Midnight Cactus - by Bella Pollen (Paperback)

About the Book

The best-selling author of "Hunting Unicorns" returns with a stirring and suspenseful tale of love and the quest for freedom, vividly set in the wild lands between Arizona and the Mexican border. On the run from her claustrophobic marriage in London, Alice Coleman moves her two small children to the American desert hoping to find the solitude she craves but hadn't thought possible. But the vast and unruly southwest has room for the dreams of more than one fugitive--from Benjamin, an abandoned mining town's Mexican caretaker, to the immigrants who risk their lives to cross the border, to the laconic cowboy Duval, who Alice finds herself falling for. What seemed idyllic turns deadly as Alice must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice in order to preserve not only her freedom, but Benjamin and Duvall's as well. Building to a blistering climax, "Midnight Cactus "is both a perilous love story and a compelling exploration of the tension between unrealized dreams and the pull of family.

Book Synopsis

The best-selling author of Hunting Unicorns returns with a stirring and suspenseful tale of love and the quest for freedom, vividly set in the wild lands between Arizona and the Mexican border. On the run from her claustrophobic marriage in London, Alice Coleman moves her two small children to the American desert hoping to find the solitude she craves but hadn't thought possible. But the vast and unruly southwest has room for the dreams of more than one fugitive--from Benjamin, an abandoned mining town's Mexican caretaker, to the immigrants who risk their lives to cross the border, to the laconic cowboy Duval, who Alice finds herself falling for. What seemed idyllic turns deadly as Alice must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice in order to preserve not only her freedom, but Benjamin and Duvall's as well. Building to a blistering climax, Midnight Cactus is both a perilous love story and a compelling exploration of the tension between unrealized dreams and the pull of family.

Review Quotes

"A delightful and rewarding novel, with moments of startling beauty ... Pollen is entirely in control of her material, perfectly pacing the book to tantalizingly unravel secrets. The setting is as enigmatic as the eccentric characters.... Successfully marries literary and commercial fiction ... compelling ... intelligent and provocative." -- Kim Aikman

"A sensitive tale of decamping to Arizona, getting caught up in an illegal immigrant run and needing to face reality. Highly recommended."

"A wittily written story ... As author Bella Pollen adds unforeseen twists and turns, Alice is forced to the very edge of reason. You can be assured of a sophisticated yet gripping page-turner."

"Effortlessly readable, this is an engrossing novel about love, alienation, and political intrigue.... Pollen perfectly captures the emotional turbulence of her heroine and the unforgiving beauty of this arid territory." -- Simon Humphreys

"Gripping and a good story ... Has all the best things about cowboy books. [Pollen] has a way with words--specifically children's words, which is really rare."

"Unexpectedly warm and witty while depicting the tough life of illegal immigrants and the ruthlessness of those out to expose them." -- Sarah Broadhurst