NATIONAL BESTSELLER
“A juicy melodrama cast against the sultry, stylish imagery of North Africa in the fifties.” —The New Yorker
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 … 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.
Optioned for film by George Clooney’s Smokehouse Pictures, with Scarlett Johansson to star
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A twisted psychological thriller with a hint of Hitchcock that kept me turning pages!
I have mixed feelings about this book…I found the first half of the book to be a bit slow. For me, there was almost too much detail and imagery of Tangier and I found myself getting impatient and wanting more details of the plot and the characters. I thought the author did a great job with character development for the two main characters- Alice Shipley and Lucy Mason. Alice is a fragile young woman with a tragic past who struggles with anxiety. Lucy (her former college roommate) is obsessed with Alice and will do anything to be with her. I felt terrible for Alice because she really didn’t have any one truly on her side. At the same time, I despised Lucy and questioned why Alice ever let her in the apartment when she showed up unannounced in Tangier. The story really started to develop (and live up to its label as a psychological thriller) about halfway through the book – after the disappearance of Alice’s husband, events unfolded rather quickly. I was provided with an ARC by the publisher via BookShout.