Synopsis/blurb……
Bai Jiang—San
Francisco’s best-known souxun (“people finder”)—is hired to track down the
mysterious Daniel Chen. Police inspector Kelly suspects Chen of being involved
in a botched drug heist that resulted in the death of an officer. Bai has her
own suspicions. She thinks the police
just want to see Chen dead.
Her investigation
leads Bai into deadly intrigue as she finds herself caught between
international intelligence agencies and merchants of war, who deal in death,
drugs, and high-jacked information.
To make matters
worse, she's thirty-something and dating again. It's not easy juggling a suitor
with family connections, a brazen young man who finds her irresistible, and her
ex--the father of her child.
World conflict and
family strife explode as adversaries face off in San Francisco's Chinatown, a
world away from the one we know.
My second time with author Thatcher Robinson and his souxun – Bai Jiang. The author’s debut novel – White Ginger was enjoyed back in October, 2013. (I hadn't realised
it was quite as long ago as that!) Review
here.
Bai and her friend, Lee are approached by Detective Kelly of
the SFPD for their help in tracking down a missing Chinese-American who is
wanted in connection with a drug deal gone bad. This resulted in a cop-killing.
Both drugs and a sizeable sum of police money have gone missing and Chen is a
POI. Kelly with a fondness for the drink is a barely functioning alcoholic. Bai
and Lee are naturally suspicious of the request, but with her Buddhist
philosophy and her personal karma to consider, Bai agrees to look into the
matter, if it means she can help save a life.
The search sees Bai crossing swords with a vicious Hispanic
gang member, Rafe from the notorious Nortenos. Further enquiries point them in
the direction of the University of California at Berkeley where Chen teaches.
Two dead Norteno gang members await them on arrival.
In the mean-time, Bai has complications on the home front.
She is being touted for marriage by her “mother” Elisabeth, to the wholly
unsuitable and indifferent Howard Kwan. Elisabeth is actually the estranged mother
of Jason. Jason is the father of Bai’s daughter and a ranking member for the Sun
Yee On triad. Jason and Bai are still caring and friendly towards each other,
but aren't a couple. Howard is actually Jason’s cousin and is hoping a marriage,
something being driven by his controlling mother Jade (estranged from her
sister Elizabeth also), Jade will secure him the presidency of their
multi-billion dollar company at the expense of his two feckless brothers……. still
with me?
A further death follows and with Bai humiliating Rafe while
adding another waif and stray to her family unit, and Lee getting shot while
tailing a mysterious man in black, the pace ramps up a couple of notches.
The case and our proposed nuptials, play out satisfactorily;
though not without moments of genuine terror. Great characters, especially
Bai’s family dynamic. By the conclusion, I had found myself warming to one
member that was extremely irritating to me at the start. Bai herself is warm, engaging, funny and
capable and someone I want to read more about in the future.
I loved the setting as well – San Francisco’s Chinatown.
Robinson’s prose is probably the closest I’ll get to visit the city, which will
do for me.
Moments of great humour throughout, particularly when Kelly
strolls into Bai’s office….
Kelly put the pint
carefully back inside his coat before taking a sip. “Aah….” A smile spread
across his face. “Nothing like a little Irish to start your day.”
Her brows lifted. “I
can only assume you’re referring to the whiskey.”
His eyes narrowed as
his face squeezed into a jaundiced grin. “Either one would put a smile on your
face.”
She frowned. “It’s
really sad when you can’t tell the difference between a smile and a grimace.”
He stared at her a
moment before shrugging off the comment. “I’d rather have a bottle in front of
me than a frontal lobotomy.”
“Seems a little late
to change your mind,” Lee observed.
Moments of sadness and regret at the demise of……. I’m not
saying – you’ll have to read it to find out who!
All boxes ticked – a 5-fer!
Thatcher Robinson
has his website here.
Thanks to the publisher Seventh
Street books for my copy of this.
I read the first of these - did you kindly send it to me, I can't remember - and liked it (though I don't seem to have blogged on it). I too love a San Francisco and Chinatown setting, so I should move on to this one.
ReplyDeleteI think I probably did. I possibly liked this one a bit more, so definitely recommend it.
DeleteSent for Kindle sample of White Ginger. I hope the Chinatown setting includes lots of scenes with food in them . . .
ReplyDeleteHave you read The Whites yet? It's terrific and right up your boulevard, Col.
Oh good I hope you're tempted enough to go further with it. I can't recall too much food if I'm honest, but my memory isn't all that, I'm afraid Mary.
DeleteThanks for the recce on The Whites. I haven't yet tried Richard Price, though I have a few in the tubs. I'll add this to the list, thank you.
I will have to give the first book a try. I keep meaning to, but it is Glen's and I already have a huge TBR pile. And commitments to read other books. Someday I am sure I will get to White Ginger.
ReplyDeleteNo problem, maybe Glen will get this one.....so when you've caught up a bit...
DeleteSounds intriguing. I must look out for the first one. Thanks for the headsup!
ReplyDeleteJohn - you're welcome. Hopefully another convert!
DeleteCol, I haven't read about San Francisco's famous, or infamous, Chinatown in quite a while. That and the Triad appear to be a regular setting in crime and thriller novels.
ReplyDeleteTime to get on-board then, Prashant!
Delete