August 12, 2013
Robinson’s uneven first novel introduces Bai Jiang, a souxun (or people finder) in San Francisco’s Chinatown. When 15-year-old Yu Ma comes to Bai and begs her to find her missing friend Jia Yan (who is also 15), Bai takes on the case. Her search for Jia leads her out of her neighborhood, with its gangs, killers, and sex traffickers, to Vancouver, Canada. While Bai is equally adept at inserting herself into risky situations as she is finding people, the reader has no sense that Bai could ever fail. Bai’s emotional dilemma over the conflict between her Buddhism and use of violence comes across as far-fetched as she chooses force at almost every juncture. In addition, her penchant for going after the villains before thinking things through wears the plot thin in places, while her philosophic insights can come across as sophomoric in the face of the despicable crimes she confronts. Agent: Kimberley Cameron, Kimberley Cameron & Associates.
October 1, 2013
Bai Jiang is a souxon, a people finder, working in San Francisco's Chinatown. Raised within the brutal world of the triad (Chinese organized crime), she is uniquely situated to help those in need in this secretive and brutal culture. A practicing Buddhist with a lethal fighting style, our heroine is an intriguing contradiction. This mystery opens with Bai and her partner Lee accepting an assignment to rescue a young Chinese girl sold into the sex trade. It isn't long before Bai realizes that triad politics, her ex-husband Jason, and even the safety of her daughter are in play. VERDICT The taut writing and excellent action sequences make this debut an engrossing read. The chemistry between Bai and her ex add a sensual flavor, but the Chinese proverbs titling each chapter prove a bit trying (especially since the same phrase is repeated in the chapter), and the author would do well to omit this in the next installment. Readers who like their suspense novels propelled by a strong female protagonist against the backdrop of a foreign culture will want to give this book a shot.--Amy Nolan, St. Joseph, MI
Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
September 15, 2013
The granddaughter of one of the most notorious triad overlords in San Francisco's Chinatown, Bai Jiang, is a souxon, or people finder. Her large inheritance allows her to pick and choose her cases. In this well-paced debut, she searches for a teenage girl whose brother traded her to a brothel in exchange for admittance to a local gang. Tracking the girl, Bai, business partner Lee, and Bai's dangerously sexy ex-boyfriend, Jason, encounter and summarily dispatch an assortment of assassins, pimps, and teenage thugs. Bai acquires extra backup when she gets the head of security at her daughter's school fired for slipping her a copy of some incriminating video footage. As the bodies pile up, Bai realizes that she's the real center of the storm. Identifying her enemies is easy, but deciding whether to let them live or not proves more complicated. A dagger-throwing Buddhist, Bai is a one-of-a-kind protagonist. Fans of feisty female investigators will find much to like in Robinson's first novel.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)