Velvet Was the Night

By: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Narrated by: Gisela Chípe

Length: 9 hrs and 52 mins

Publisher's summary

GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • From the New York Times bestselling author of Mexican Gothic comes a simmering historical noir about a daydreaming secretary, a lonesome enforcer, and the mystery of the missing woman they’re both desperate to find.

ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, New York Public Library, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, BookPage, She Reads, Library Journal • “An adrenalized, darkly romantic journey.”—The Washington Post

Mexico in the 1970s is a dangerous country, even for Maite, a secretary who spends her life seeking the romance found in cheap comic books and ignoring the activists protesting around the city. When her next-door neighbor, the beautiful art student 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.

Mexico in the 1970s is a politically fraught land, even for Elvis, a goon with a passion for rock ’n’ roll who knows more about kidney-smashing than intrigue. When Elvis is assigned to find Leonora, he begins a blood-soaked search for the woman—and his soul.

Swirling in parallel trajectories, Maite and Elvis attempt to discover the truth behind Leonora’s disappearance, encountering hitmen, government agents, and Russian spies. Because Mexico in the 1970s is a noir, where life is cheap and the price of truth is high.

©2021 Silvia Moreno-Garcia (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“[Velvet Was the Night] is a noir with a heart of gold, and it’s a narrative in which the empathy we feel for its characters ultimately reveals an important truth: That Moreno-Garcia is not only a talented storyteller but also an incredibly versatile one.” (NPR)

“An absolute flex...[Velvet Was the Night] left me marveling at what kind of sorceress Moreno-Garcia must be as she reworks genre after genre, weaving in Mexican history and culture, satisfying familiar cravings without resorting to mere pastiche. The most tantalizing suspense of all comes with wondering what she’ll do next.” (Slate)

“Immensely satisfying, refreshingly new and gloriously written.... Moreno-Garcia mashes up Anglocentric genres with midcentury Mexican history, resulting in a brew flavored with love, heartbreak, violence, music and unsettling dread.... The gift of this book, and Moreno-Garcia’s storytelling, is how it imbues this well-worn genre with added strength, grace and even musicality.” (The New York Times Book Review)

My favorite narrator

Gisele Chipe did an excellent job portraying all the characters. I hope to hear more from her.

Great Noir

This novel is great if you like noir. Organized crime story involving the government and students wanting a revolution.

Good find

I love Elvis, relate to Maite. Well told story, characters were genuinely interesting and not forced. Will recommend!

Boring..I kept waiting to get interested but didn'

Very amateurish narration of the Male characters. And how many times can you fit the word "f..k" in one book? Not my taste in books but I finished it anyway. I wish I had known about the historical events before reading the book.

Fiction at it's finest

Another entertaining and beautifully written book by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia. The narration was on point and kept me wanting to listen even when I needed to go to bed. I enjoyed the history aspect to this novel as I am sure most listeners/readers do. The characters made me laugh as well as the narrator's portrayal of them. I would definitely recommend this pulp fiction.

Stellar Noir Novel Based on History of Mexican History

What an awesome read! I rated this novel 5 stars bc I loved the back story of Mexico’s history during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Loved the character development as well as the way that this book reeled me in from the very beginning with its fast paced storyline. The narrator was amazing as well.

Amazing, entertaining, and insightful

My biggest critique is that I finished it so quickly. Amazing book I enjoyed the political / historical environment weaved by Silvia Moreno-Garcia. This is the 3rd book I've listened to from her, in the last year, and probably my favorite. Wonderful characters, rich musical references that I often found myself listening to in between chapters, and really utilizes the landscape of Mexico City. It has a bit of a Pulp Fiction vibe at times, I'd love to see this as a movie.

Excellent storyline

I loved the story didn’t really like the main character but despite that I couldn’t stop listening to it

Save your credit

I had high hopes as I live historical fiction. Unfortunately the needless explanations and rambling just diluted the plot making me waste time to try and get through it. A disappointment for sure.

Obama's Summer Read

Thanks for adding this book to your list Obama. I loved it. Good read.