Shari Stauch
Two very distinctive works of historical fiction this week—one set in 1940s Mexico by bestselling author of “Mexican Gothic” and the other taking place in post-Civil War South Carolina in our own Lowcountry backyard. Visit tinyurl.com/aurr6k9f for all this year’s picks.
Schemes and seduction
“The Intrigue” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia veers from fantasy and horror to this 1940s noir.
“The Intrigue” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (ISBN 9780593874356 from Del Rey $31, paperback, 336 pages). Signed copies are available at Main Street Reads while supplies last.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia has built a remarkable career by refusing to be boxed into a single genre.
“The Intrigue” continues that streak, veering from fantasy and horror to this 1940s noir.
Meet Ulises, a charming swindler who has perfected the art of seducing lonely women before relieving them of their savings. He targets Perla, the seemingly wealthy owner of a boardinghouse in Veracruz. But Perla’s niece, Inés, uncovers his deception and proposes they work together instead. What begins as a simple scam quickly spirals into a tangle of betrayal, where no one proves quite as innocent—or as foolish—as they first appear.
Moreno-Garcia provides the perfect morally ambiguous characters. You may find yourself rooting for people who lie, manipulate, and betray. And the book’s Mexican setting is brilliant, a “character” with its own facades.
Fans who appreciate psychological suspense and elegant prose will love this blend of romance, crime, and classic noir.
Verdict: Fantastic literary noir filled with deception, desire, and unforgettable characters.
Hope in warn-torn South
Set in South Carolina at the close of the Civil War, “The Irish Visitor” by Lindy Keane Carter explores survival, forgiveness, and the unexpected ways hope can flourish.
“The Irish Visitor” by Lindy Keane Carter (9781732052024 from Milledge & Lumpkin Publishing, $18.99 paperback 206 pages). Readers can meet the author in person at Main Street Reads Sunday, July 26, at 2:30 p.m., where she’ll be signing copies of “The Irish Visitor” and “The Rice Birds.”
This is a lovely new historical novel that explores survival, forgiveness, and the unexpected ways hope can flourish. Set in South Carolina at the close of the Civil War, Carter once again demonstrates why bestselling author Mary Alice Monroe praises her “transportive prose” and her gift for bringing resilient women and authentic history vividly to life.
