be on point!

In terms of recommending this book to others, I would only do it if I thought this genre was up their alley and not if they were looking for another Mexican Gothic.

I loved the historical fiction aspect and learning more about Mexico City, the Dirty War, the Hawks, and the suppression of rock n roll during this time period. I really enjoyed what Silvia Moreno-Garcia did by bringing to light what happened in Mexico and integrating music and the hope it brings to people by writing this book. The synposis really intrigued me and I was excited to get a chance to read another book by this particular author.

However, this was a miss for me. Although, I feel all the elements for a great book were there.The last approximately 20% of the book was my favorite part. It was action packed and I flew through the pages. I just wish I had more of that throughout the book.

I think I would have enjoyed it more if I enjoyed the characters more. I was not a fan of Maite. I thought she was too naive for her age and her decisions/ thoughts, such as her opinions of others and her lying, frustrated me throughout the story.

I did enjoy Elvis and I liked how their stories alternated with the chapters and began to intertwine the closer they were to figuring out what happened to Leonora.

Overall, I think that Silvia Moreno-Garcia is an amazing writer to be able to write such a broad array of genres and I am always so excited to read what she has created. This one, unfortunately, was my least favorite of hers I have read so far. I did not think it had her beautiful prose I have come to love so much, and it was hard for me to complete this book.

***Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me an advanced copy of this book!

I really tried with this one, but I think I have to accept that noir is not for me. Although, other times I have loved it. I don't know. I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. I am really disappointed because I loved Mexican Gothic SO MUCH and was really looking forward to this one. The cover is gorgeous and I enjoy the author. I am glad to see so many others really loving it, because it will definitely have an audience.

I really liked this! There were some funny moments, which I wasn't expecting. Every time Maite talked about the cat, I giggled a little. I feel like I've never read a book with this kind of atmosphere, which - according to other reviewers - is due to the 'noir' genre? I guess it gave me that feeling of like an old timey mystery movie. Really good, highly recommend!

Maite, a secretary leading a quiet life, becomes involved in a complicated policitical situation. Her neighbor, Leonora, asked Maite to feed her cat for a few days while she was away. But Leonora did not come back. Maite finally got a call from her and was going to meet her and take the cat and a box Leonora wanted. But then Leonora didn't show up at the meeting place. Maite then begins meeting others concerned about Leonora. Her quiet life quickly become chaotic.

The book was atmospheric and the characters were vivid. The story provided a perspective on the political unrest at the time and even the suppression of rock music that had been imposed by the govenment..

ilvia Moreno-Garcia is very talented in creating certain atmospheres and moods that are cohesive with the characters, in this case, the extreme loneliness felt by the character. The dual perspectives are key to understanding the story and character development and are well done. Also, the stakes may not feel as high as a typical thriller but that is because it is a historical noir. If you are a fan of historical novels engrossed in a world of crime and unrest, I would definitely recommend.

Thanks to Del Ray and Netgalley for the advanced copy.

I received a digital advance copy of Velvet was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia through NetGalley. Velvet was the Night is scheduled for release on August 17, 2021.

Velvet was the Night is a noir novel, set in 1970s Mexico City. It focuses on Maite, a secretary who dreams of romance and adventure. When her next door neighbor asks her to watch her cat, then fails to return, Maite is pulled into the political situation unfolding in the city. Maite finds her story entwined with Elvis, a criminal who is currently working for a goon squad on a mission to quash the radicals and dissidents in the city.

I have read other novels by Moreno-Garcia. This one is very different. There are no speculative elements here (which took me a minute to adjust to), this is a pure novel noir. Moreno-Garcia gives us antiheroes, amoral criminals, and a story filled with mystery.

Moreno-Garcia gives us a cast of characters that are what we expect in noir, but manages to make them more than caricatures. While they slot into the expected character types, they also have unique motivations and backstory that keep them from feeling flat.

The plot of the novel centers on the search for the missing neighbor, with the individual story lines of several of the characters eventually coming together in the resolution of the story. While I did not predict the final twists of the story, Moreno-Garcia had left enough clues throughout that the outcome made sense.

The only element that was lacking for me was the setting. In this novel, Moreno-Garcia is writing in a very different style than her other novels. This style makes sense for noir, but also takes away some of the rich prose that appears in her other works. I noticed this most in relation to the setting. While the reader gets descriptions of interior settings, I was missing the overall feel of the city. I think a bit of Moreno-Garcia’s more typical writing style would have added this depth and feeling to the setting and immersed us in the world.

Overall, Velvet was the Night is a historical noir that will likely appeal to readers who are fans of the genre.

Velvet was the Night is an enthralling historical noir with complex, well rounded characters and settings so descriptive and vibrant that it was easy to get lost in. Despite being drawn to the action and the overall mystery behind the disappearance of Leonara, I stuck around for Maite and Elvis. Maite's character arc, discovery of who she is and what she stands for and believes, and was easily my favorite of the two.

The pacing was on the slower side and I found Elvis' chapters to not hold my attention as well, but I believe all that led to the darker, somber mood of the noir.