Tangerine

As if Donna Tartt, Gillian Flynn and Patricia Highsmith had collaborated in a screenplay to be filmed by Hitchcock - suspenseful and atmospheric
Atmospheric . . . If The Talented Mr Ripley was recast with female leads and transplanted to Tangier, it might read a lot like Tangerine
The shade of Patricia Highsmith hangs over this sinister and serpentine thriller that really got me by the throat . . . a riveting tale of obsessive love
Riveting . . . unputdownable
A plot as twisty as the streets of its dazzling Tangier setting
Assured and atmospheric
Like Highsmith, Tartt and Flynn, the author excels in portraying the troubled boundaries between selves through themes of obsession, stalking and otherwise crossing the line in close relationships . . . engages the reader to the bitter end
A taut, brilliant thriller set in 50s Morocco; perfect escapism
It is an accomplished, ominous, evocative tale of spiralling obsession, skilfully pulled off
An assured and atmospheric debut
A helluva tense read . . . Tangerine by Christine Mangan doesn't disappoint
Atmospheric . . . echoes of other writers, most notably Patricia Highsmith, are ever present
The plot unfolds as a cross between The Talented Mr Ripley and The Girl on the Train
A satisfying, juicy thriller . . . knows all the notes to hit to create lush, sinister atmosphere and to prolong suspense
A tightly wound debut that will leave you breathless
An eerie filmic debut that reminded me of Patricia Highsmith
A sultry, Ripley-esque tale of manipulation and obsession.

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 more than a year. But here was Lucy, trying to make things right and return to their old rhythms. Perhaps Alice should be glad for a friendly face. 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 to 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.