1. Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno Garcia

Honestly, I’ve put this down and picked it up more times than we can count, but finally I persevered and it was well worth it. This is a propulsive noir thriller set in Mexico – the novel flits back and forth between the perspectives of El Elvis, an eccentric criminal and member of the Hawks who wants to escape his life and Maite, a daydreaming secretary in 1970s Mexico City. Their lives become intertwined when Maite’s neighbour Leonora goes missing, leading Maite into the kind of romantic and thrilling life that she had always wanted. This was as readable for its atmospheric evocation of 1970s Mexico as for the plot itself – worth persevering.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

2. Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

This may be one of my favourite thrillers from the past few years, Katherine Faulkner’s handling of suspense and way that she builds the plot is addictive and compelling. Though many books claim to be in the ilk of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train, this one actually stands up to that hype and I couldn’t put it down.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

3. How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury

Published in 2021, How to Not Die Alone by Logan Ury is a compilation of her research on what mistakes people make when looking for love and how to shift perspectives when navigating the modern dating terrain. It’s one of the most readable ‘dating’ books I’ve laid my hands on and is a great read to kick off 2022 if one of your goals was to put yourself out there this year.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

4. It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

I challenge anyone not to bawl their eyes out to this read. Colleen Hoover is a prolific writer but It Ends With Us stands apart as an incredibly delicate, painful and raw novel – it is clear perhaps that this book more than any other meant something very important to Hoover. The delicate and tender care she takes with her prose is testament to that. Whilst the novel is propulsive and immensely readable, it is heart wrenchingly raw and an important read for understanding the perspective of victims of domestic abuse.

Pick up a copy here.

Read our full review here.

5. Yinka, Where is Your Huzband? by Lizzie Damilola Blackburn

Out in March, Lizzie Damilola Blackburn’s new novel ‘Yinka Where is Your Huzband?’ is a hilarious, witty and addictive new comedy about the modern experience of dating. The novel centres around Yinka, her mum and aunties think they are better qualified to find her a ‘huzband’ than Yinka, herself. It’s a joyful, hilarious celebration of family, the trials of friendship, love and self-love and is addictive from start to finish. This novel is owed smash hit status.

Pre-order a copy here.

The post Everything I Read in December 2021 appeared first on off the record.

New York Times bestselling author – Silvia Moreno Garcia – has released her deliciously propulsive noir novel, Velvet Was the Night. The novel flits back and forth between the perspectives of El Elvis, an eccentric criminal and member of the Hawks who wants to escape his life and Maite, a daydreaming secretary in 1970s Mexico City.Their lives become intertwined when Maite’s neighbour Leonora goes missing, leading Maite into the kind of romantic and thrilling life that she had always wanted. Maite partners up with Leonora’s ex-boyfriend to search for Leonora, now in hiding, leading her into the complicated web in which Leonora lives, filled with student radicals and dissidents. El Elvis is also out looking for her, but as he searches he comes to become obsessed with Maite, from a distance. The novel is an immensely thrilling and propulsive novel, filled with all the qualities of a black and white movie, simmering with Old Hollywood drama – hitmen, government agents, Russian spies, it’s all here. Importantly though, Moreno-Garcia shines a light on 1971 Mexico, painting it as a deeply complicated and interesting time in history, well worthy of attention and fascination.

The post REVIEW: Velvet Was The Night – Silvia Moreno-Garcia appeared first on off the record.