Mangan keeps you guessing as identities shift and swap, in the style of Bergman’s Persona, spinning a tale of psychological obsession that’s perfect for fans of The Talented Mister Ripley and Rebecca. The dual perspectives-of the upper-crust, angst-ridden Alice, and of the pluckier, yet menacing Lucy-are masterfully narrated by Barrie Kreinik and Erin Mallon, making Tangerine especially perfect to devour in audio. Mangan’s doctoral thesis was in Gothic literature, and that defining sense of romantic terror drives the tale of two young women, Alice and Lucy, who meet in Morocco after a mysterious disaster at their Vermont college rips apart their close friendship. It’s not easy to describe such dazzling exoticism (from the midcentury Western perspective, anyway) without resorting to cliché, but nailing the setting is something Patricia Mangan’s first novel does with aplomb. Optioned for film by George Clooney's Smokehouse Pictures, with Scarlett Johansson to star.įor a few gray days this winter, I was catapulted from the Northeastern drizzle to the sultry, swarming streets of 1950s Tangier. Tangerine is a sharp dagger of an audiobook - 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. 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. Lucy - always fearless and independent - helps Alice emerge from her flat and explore the country.īut soon a familiar feeling starts to overtake Alice - she feels controlled and stifled by Lucy at every turn. She has not adjusted to life in Morocco, too afraid to venture out into the bustling medinas and oppressive heat.

But there Lucy was, trying to make things right and return to their old rhythms. After the accident at Bennington, the two friends - once inseparable roommates - haven't spoken in over a year. The last person Alice Shipley expected to see since arriving in Tangier with her new husband was Lucy Mason.

Tangerine by Christine Mangan