Midnight Cactus

By Bella Pollen

To the south lies Mexico. To the north you can see the flat plains and snow tipped peaks of the Patagonia Mountains . . . and in between is a strange and wild landscape representing a freedom so great that for a long moment, I find it hard to breathe.

On the run from her claustrophobic marriage in London, Alice Coleman moves her two small children to the Arizona desert with the intention of renovating an abandoned mining town on the Mexican Border - and there finds an escape and solitude she hadn’t thought possible.

But in the dusty, alien atmosphere, where it seems that everyone – from Benjàmin, the town’s Mexican caretaker to the laconic cowboy, Duval – has something to hide, Alice is uncertain whom to trust.

As winter moves to scorching summer, what seemed idyllic turns deadly as Alice is drawn deeper into an obsessive quest for revenge, until finally she must decide how far she is willing to go to cling on to her freedom and what exactly she will have to sacrifice.

Fierce and compelling, Midnight Cactus explores the territory between unrealized dreams and the pull of family. In a blistering climax Alice discovers it is only by risking everything that you learn what is really worth living for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan
• Release date: Mar 21, 2011
• ISBN: 9780330530484

Bella Pollen

Bella Pollen is a writer and journalist who contributes to a wide variety of newspapers and magazines, including the Sunday Telegraph, American Vogue, Harpers and Queen and the Observer. Her novel Hunting Unicorns was winner of the Richard & Judy Summer Read 2004. Bella lives in Ladbroke Grove, London. www.bellapollen.com

Reviews for Midnight Cactus

[mchwest · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was really a good read. I loved the wordy description of the desert and mountains, it would personally be too hot for me there but what a beautiful place to see, at least in my imagination for now. It also brings to mind the problem we have with the border of Mexico, no I don't think we should build a wall, but there has to be a more humane way to deal wit hour neighbors to the south. This book sat on my TBR shelf for a while, I'm happy for that because it gave me something different to read in a bit of a difficult time.

[fross_22 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I read this because I loved her other book.However I did not enjoy this - not a good read

[shelleyraec · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a little slow to start with and I wasn't sure where it was going but eventually I found it quite intriguing - mainly for the story surrounding border crossings and the issues surrounding that. I thought the female lead was an idiot at times, she could be incredibly thoughtless and selfish and naive but I am willing to temper that with the idea that her unfamiliarity with the country really would mean she would have little clue, and her lifestyle was previously all about her. Not the best mother, but the children provided some moments of relief that I thought were clever and had a character of their own.Benjamin's character and story was interesting, as were minor characters such as Winfred and Nora. In fact I would have liked a little closer look at them.Duval I liked, a tough yet compassionate man is alwasy irresistable. He has an interesting part in the story.Men like the dentist should be forced to do the border crossing, or be hunted across the desert. Its not his land he cares about, but power.Anyway, an interesting read, an issue that is new to me and would recommend it if asked.

[zojo_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not my usual choice at all but it was on offer, and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! She tells the story really well and the subject matter intrigued me too. Would recommend as a good easy read.