'OK, disclaimer up front: I was involved in the final edit of this book and the author is a friend of mine. So naturally I am biased. But I'm also a person who writes and edits for a living and I would not plug this book in the way I am about to do if I didn't think it deserved it.
First of all, The Tango Game, like many good things, is light, but not shallow. The novel is set in Buenos Aires and New Zealand (but mostly Buenos Aires) and follows the events that unfold when librarian and tango aficionada Mandy visits the Tango Mecca to dance and reconnect with friends, only to have them mysteriously vanish within days of her arrival. I'm not giving away any more of the story because this is a story you'll enjoy most with no spoilers. It's a genuine pageturner. While I was reading to edit I found that I got caught up in the story and characters instead, which is a pretty good sign. It is thoughtfully and cleverly written, too, with lyrical grace and much wit.
Secondly, The Tango Game is that rare thing, a dance-themed novel that actually has dance in it. So often I'm disappointed when I pick up a book set "in the world of" some dance or other and find that the dance bit is just a sketchy backdrop to a story that could be about any kind of people. This book is set in the world of tango and tango - the steps, the conventions, the interactions, the lure of BA - plays a big part in it. If you *are* a tango dancer or have any interest in becoming one you will definitely enjoy reading this book.
I recommend this novel for fun holiday reading, for anyone who likes dance-centric stories, for anyone who likes travel novels and especially to anyone who rather fancies the idea of going to Buenos Aires and dancing with a succession of mysterious men while wearing fabulous heels.'
Facebook - Brigid Kelly - Brigid's notes
