Rozan’s remote Coahoma County is as atmospheric as her New York City, and the Chinese-American traditions of 'paper sons' (Chinese who immigrated to the U.S. with fraudulent papers) and their shopkeeping history in the South are craftily revealed in her trademark elegant prose. This new title in an award-winning and critically acclaimed series will be welcomed by fans. And what will they make of the big surprise in the final chapter?
... outstanding ... Rozan's intricate plotting and affinity for characterization is seamless, making the reader remember how much we missed spending time with these private detectives. Rozan uses the historical footnote of Chinese grocers as a springboard for a rich, deeply satisfying mystery.
... the twists and turns mean that nothing is what the reader expects—and the ending is a shock ... I loved the history in this book, and I learned quite a bit ... But my favorite part of this book is its message. At its heart, this is a book about family, both near and far. For the Chinese—and the people in Mississippi—family is all-important. Family ties prove to be the critical piece of the puzzle.
As usual, Rozan is adept at devising a plausible but intricate mystery for her leads. She also presents a nuanced look at the experiences of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. Her superior prose and characterizations will make even newcomers hope for a shorter wait for the next book in the series.
Rozan is far too conscientious a plotter to settle for detective tourism, and the solution manages to be both utterly predictable in its broad outlines—even the book’s title is a broad wink—and mind-bogglingly complicated in its details ... a triumphant return of this sorely missed franchise.
