Tangerine

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Tangerine, a maddening mystery set in the '50s, simmers in the ambiance of the Moroccan city of Tangier. Surrounding secrets from the past, Tangerine is twisted and harrowing. Haunting. Recommended By Adrienne C., Powells.com

"As if Donna Tartt, Gillian Flynn, and Patricia Highsmith had collaborated on a screenplay to be filmed by Hitchcock — suspenseful and atmospheric." — Joyce Carol Oates, author of The Book of American Martyrs

The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason. After the accident at Bennington, the two friends — once inseparable roommates — haven’t spoken in over a year. But there Lucy was, trying to make things right and return to their old rhythms. Perhaps Alice should be happy. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, too afraid to venture out into the bustling medinas and oppressive heat. Lucy — always fearless and independent — helps Alice emerge from her flat and explore the country.

But soon a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice — she feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. Then Alice’s husband, John, goes missing, and Alice starts to question everything around her: her relationship with her enigmatic friend, her decision to ever come to Tangier, and her very own state of mind.

Tangerine is a sharp dagger of a book — a debut so tightly wound, so replete with exotic imagery and charm, so full of precise details and extraordinary craftsmanship, it will leave you absolutely breathless.

"In her utterly transfixing debut, Christine Mangan deftly transports readers to Northern Africa at midcentury — the most glamorous possible milieu, and the ideal setting for a story of heated passion, in which friendship becomes obsession and, finally, a kind of madness." Rumaan Alam, author of Rich and Pretty

"Promises to be one of the best debuts of the year....Echoes of Gillian Flynn and Patricia Highsmith in this tightly wound, exotic story." Entertainment Weekly

"If you liked The Talented Mr. Ripley, then you’re going to go wild for this taut thriller....Absolutely delicious." Nylon Magazine

"The thriller that everyone will be talking about....One of those sinuous, Hitchcockian tales that disorients in the best way....Hypnotic." Esquire

Christine Mangan has her PhD in English from University College Dublin, where her thesis focused on 18th-century Gothic literature, and an MFA in fiction writing from the University of Southern Maine. Tangerine is her first novel.

I had dreamt of going to Africa for as long as I could remember. In fact, at some point during my childhood, I had made a list of goals — a checklist of sorts, for the adult version of me...

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