I found this a rather confusing read at times. The author's choice to move back and forth from the two main characters telling their stories not always in chronological order was somewhat taxing.

What a strange novel: not at all what I was expecting and certainly not dull. I found it engaging and intriguing, and curiosity kept me reading to the conclusion. I found the behaviour of Louise at odds with her upbringing - she was not the shy retiring type as might have been expected from one who had lived a sheltered life, but a confident, worldly and mature woman. Henri in comparison was a man living with a conscience for past acts, swallowed up by an infatuation for a woman who had taken something him. Somewhat sad, emotional and thought provoking.

My thanks to the Bedford Square Publishers and NetGalley for this advance copy.

This was such a good book. I love historical fiction, especially when it is about eras/ situations that I previously knew nothing about and this was definitely one of those books. It was so well researched and so compelling in its narrative that not only did I love reading it but I felt that I learned too. A really enjoyable read and perfect for any fans of historical fiction.

The E-Book could be improved and more user-friendly, such as links to the chapters, no significant gaps between words and a cover for the book would be better. It is very document-like instead of a book. A star has been deducted because of this.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

I was taken in by the title, The Continental Affair and with it being set, for the major part, on a train. So it was with Rachmaninoff's piano concerto No.2 playing in my head, that I turned the first page. Yes, I was thinking of a more modern Brief Encounter. The story is about two people trying to escape their past but brought together by happenstance, being in the right place at the right time to take some money which the other was overseeing, albeit from a distance. It was Louise who picked up the money and Henri whose job it was to ensure that the transaction went smoothly but Louise was not the intended recipient. So, Henri now follows Louise to try an recover the money. This takes them across Europe and to Istanbul. Henri is not the only one interested in the recovery of the money, so now the pursuer is pursued. Louise and Henri over the course of the journey loosely get acquainted and have a dalliance in Istanbul but an affair it certainly wasn't.
The novel was well written and interesting, the ending alluded to the romance which was never quite there, so sadly the rich rises and falls of the music in my head was brought to a graunching halt by the needle skidding off the record.

Henri had escaped Algeria during the country’s battle for independence. He’d been a gendarme but the day he was called upon to question a man he’d known during his school days he realised he didn’t want to be here, doing this, anymore. He decided to leave this country he’d considered home and though he was technically a French national that country held little appeal to him, so he travelled instead to the country of his mother’s birth, Spain. There he fell into some small-time criminal activity as a way of getting by, as he tried to figure out his future.

Louise had grown up in England and felt imprisoned by the need to look after her tyrannical, disabled father. Her mother had deserted them both some while before, running off to France and failing to stay in touch. But her father has now passed away and she’s chosen to grab what little money she can find and set of for an adventure in a place she’d read about and dreamed of visiting: Alhambra in Grenada, Spain.

These two characters are to become acquainted in unusual circumstances. The consequences of their fateful convergence is to be explored in the pages that follow. It’s an intriguing tale that largely takes place during a train journey across continental Europe, ultimately headed for the city of Istanbul. Henri and Louise conduct a complex dance: both aware of each other’s presence and movements though they are rarely together.

I’m a little tempted to say that the whole thing is a case of style over substance. And yet, I liked the style very much. There are fantastic descriptions of all of the places visited here and the lead players are expertly drawn. I enjoyed the secrets that were slowly given voice and the skirmishes that take place throughout their journey. Then there’s the mystery of how this caper will turn out for both parties, and I found that I really cared about that too.

It’s a story of two complex and interesting people from very different backgrounds but who also have in common the fact that they’re both escaping something and have no clear picture of which direction they want life to take them. I’d enjoyed both of the author’s two previous books Tangerine and the outstanding Palace of the Drowned and with this novel Mangan has definitely cemented herself as a writer whose books I’ll seek out in future, routinely and without question.

A chance encounter and an epic journey across Europe to Istanbul, this equisitely written novel had me hook, line and sinker from the opening pages.

The scene setting is impeccable, the characterisation of Henri and Louise is perfect and set in the 60's it has the dark noir feel of a Hitchcock thriller.

It's not a fast paced novel and I didn't want it to be, I love the authors style of writing and wanted to savour every moment. Perfectly done, I loved it!

My thanks to Bedford Square Publishers and NetGalley for the advance copy, I was under no obligation and all opinions expressed are my own.

I felt this book took a while to warm up but once I got into the style of writing and the pacing I found it enjoyable.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review

Effortlessly Done..
1960’s, the train from Belgrade to Istanbul, Louise is on the run and Henri is in pursuit. As Henri follows Louise across the Continent chasing her and thus the money, the reader wonders what will become of this pair. What exactly will their futures hold? One thing is certain, nothing will be ordinary. A stylishly elegant thriller with perfectly crafted characters, a compelling plot and a breathless narrative. Gripping and effortlessly done.

I really like the writing style of Christine Mangan and "The Continental Affair" is on point. Set in 1960s we follow the pursuit of Louise across Europe by bus and train by Henri when a money drop goes wrong and he needs to retrieve it. There is such a cinematic vibe going on that I really wish this would be made into a film; I could just feel the heat, picture the beautiful Alhambra and smell the coffees. Stylish.

Running from something from her past Louise's misfortunes only increase when she stumbles into a deal taking place and absconds with a fortune in cash. Now being pursued will she escape or is her fate that to be caught.

This is the third Christine Mangan book that I've read and it's definitely my favourite. I adore her noir vibes, the slow but claustrophobic setting and the relationship between Louise and Henri. A slow but gripping novel; a recommended read but especially for those who like Patricia Highsmith.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review