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The Intrigue
From the
New York Times
bestselling author of
Mexican Gothic
and
Velvet Was the Night
comes a sizzling noir about desire, danger, and greed, in which seduction is the ultimate con.
Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won't last forever, and he's desperate to get his hands on a real fortune.
He thinks he's found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn't expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household.
When Inés discovers Ulises' true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast and clean.
But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated.
Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust.
Handsome con artist Ulises has long charmed lonely women via letters to steal their money, but money is hard to come by in 1940s Mexico. Ulises knows his looks won't last forever, and he's desperate to get his hands on a real fortune.
He thinks he's found it when he captivates his newest correspondent, Perla, the owner of a small-town boardinghouse in picturesque Veracruz. But when he meets her, he finds something he didn't expect. The woman has a niece, Inés, who is as observant as she is desperate to escape her aunt’s household.
When Inés discovers Ulises' true intentions, she wants in on the scheme. They’ll convince her aunt that Ulises is a great catch, Perla will marry him, and her money will vanish. Easy, fast and clean.
But Perla is not the desperate, silly spinster Ulises imagines. She harbors secrets. And although Ulises does not believe in true romance, Inés is more alluring than he bargained on. Suddenly, a simple plan may become perilously complicated.
Venture into the streets of a small town where the patina of convention and good manners conceals a cauldron of avarice and lust.
323 pages, Hardcover
First published July 14, 2026
About the author
Silvia Moreno-Garcia
172 books29k followersSilvia Moreno-Garcia is the author of several novels, including Mexican Gothic, Gods of Jade and Shadow and The Daughter of Doctor Moreau. She has also edited a number of anthologies, including the World Fantasy Award-winning She Walks in Shadows (a.k.a. Cthulhu's Daughters). Mexican by birth, Canadian by inclination.
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October 22, 2025What genre is this?
Noir/historical/drama. This is *not* horror. There are no fantastical elements. Please do not tag it as horror/gothic or anything similar.
Are there any fantastical elements?
Nope. See above.
What is this about?
It's 1943 in Mexico and a charming con artist who runs romance scams has found his latest target. Things might not work out as planned.
When it this out?
July 2026.
Is there a playlist?
Yes. See here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57u...
Is there a book kit?
Yep. Download here: https://silviamoreno-garcia.com/wp-co...
Will this be available in the UK? In Spanish (or other languages)?
It will be out in the UK in July 2026 through Arcadia/Quercus. No translation rights for any languages have been sold.
Will this be available from Goldsboro as a limited edition with the sprayed edges? BOTM? Other book boxes?
Yes, you can find it via Goldsboro.
Noir/historical/drama. This is *not* horror. There are no fantastical elements. Please do not tag it as horror/gothic or anything similar.
Are there any fantastical elements?
Nope. See above.
What is this about?
It's 1943 in Mexico and a charming con artist who runs romance scams has found his latest target. Things might not work out as planned.
When it this out?
July 2026.
Is there a playlist?
Yes. See here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/57u...
Is there a book kit?
Yep. Download here: https://silviamoreno-garcia.com/wp-co...
Will this be available in the UK? In Spanish (or other languages)?
It will be out in the UK in July 2026 through Arcadia/Quercus. No translation rights for any languages have been sold.
Will this be available from Goldsboro as a limited edition with the sprayed edges? BOTM? Other book boxes?
Yes, you can find it via Goldsboro.
August 15, 2026
Hard-Boiled Schemes in Old Mexico
In “The Intrigue,” Silvia Moreno-Garcia transforms 1940s Veracruz into a fog-choked trap of rigid expectations and decaying gentility. It’s an evocative, immersive setting that hits as hard as any character.
The plot hinges on a high-stakes confidence scheme featuring three deeply flawed, morally ambiguous leads. You won't like them, but you can’t look away. Watching their carefully constructed masks shatter is the book’s true strength. Moreno-Garcia avoids traditional heroes, focusing instead on the friction of their volatile covenant.
Be warned: the pacing hits a snag in the middle, and the romance is far more understated than the marketing implies. Don’t expect a love story; expect a cold, sharp study of desperate people in a stifling world where every decision has a price.
Ultimately, “The Intrigue” is a razor-sharp piece of noir. It trades rapid-fire thrills for psychological depth and moral rot, making it a rewarding read for anyone who prefers their stories messy, atmospheric, and uncomfortably real.
Thank you to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheIntrigue #NetGalley
In “The Intrigue,” Silvia Moreno-Garcia transforms 1940s Veracruz into a fog-choked trap of rigid expectations and decaying gentility. It’s an evocative, immersive setting that hits as hard as any character.
The plot hinges on a high-stakes confidence scheme featuring three deeply flawed, morally ambiguous leads. You won't like them, but you can’t look away. Watching their carefully constructed masks shatter is the book’s true strength. Moreno-Garcia avoids traditional heroes, focusing instead on the friction of their volatile covenant.
Be warned: the pacing hits a snag in the middle, and the romance is far more understated than the marketing implies. Don’t expect a love story; expect a cold, sharp study of desperate people in a stifling world where every decision has a price.
Ultimately, “The Intrigue” is a razor-sharp piece of noir. It trades rapid-fire thrills for psychological depth and moral rot, making it a rewarding read for anyone who prefers their stories messy, atmospheric, and uncomfortably real.
Thank you to Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore, and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheIntrigue #NetGalley
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January 7, 2026
Book Riot’s Most Anticipated Books of 2026:
Silvia Moreno-Garcia could write a guide on knitting sweaters for earthworms, and I'd be out here cheering, "Yesss, clothe the tiny invertebrates!" She has, of course, crafted an irresistible plot in a noir tale of desire, greed, and seduction. In 1940s Mexico, a handsome grifter charms women into giving him their money through letters. Intent on securing a bigger, more reliable bag when the letter scheme runs its course, he sets his sights on the owner of a boardinghouse in a small town in Veracruz. There are two holes in this plan: his intended victim's niece clocks him right away and wants in on the scheme as a means to escape this small town, and his victim is not the gullible mark he thinks she is... —Vanessa Diaz
Silvia Moreno-Garcia could write a guide on knitting sweaters for earthworms, and I'd be out here cheering, "Yesss, clothe the tiny invertebrates!" She has, of course, crafted an irresistible plot in a noir tale of desire, greed, and seduction. In 1940s Mexico, a handsome grifter charms women into giving him their money through letters. Intent on securing a bigger, more reliable bag when the letter scheme runs its course, he sets his sights on the owner of a boardinghouse in a small town in Veracruz. There are two holes in this plan: his intended victim's niece clocks him right away and wants in on the scheme as a means to escape this small town, and his victim is not the gullible mark he thinks she is... —Vanessa Diaz
July 2, 2026
Historical Noir Review🎧
I’m very sad to admit that The Intrigue was my first time reading this talented author’s work. As you can see… I have no excuse. She’s been sitting on my shelves.
First and foremost, this is not a horror novel nor a fantasy book. I would classify this as historical fiction/noir.
It’s 1940’s Mexico. A handsome con artist, Ulises pulls his victims by mail correspondence. Perla invites him to her home after they’ve been in contact for a while, with hopes of getting better acquainted.
But, Perla’s niece and housemaid,Inés, is on to him. Will she spoil his plan? Or join him out of spiteful revenge?
Look, this was a little out of my comfort zone. I didn’t really know what to expect going in. In which, turned out to be a good thing! Because I was OBSESSED with this story! Her writing is incredibly rich. These characters were original and I felt it added so much to the book. We get a good sense of all the characters and the author allows us to empathize with each and every one of them. The dialect was some of my favorite! I need more just like it.
I started with the physical and then switched over to the audio at about 150 something pages. Honestly, the narrator sounded flat and like he was reading from a book…..so I would definitely recommend reading a physical copy. Either way, I really loved it and highly recommend it.
Ultimately, The Intrigue is about greed, desire, and the seduction to pull off the ultimate con. It’s a slow burn character driven novel and if that’s your jam, pre-order this bad boy right now! I hope you love it as much as I did.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date 7//14
Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted copy.
I’m very sad to admit that The Intrigue was my first time reading this talented author’s work. As you can see… I have no excuse. She’s been sitting on my shelves.
First and foremost, this is not a horror novel nor a fantasy book. I would classify this as historical fiction/noir.
It’s 1940’s Mexico. A handsome con artist, Ulises pulls his victims by mail correspondence. Perla invites him to her home after they’ve been in contact for a while, with hopes of getting better acquainted.
But, Perla’s niece and housemaid,Inés, is on to him. Will she spoil his plan? Or join him out of spiteful revenge?
Look, this was a little out of my comfort zone. I didn’t really know what to expect going in. In which, turned out to be a good thing! Because I was OBSESSED with this story! Her writing is incredibly rich. These characters were original and I felt it added so much to the book. We get a good sense of all the characters and the author allows us to empathize with each and every one of them. The dialect was some of my favorite! I need more just like it.
I started with the physical and then switched over to the audio at about 150 something pages. Honestly, the narrator sounded flat and like he was reading from a book…..so I would definitely recommend reading a physical copy. Either way, I really loved it and highly recommend it.
Ultimately, The Intrigue is about greed, desire, and the seduction to pull off the ultimate con. It’s a slow burn character driven novel and if that’s your jam, pre-order this bad boy right now! I hope you love it as much as I did.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Pub Date 7//14
Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted copy.
August 1, 2026
From one of my favorite authors comes another historical noir novel, this time much sexier than I usually expect from her!
Set in 1940's Mexico, a con man named Ulises preys on lonely older women by writing letters through a lonely hearts newspaper column, but this time he might be in deeper than he realized. Perla is a single older woman who runs a boarding house in a small town with her niece. Ines is desperate to escape her aunt and move to Mexico City, but doesn't have the resources to do it. She quickly figures out what Ulises is up to and wants in on the scheme. But there are layers of family secrets and there will be murders before the book is finished...
This does a great job of highlighting the moral and financial constraints placed on women at the time, especially from more gentrified families. They had few options, often had to rely on men for financial survival, and were disallowed sexual promiscuity. Moreno-Garcia does a great job writing complex female characters and this novel is no exception. Noir isn't my favorite genre by this was great. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Set in 1940's Mexico, a con man named Ulises preys on lonely older women by writing letters through a lonely hearts newspaper column, but this time he might be in deeper than he realized. Perla is a single older woman who runs a boarding house in a small town with her niece. Ines is desperate to escape her aunt and move to Mexico City, but doesn't have the resources to do it. She quickly figures out what Ulises is up to and wants in on the scheme. But there are layers of family secrets and there will be murders before the book is finished...
This does a great job of highlighting the moral and financial constraints placed on women at the time, especially from more gentrified families. They had few options, often had to rely on men for financial survival, and were disallowed sexual promiscuity. Moreno-Garcia does a great job writing complex female characters and this novel is no exception. Noir isn't my favorite genre by this was great. I received a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
September 14, 2026
silvia moreno garcia is never going to lead me astray. she is my religion
and when she always delivers a romance that makes me feral what then???
and when she always delivers a romance that makes me feral what then???
July 20, 2026
Ulises Linares plies the lonely hearts columns of wartime Mexico City, courting widows through the mail with a silvered hairline and an equally silvered tongue. His epistolary hunting grounds route him toward Puerco Ahogado (not the dish), a mountain town fogged in perpetual chipichipi drizzle, and a room inside the crumbling guesthouse.
Perla Inclán runs that guesthouse on the fumes of her father's coffee empire, counting beans and pesos with matching stinginess. Her niece Inés serves supper, mends hems, and endures a status somewhere between family and unpaid staff, orphaned by a mother's fatal tumble down the very stairs she still dreams about. Ulises means to charm the aunt and instead ends up drawn toward the girl folding his stained jacket, obsidian eyes included.
Moreno-Garcia builds her intrigue slowly, letting us steep alongside Ulises as he tallies the value of chipped china and cracked fountains, weighing whether Perla's fortune justifies a longer stay.
A professor smuggles sherry past a locked cabinet. A suitor bribes the help for gossip. A dog gets banished for napping on a dead monsignor's settee. Then the plot turns bitter. A locked desk yields a forgotten father, an unclaimed inheritance, and a motive honed past any coffee grinder's edge. Sherry stops being a polite nightcap.
Two grifters, one professional and one born of pure domestic grievance, discover a shared talent for deception. Their courtship plays out in stolen glances over canasta and midnight visits meant to look accidental.
Ulises came for an easy mark and got outmatched by an amateur armed with a garden full of toxic seeds. Inés, raised on Nepomuceno's Greek myths, absorbs lessons about ambitious mortals and vengeful gods far better than her Latin conjugations.
Moreno-Garcia frames her romance against a Mexico caught between blackout drills and society pages, a country performing patriotism at cocktail parties while black market sugar changes hands under the counter. The historical texture stays stitched into the plotting instead of floating above it. Every period detail, from swastika flagged cars to rationed sugar, deepens the moral rot Ulises and Inés are about to commit.
If you are hoping for a tidy romance you should adjust your expectations. This courtship runs on poison and property law, and Moreno-Garcia clearly enjoys watching her spinster heroine reveal claws keener than any suitor imagined. The novel percolates instead of racing, favoring atmosphere and slow building dread over pulpy speed.
A gothic confidence game, brewed strong, served scalding, and best enjoyed without sugar. 3 ½ stars.
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❤️ 🇮🇱
Perla Inclán runs that guesthouse on the fumes of her father's coffee empire, counting beans and pesos with matching stinginess. Her niece Inés serves supper, mends hems, and endures a status somewhere between family and unpaid staff, orphaned by a mother's fatal tumble down the very stairs she still dreams about. Ulises means to charm the aunt and instead ends up drawn toward the girl folding his stained jacket, obsidian eyes included.
Moreno-Garcia builds her intrigue slowly, letting us steep alongside Ulises as he tallies the value of chipped china and cracked fountains, weighing whether Perla's fortune justifies a longer stay.
A professor smuggles sherry past a locked cabinet. A suitor bribes the help for gossip. A dog gets banished for napping on a dead monsignor's settee. Then the plot turns bitter. A locked desk yields a forgotten father, an unclaimed inheritance, and a motive honed past any coffee grinder's edge. Sherry stops being a polite nightcap.
Two grifters, one professional and one born of pure domestic grievance, discover a shared talent for deception. Their courtship plays out in stolen glances over canasta and midnight visits meant to look accidental.
Ulises came for an easy mark and got outmatched by an amateur armed with a garden full of toxic seeds. Inés, raised on Nepomuceno's Greek myths, absorbs lessons about ambitious mortals and vengeful gods far better than her Latin conjugations.
Moreno-Garcia frames her romance against a Mexico caught between blackout drills and society pages, a country performing patriotism at cocktail parties while black market sugar changes hands under the counter. The historical texture stays stitched into the plotting instead of floating above it. Every period detail, from swastika flagged cars to rationed sugar, deepens the moral rot Ulises and Inés are about to commit.
If you are hoping for a tidy romance you should adjust your expectations. This courtship runs on poison and property law, and Moreno-Garcia clearly enjoys watching her spinster heroine reveal claws keener than any suitor imagined. The novel percolates instead of racing, favoring atmosphere and slow building dread over pulpy speed.
A gothic confidence game, brewed strong, served scalding, and best enjoyed without sugar. 3 ½ stars.
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❤️ 🇮🇱
July 22, 2026
Set in 1940s Veracruz, Mexico, The Intrigue follows Ulises, a charming con man who travels from town to town targeting lonely women for their money. His next mark is Perla, a wealthy spinster who owns a guesthouse, but Perla’s niece, Ines, figures out his scheme and proposes they split the profits instead. She had her own history with her Aunt Perla that drives her to get out of her house.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s descriptive writing is, as always, excellent. She brings Veracruz to life, and the atmosphere is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Unlike her supernatural novels, this is a character-driven story more in the vein of The Beautiful Ones, my favorite by the author.
It’s clear from the beginning that Ulises and Ines aren’t meant to be admirable people, and perhaps the novel is intended as a study of the darker side of human nature. I just wished there had been a deeper exploration of their pasts than what we do get. Even Perla, who should inspire some sympathy for being the victim, is difficult to root for. But to be honest, I was hoping for a not so good ending for her. The story also had the melodramatic feel of a telenovela, which some readers may enjoy, but it wasn’t quite for me. But the “intrigue” of it all kept me reading, even though it was predictable. While I appreciated Moreno-Garcia’s writing, I found the story a bit dry and emotionally distant, and I kept hoping for a character arc that never quite happened for me. 2.75 stars
Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s descriptive writing is, as always, excellent. She brings Veracruz to life, and the atmosphere is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. Unlike her supernatural novels, this is a character-driven story more in the vein of The Beautiful Ones, my favorite by the author.
It’s clear from the beginning that Ulises and Ines aren’t meant to be admirable people, and perhaps the novel is intended as a study of the darker side of human nature. I just wished there had been a deeper exploration of their pasts than what we do get. Even Perla, who should inspire some sympathy for being the victim, is difficult to root for. But to be honest, I was hoping for a not so good ending for her. The story also had the melodramatic feel of a telenovela, which some readers may enjoy, but it wasn’t quite for me. But the “intrigue” of it all kept me reading, even though it was predictable. While I appreciated Moreno-Garcia’s writing, I found the story a bit dry and emotionally distant, and I kept hoping for a character arc that never quite happened for me. 2.75 stars
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August 21, 2026THE INTRIGUE
BY SYLVIA MORENO-GARCIA
Whenever I am in the mood for reading something on the dark and murky side, I pick one of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's novels especially one of her noir works or a historical fiction piece.
She never dissapoints.
BY SYLVIA MORENO-GARCIA
Whenever I am in the mood for reading something on the dark and murky side, I pick one of Sylvia Moreno-Garcia's novels especially one of her noir works or a historical fiction piece.
She never dissapoints.
Did Not Finish
July 24, 2026DNF at 30%. The writing was fabulous, the plot was just taking too long to develop. Slow burn was unfortunately too slow for me.
No rating since I didn’t make it more than halfway.
No rating since I didn’t make it more than halfway.
December 2, 2025
This was such a good book with themes of desire, greed, and cons! Ulises is an interesting character and a sneaky con artist but young Ines throws him off his game when he targets Perla, her aunt. As the plot evolved I found myself paranoid of who could be trusted and what everyone’s intentions really were. There were definitely twists and it made this book very hard to put down! I read it in a matter of hours because I was so hooked on the plot. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
August 24, 2026
I absolutely love when the woman is crazier than the man.
I started this for the mystery and stayed for the romance, and while I’m not completely content with the way the ending was carried out, I regardless adored everything else about this. I need to read more noir books like The Intrigue, because this had it all from blackmail, to late-night mischief, to dark and stormy weather, to murder and cover ups.
Can’t wait to read another book by Moreno-Garcia.
4.5 ⭐️
I started this for the mystery and stayed for the romance, and while I’m not completely content with the way the ending was carried out, I regardless adored everything else about this. I need to read more noir books like The Intrigue, because this had it all from blackmail, to late-night mischief, to dark and stormy weather, to murder and cover ups.
Can’t wait to read another book by Moreno-Garcia.
4.5 ⭐️
July 16, 2026
4⭐️ | This book further confirmed for me that I’d read anything Silvia Moreno-Garcia writes.
I love how she explores different genres in her novels, and this one is a gripping mix of noir and costumbrista.
Set in 1940s Mexico, the story follows a conman who swindles lonely women through mail correspondence. In his latest scam, he travels to a small mountain town to attempt to win over the unmarried matriarch of a respected family and things don’t quite go according to plan.
I love a morally gray character, and this book features a whole cast of them. The writing was artful and engrossing and I truly felt transported in time to the small town of Puerco Ahogado, where customs and status are everything, and the residents go to extreme lengths to maintain appearances. I especially liked the exploration of decay underneath these façades. I’d recommend this book to fans of noir and historical fiction, especially if you’re looking for a well written book featuring moral ambiguity.
Thank you to Del Rey and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for sharing the advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
I love how she explores different genres in her novels, and this one is a gripping mix of noir and costumbrista.
Set in 1940s Mexico, the story follows a conman who swindles lonely women through mail correspondence. In his latest scam, he travels to a small mountain town to attempt to win over the unmarried matriarch of a respected family and things don’t quite go according to plan.
I love a morally gray character, and this book features a whole cast of them. The writing was artful and engrossing and I truly felt transported in time to the small town of Puerco Ahogado, where customs and status are everything, and the residents go to extreme lengths to maintain appearances. I especially liked the exploration of decay underneath these façades. I’d recommend this book to fans of noir and historical fiction, especially if you’re looking for a well written book featuring moral ambiguity.
Thank you to Del Rey and Silvia Moreno-Garcia for sharing the advanced copy of this book via NetGalley.
July 16, 2026
This is a painful two-star review. I read Moreno-Garcia's last novel, 'The Bewitching', and was, well, bewitched by her writing. The quality of prose is not lacking in 'The Intrigue', certainly. However, the story itself I found lacking. I am the type of reader that craves conflict and mystery, and I felt that this novel lacked either. I found myself thinking it felt like a bad soap opera, only to find out in the author notes that it was entirely intentional. I fear that, to really hit that campy telenovela mark, it needed a lot more outrageousness. This story felt entirely bland, predictable, and glacially slow moving. It made me very sad to have enjoyed it as little as I did.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me the Advanced Reader Copy.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me the Advanced Reader Copy.
March 24, 2026
So fun so good so atmospheric! Perfect little thriller and beautifully written. I love every character!
Very Patricia highsmith!!
Very Patricia highsmith!!
July 27, 2026
Silvia Moreno-Garcia loves noir, and loves to write about different parts of Mexican history. (See her previous book 'Silver Nitrate'). In this book, set in 1943, she writes about a con man coming to a small mountain town to inveigle a spinster to marry him, or to get her money any other way.
The con man calls himself Ulises, and he learned the trade from his father who died just a couple years prior. It turns out Ulises is not nearly as good. But he's handsome and glib, and is trying to move beyond penny-ante cons. This is the one he hopes sets him up for life.
The spinster, Perla, is a part of the moneyed class in this small town, and has a live-in niece who is the bastard child of Perla's dead sister. The niece is expected to live with Perla until she dies, and Perla treats the niece, Inés, with disdain. Inés chafes at her treatment but is dirt poor and has no other place to go. Then Ulises arrives at Perla's invitation after corresponding with him through personal ads in the magazines.
The stage is set with the important characters for an intriguing novel. Perla is imperious but harbors secrets and vices, Ulises is a little out of his depth but charming, and Inés is wondering if this is her chance to break free. It all comes together into an unexpected noir-ish ending. Yes, people die, but probably not who the reader would expect.
I didn't like this book as much as I did 'Silver Nitrate', partly because I found the Mexican movie business of the mid-20th century more interesting than life in a small town in Veracruz. Still, there are plenty of secrets, sultry looks and some surprisingly graphic sex moments, while everyone tries to figure out how to carve a life for themselves out of this town. One of the sub-themes is the rigid class structure of the time and how people were locked into their roles, both socially and economically.
Sometimes Moreno-Garcia writes fantasy novels, but this is not one. This is a straight historical fiction noir almost entirely set in a small Mexican town. For a book with a fantasy element, see her previous book, 'The Bewitching'.
The con man calls himself Ulises, and he learned the trade from his father who died just a couple years prior. It turns out Ulises is not nearly as good. But he's handsome and glib, and is trying to move beyond penny-ante cons. This is the one he hopes sets him up for life.
The spinster, Perla, is a part of the moneyed class in this small town, and has a live-in niece who is the bastard child of Perla's dead sister. The niece is expected to live with Perla until she dies, and Perla treats the niece, Inés, with disdain. Inés chafes at her treatment but is dirt poor and has no other place to go. Then Ulises arrives at Perla's invitation after corresponding with him through personal ads in the magazines.
The stage is set with the important characters for an intriguing novel. Perla is imperious but harbors secrets and vices, Ulises is a little out of his depth but charming, and Inés is wondering if this is her chance to break free. It all comes together into an unexpected noir-ish ending. Yes, people die, but probably not who the reader would expect.
I didn't like this book as much as I did 'Silver Nitrate', partly because I found the Mexican movie business of the mid-20th century more interesting than life in a small town in Veracruz. Still, there are plenty of secrets, sultry looks and some surprisingly graphic sex moments, while everyone tries to figure out how to carve a life for themselves out of this town. One of the sub-themes is the rigid class structure of the time and how people were locked into their roles, both socially and economically.
Sometimes Moreno-Garcia writes fantasy novels, but this is not one. This is a straight historical fiction noir almost entirely set in a small Mexican town. For a book with a fantasy element, see her previous book, 'The Bewitching'.
July 14, 2026
The Intrigue by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a fantastic noir novel and I loved it. Ulises is a conman a Casanova. Making his money off women. His partner in crime was his dad, but he died a couple years ago, and Ulises is down to his last pesos. He does still have women that send him money to help him out because they believe he is their prince charming who will be coming to save them. Ulises feels he is finally on to a big enough score when he finds Perla. Unfortunately, Perla's niece figures out Ulises game and she demands a cut. She will help him, but wants half the take. What is Ines' game? She provides good and unexpected help to Ulises and he begins to have complicated feelings about the situation he finds himself in. Our characters are well drawn and this story moves at a good pace. I highly recommend this read. Thank you so much Net Galley for this e-arc. I loved it. 4.5 stars.
November 30, 2025
(Disclaimer: I received the ARC from the publisher, but this has in no way influenced my review. My thoughts are entirely unbiased and honest.)
Absolutely floored with how this author consistently makes you feel immersed with the setting and genre she chooses her story to have.
Not really a spoiler but I was fully convinced that Puerco Ahogado was a real place until the Notes chapter revealed otherwise.
I'm rating this 4.25 because I found the character-building and its story progression better compared to the previous releases. Last book of hers I really enjoyed was The Beautiful Ones.
This book is kind of its edgier cousin with all the killing, kissing (and more), and just the overall darker themes rooted in class struggles and patriarchy.
Perla aka the Bigger Baddie is a very well-written villain. She sucks so bad hahaha
(I've been reading Silvia Moreno-Garcias' works before Mexican Gothic.)
I daresay Inés and Ulises may be the most romantic pairing this author ever wrote and kind of the healthiest dkdkfk
(Her other main characters tend to have.... questionable dynamics.)
To be honest, the best thing about this book really is the doggie named, Diógenes huhu and if you know you know
Absolutely floored with how this author consistently makes you feel immersed with the setting and genre she chooses her story to have.
Not really a spoiler but I was fully convinced that Puerco Ahogado was a real place until the Notes chapter revealed otherwise.
I'm rating this 4.25 because I found the character-building and its story progression better compared to the previous releases. Last book of hers I really enjoyed was The Beautiful Ones.
This book is kind of its edgier cousin with all the killing, kissing (and more), and just the overall darker themes rooted in class struggles and patriarchy.
Perla aka the Bigger Baddie is a very well-written villain. She sucks so bad hahaha
(I've been reading Silvia Moreno-Garcias' works before Mexican Gothic.)
I daresay Inés and Ulises may be the most romantic pairing this author ever wrote and kind of the healthiest dkdkfk
(Her other main characters tend to have.... questionable dynamics.)
To be honest, the best thing about this book really is the doggie named, Diógenes huhu and if you know you know
June 28, 2026
Did anything actually happen in this book?
There were fleeting moments when I almost got drawn in, and then they were gone. The whole book seemed to be one big prologue. I am much more interested in the characters as they are in the prologue than I was in any chapter throughout the book itself.
This was well written, but a well written story without a story line is still a story without a storyline.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There were fleeting moments when I almost got drawn in, and then they were gone. The whole book seemed to be one big prologue. I am much more interested in the characters as they are in the prologue than I was in any chapter throughout the book itself.
This was well written, but a well written story without a story line is still a story without a storyline.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2026
New favorite of her books. This was so good
July 17, 2026
4.25⭐️ but thinking if it should be 4.5🤨
Thank you @delreybooks and @prhaudio for the free ARC + audiobook ♡
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ׂCatch Me if You Can set in the dank outskirts of Mexico City.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/Da5NUfTEa5i/
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The pacing in this one is a bit slower, but the writing is beautiful, and allows you to sink into the vibrant culture that is 1940s Mexico, on the cusp of world war and in a time where people still pen letters in correspondence.
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Ulises is a con man making his living scamming lonely women. This alone should have made me hate him, but his next mark Perla is so deplorable that I almost started rooting for him 🙈😝
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However the star of the book is Inés, Perla’s niece, coming of age, seeking adventure and independence, who discovers the con, and springs into cahoots with Ulises.
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But is one of them going to double cross the other or will it blossom into a forbidden romance?! I really didn’t know which way I wanted it to go, as things spiraled darker and darker to the point of no return.
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Nothing like her priors that I have read, but still one that tickled my senses, unique and compelling. I think this will have mixed reviews bc of the literary noir feel and pacing but it worked for me.
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▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 Decent audio production, but not my favorite of all time. I felt the narrator a bit dry at times, and wished we had a diff voice for the female characters.
Thank you @delreybooks and @prhaudio for the free ARC + audiobook ♡
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ׂCatch Me if You Can set in the dank outskirts of Mexico City.
.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Da5NUfTEa5i/
.
The pacing in this one is a bit slower, but the writing is beautiful, and allows you to sink into the vibrant culture that is 1940s Mexico, on the cusp of world war and in a time where people still pen letters in correspondence.
.
Ulises is a con man making his living scamming lonely women. This alone should have made me hate him, but his next mark Perla is so deplorable that I almost started rooting for him 🙈😝
.
However the star of the book is Inés, Perla’s niece, coming of age, seeking adventure and independence, who discovers the con, and springs into cahoots with Ulises.
.
But is one of them going to double cross the other or will it blossom into a forbidden romance?! I really didn’t know which way I wanted it to go, as things spiraled darker and darker to the point of no return.
.
Nothing like her priors that I have read, but still one that tickled my senses, unique and compelling. I think this will have mixed reviews bc of the literary noir feel and pacing but it worked for me.
.
▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။|• 🎧 Decent audio production, but not my favorite of all time. I felt the narrator a bit dry at times, and wished we had a diff voice for the female characters.
July 27, 2026
4.5 always a good time with silvia
December 13, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley for the eArc in exchange for an honest review!
This was honestly such a great book with some brilliantly written characters that really evoked some deep feelings out of me. Ulises is such an interesting main character and you really feel for him throughout his scam marriage to Perla, who by the way is INSANE and I don't care about her upbringing— it doesn't justify the shit she's done to Ines.
As the plot continued, I really found myself wondering how it was all going to come together and I was still flipping through pages continuously as the plot thickened - none of this felt like filler and my interest was piqued throughout.
I definitely recommend giving this noir a go!
This was honestly such a great book with some brilliantly written characters that really evoked some deep feelings out of me. Ulises is such an interesting main character and you really feel for him throughout his scam marriage to Perla, who by the way is INSANE and I don't care about her upbringing— it doesn't justify the shit she's done to Ines.
As the plot continued, I really found myself wondering how it was all going to come together and I was still flipping through pages continuously as the plot thickened - none of this felt like filler and my interest was piqued throughout.
I definitely recommend giving this noir a go!
April 25, 2026
I really enjoyed this new book from Silvia Moreno-Garcia. She's an autobuy author for me, so I was looking forward to The Intrigue. It is very much a Gothic Noir.
Think 1940s Noir movies, small town hiding secrets and jealousy, morally grey characters, an attractive grifter, pacts to murder, and ruthless femme fatales, then mix in vintage telenovelas, classism, WWII Mexico and set it in a dank, crumbling mansion.
I ate it up! I love old Film Noir, like Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice.
The only thing I didn't love about this book is the cover, but that is just a quibble. Thanks to Del Ray and @netgalley for the ARC.
Think 1940s Noir movies, small town hiding secrets and jealousy, morally grey characters, an attractive grifter, pacts to murder, and ruthless femme fatales, then mix in vintage telenovelas, classism, WWII Mexico and set it in a dank, crumbling mansion.
I ate it up! I love old Film Noir, like Double Indemnity and The Postman Always Rings Twice.
The only thing I didn't love about this book is the cover, but that is just a quibble. Thanks to Del Ray and @netgalley for the ARC.
February 1, 2026
A great combination of high gothic drama (think family drama, an old decaying house, dynamics souring over decades) and two of just the worst people teaming up to con her shitty fucking aunt out of everything they can. Just the best kind of intrigue, and watching these two shitty people almost get found out multiple times is fantastic to watch.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was just pure mess and I loved almost every second of it
August 31, 2026
CBR Bingo: What I have left is season, I can't think of a way to shoehorn this into that so we're just calling this one my Free square--which means, yes, a completed bingo card!!! Since bingo came out AND I decided I needed to get back on this reading horse, I've written every review within 24 hours (12, really) of finishing a book AND committed to finishing another two off my back log (on average--one time I did four and then only wrote two the next day). Bingo really does work, I can't believe it took me as long as it did to get on board.
I'm pretty sure I picked this one up after seeing a shared post on Emmalita's (?) instagram wherein Morena-Garcia admitted that despite being a prolific author with quite a few hits, her latest was struggling and she was asking people to read it. And yes, while none of her works have quite reached the heights of Mexican Gothic, I was surprise to see that this work only has about 2,000 reviews--a full order of magnitude less than her next least reviewed books, and way out of line with her usual 30,000-40,000 range. The publishing industry is wild, I tell you, and it's hard to tell what will take off (Yesteryear) vs won't. I know I'm part of the problem, as much of my reading list comes in the form of recommendation lists from Goodreads or the NYT. But here I am, trying to make amends.
This is a straightforward (?) sort of 1940s con artistry story set in Mexico, as Morena-Garcia's work is (all of it? most of it? inspired by, at least). As she notes in her first review of this work, there isn't any horror or gothic element to it. Our characters are all stuck in a house, but it's for normal societal reasons, not spooky ones. And having read Mexican Gothic, I have to say that non-mystical reasons for being stuck and unable to escape are potentially even worse?
The book alternates between three different POVs and two timepoints. Our POV characters are:
Ulises (the name he uses for the book): a second generation con man, whose father's care bankrupted him and who has struggled to regain the success that he enjoyed under said father's tutelage. He's hoping he can marry his way out his troubles via
Perla: a small town gentlelady whom Ulises has been corresponding with, who owns a grand house that is now a boarding house to make some extra money during the challenging WW2 times. She's from a formerly wealthy family brought down low, utterly along except for
Inés: her niece, the bastard daughter of her late sister, who is even more irrevocably stuck caring for her aunt and will remain so until the day she dies
Ulises and Inés realize they are kindred spirits, of sorts, and try and team up to take down Perla, get her money, and flee. Of course, Perla has secrets of her own and hasn't made it to 40+ without learning how to avoid being fleeced.
The tension ratchets up quite quickly, and Moreno-Garcia does a good job in maintaining an equal balance between the three characters in terms of playing on your sympathies. We're smartly introduced to the least empathetic first (Ulises), and then to Inés and Perla. It was about 70% of the way through when I realized that my preferred, obvious (to me!) ending might not actually happen, and then I was absolutely hooked. Not sure why this hasn't caught on, but it absolutely should.
I'm pretty sure I picked this one up after seeing a shared post on Emmalita's (?) instagram wherein Morena-Garcia admitted that despite being a prolific author with quite a few hits, her latest was struggling and she was asking people to read it. And yes, while none of her works have quite reached the heights of Mexican Gothic, I was surprise to see that this work only has about 2,000 reviews--a full order of magnitude less than her next least reviewed books, and way out of line with her usual 30,000-40,000 range. The publishing industry is wild, I tell you, and it's hard to tell what will take off (Yesteryear) vs won't. I know I'm part of the problem, as much of my reading list comes in the form of recommendation lists from Goodreads or the NYT. But here I am, trying to make amends.
This is a straightforward (?) sort of 1940s con artistry story set in Mexico, as Morena-Garcia's work is (all of it? most of it? inspired by, at least). As she notes in her first review of this work, there isn't any horror or gothic element to it. Our characters are all stuck in a house, but it's for normal societal reasons, not spooky ones. And having read Mexican Gothic, I have to say that non-mystical reasons for being stuck and unable to escape are potentially even worse?
The book alternates between three different POVs and two timepoints. Our POV characters are:
Ulises (the name he uses for the book): a second generation con man, whose father's care bankrupted him and who has struggled to regain the success that he enjoyed under said father's tutelage. He's hoping he can marry his way out his troubles via
Perla: a small town gentlelady whom Ulises has been corresponding with, who owns a grand house that is now a boarding house to make some extra money during the challenging WW2 times. She's from a formerly wealthy family brought down low, utterly along except for
Inés: her niece, the bastard daughter of her late sister, who is even more irrevocably stuck caring for her aunt and will remain so until the day she dies
Ulises and Inés realize they are kindred spirits, of sorts, and try and team up to take down Perla, get her money, and flee. Of course, Perla has secrets of her own and hasn't made it to 40+ without learning how to avoid being fleeced.
The tension ratchets up quite quickly, and Moreno-Garcia does a good job in maintaining an equal balance between the three characters in terms of playing on your sympathies. We're smartly introduced to the least empathetic first (Ulises), and then to Inés and Perla. It was about 70% of the way through when I realized that my preferred, obvious (to me!) ending might not actually happen, and then I was absolutely hooked. Not sure why this hasn't caught on, but it absolutely should.
August 19, 2026
Viele interessante Details über das Landleben im Mexiko der 1940er, ich mochte die Erzählweise, aber irgendwie fand ich die Versprechen des guten Settings dann vom Plot nicht eingelöst. Kann aber sein, dass das Noir-Genre halt so ist, mein letzter Kontakt mit ihm ist lange her.
August 4, 2026
I loved this noir novel set in Mexico in 1943. Perla is now in her forties and basically a spinster. She runs a boarding house and has spent her life caring for her niece and her parents. When she was 19 the boy she thought she would wed proposed to another so she never married. Now that her parents have passed she is looking for love.
Ulises is a con artist who has spent his life swindling women out of money. He writes letters to Perla under the pretense of love. Ulises is really looking to swindle Perla out of her fortune. When he arrives at the boarding house he ends up in cahoots with her niece Ines. She is tired of being used as a housemaid for her aunt. She wants to work with Ulises and split the money.
Loved the family drama and the story behind it. Everyone is flawed. Once you start reading you wouldn’t want to put it down.
Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for my ARC. This book published July 14th.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#bestestbookclubever
Ulises is a con artist who has spent his life swindling women out of money. He writes letters to Perla under the pretense of love. Ulises is really looking to swindle Perla out of her fortune. When he arrives at the boarding house he ends up in cahoots with her niece Ines. She is tired of being used as a housemaid for her aunt. She wants to work with Ulises and split the money.
Loved the family drama and the story behind it. Everyone is flawed. Once you start reading you wouldn’t want to put it down.
Thank you @netgalley and @delreybooks for my ARC. This book published July 14th.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
#bestestbookclubever
August 5, 2026
I couldn’t put this down! This is the first Moreno-Garcia I’ve read, and it’s made me really want to pick up her other works.
This was such a great noir. I loved the setting of 1940s Mexico and our cast of characters were really well done. This was also a really sexy read. You could feel the tension between our characters and it worked really well.
Ulises is a conman who manipulates women in the lonely hearts section of the newspaper so he can make a buck quickly. His target is Perla, a spinster in a country town who comes from a family of means. Ulises arrives to marry her, but finds himself captivated by Perla’s niece, Inẽs. These characters are not good people, which I think is what kept me so invested in the story. Ulises is there purely to steal Perla’s money. Perla herself is terrible. She treats Inẽs horribly and never atones for the misdeeds of her past. Inẽs is a victim of her circumstances, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of them - including murder. Everything was so dramatic and well executed.
The romance between Ulises and Inẽs is so fun. They’re not exactly nice to each other, but that’s what I think I loved about it. Very Bonnie and Clyde-coded!
This was such a great noir. I loved the setting of 1940s Mexico and our cast of characters were really well done. This was also a really sexy read. You could feel the tension between our characters and it worked really well.
Ulises is a conman who manipulates women in the lonely hearts section of the newspaper so he can make a buck quickly. His target is Perla, a spinster in a country town who comes from a family of means. Ulises arrives to marry her, but finds himself captivated by Perla’s niece, Inẽs. These characters are not good people, which I think is what kept me so invested in the story. Ulises is there purely to steal Perla’s money. Perla herself is terrible. She treats Inẽs horribly and never atones for the misdeeds of her past. Inẽs is a victim of her circumstances, and she’s willing to do anything to get out of them - including murder. Everything was so dramatic and well executed.
The romance between Ulises and Inẽs is so fun. They’re not exactly nice to each other, but that’s what I think I loved about it. Very Bonnie and Clyde-coded!
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