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Lydia Chin & Bill Smith #7
Reflecting the Sky
S. J. Rozan is widely regarded as one of the finest crime writers to emerge in the past decade. Praised by critics and colleagues alike, her works have been finalists for most of the major awards and have won both the Shamus and the Anthony Awards for Best Novel. Now, with Reflecting the Sky, she has written her finest, most broad-ranging novel to date.
Lydia Chin, a Chinese-American private investigator in her late twenties, is hired by Grandfather Gao, one of the most respected figures in New York City's Chinatown, for what appears to be a simple task. Lydia, along with her professional partner Bill Smith, is to fly to Hong Kong to deliver a family heirloom to the young grandson of a recently deceased colleague of Grandfather Gao. They arrive in Hong Kong safely but before they can deliver the heirloom, the grandson is kidnapped and two, separate ransom demands are made. While the family of the kidnapped boy tries to freeze them out, Lydia and Bill must quickly learn their way around a place where the rules are different, the stakes are high, and the cost of failure is too dire to imagine.
Lydia Chin, a Chinese-American private investigator in her late twenties, is hired by Grandfather Gao, one of the most respected figures in New York City's Chinatown, for what appears to be a simple task. Lydia, along with her professional partner Bill Smith, is to fly to Hong Kong to deliver a family heirloom to the young grandson of a recently deceased colleague of Grandfather Gao. They arrive in Hong Kong safely but before they can deliver the heirloom, the grandson is kidnapped and two, separate ransom demands are made. While the family of the kidnapped boy tries to freeze them out, Lydia and Bill must quickly learn their way around a place where the rules are different, the stakes are high, and the cost of failure is too dire to imagine.
Reflecting the Sky is a 2002 Edgar Award Nominee for Best Novel.
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 2001
13 people are currently reading
269 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Rozan
125 books384 followersSJ Rozan, a native New Yorker, is the author of the Bill Smith and Lydia Chin detective series as well as several stand-alone novels. She has won the the Edgar, Nero, Macavity, Shamus and Anthony awards for Best Novel and the Edgar award for Best Short Story. She is a former Mystery Writers of America National Board member, a current Sisters in Crime National Board member, and President of the Private Eye Writers of America. In January 2003 she was an invited speaker at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In February 2005 she will be Guest of Honor at the Left Coast Crime convention in El Paso, Texas. A former architect in a practice that focussed on police stations, firehouses, and zoos, SJ Rozan was born and raised in the Bronx. She currently lives in Greenwich Village, New York. (from the author's website)"
S.J. Rozan has a B.A. from Oberlin College and M.Arch from SUNY/Buffalo
S.J. Rozan has a B.A. from Oberlin College and M.Arch from SUNY/Buffalo
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
December 31, 2014
Lydia and Bill go to Hong Kong. Bill manages to *nearly* get killed at least as often as Russ, though I guess big city makes it slightly more plausible. Lots of wonderful stuff in this one, and Lydia actually buys both of them mobile phones!
October 30, 2015
★ ★ ★ 1/2
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I love reading the conversations that Lydia and Bill have -- especially those that have little-to-nothing to do with their work. In the opening pages of this book, where Lydia explains to Bill what Grandfather Gao wants them to do, and where he wants them to do it, we get one of their better conversations. Bill has a lot of fun with the idea that the venerated Grandfather Gao wants him to do anything for him, much less travel to the other side of the planet for him.
Grandfather Gao, who looms large over Chinatown in general and Lydia's life in particular, wants the two of them to make a couple of deliveries to Hong Kong: the ashes of an old friend, and a package for that friend to be delivered to his brother.
Of course this simple errand doesn't go as planned -- it'd be a very short book if it did. As entertaining as it might be to read about these two playing tourist in Hong Kong, that's not the type of book Rozan wrrites. Soon, this errand plunges the partners into at least one kidnapping plot, a murder, and all sorts of other crimes. How much of this was predicted by Grandfather Gao is a question on everyone's mind.
The best part of this book is seeing Lydia in a strange land -- in NYC, the accent is on the "Chinese" in Chinese-American, by the way she was raised, where she lives (both neighborhood and with her mother), her family, and her appearance. But here? The accent is on "American." She gets a bit more of the culture and customs than your typical tourist, and a lot more of the language, but at the end of the day, she's a foreigner even where Bill's the one who looks different than most people she's around.
Now, no American detective (or pair) can wander around a foreign city, stirring up trouble and solving crimes without one ally. Lydia and Bill are helped out by Mark Quan, a detective raised in the American South who moved to Hong Kong later and became a police officer there. He, of course, has his own connection to Grandfather Gao -- which, at least, means that he can be trusted. At the end of the day, we're reminded more than once, that a cop is a cop no matter where you are, so even if he can be trusted, he's not that open to P.I. help (especially American P.I. help). I really enjoyed him as a character, and hope that he gets sent to NYC in the future to help with something in a Rush Hour/Red Heat-type move.
Bill, as usual, comes across as a better guy than he does in the books from his perspective. I appreciate that dynamic, he comes across as more heroic (if semi-annoyingly interested in Lydia -- from her perspective), and she comes across a bit more clever and resourceful in his books. He didn't get nearly enough to do, in my opinion, but I know he'll get his turn soon enough.
Not the best in this series, but man, it was entertaining. Loved seeing these two as fish out of water, yet still doing their thing. Bring on the next!
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I love reading the conversations that Lydia and Bill have -- especially those that have little-to-nothing to do with their work. In the opening pages of this book, where Lydia explains to Bill what Grandfather Gao wants them to do, and where he wants them to do it, we get one of their better conversations. Bill has a lot of fun with the idea that the venerated Grandfather Gao wants him to do anything for him, much less travel to the other side of the planet for him.
Grandfather Gao, who looms large over Chinatown in general and Lydia's life in particular, wants the two of them to make a couple of deliveries to Hong Kong: the ashes of an old friend, and a package for that friend to be delivered to his brother.
Of course this simple errand doesn't go as planned -- it'd be a very short book if it did. As entertaining as it might be to read about these two playing tourist in Hong Kong, that's not the type of book Rozan wrrites. Soon, this errand plunges the partners into at least one kidnapping plot, a murder, and all sorts of other crimes. How much of this was predicted by Grandfather Gao is a question on everyone's mind.
The best part of this book is seeing Lydia in a strange land -- in NYC, the accent is on the "Chinese" in Chinese-American, by the way she was raised, where she lives (both neighborhood and with her mother), her family, and her appearance. But here? The accent is on "American." She gets a bit more of the culture and customs than your typical tourist, and a lot more of the language, but at the end of the day, she's a foreigner even where Bill's the one who looks different than most people she's around.
Now, no American detective (or pair) can wander around a foreign city, stirring up trouble and solving crimes without one ally. Lydia and Bill are helped out by Mark Quan, a detective raised in the American South who moved to Hong Kong later and became a police officer there. He, of course, has his own connection to Grandfather Gao -- which, at least, means that he can be trusted. At the end of the day, we're reminded more than once, that a cop is a cop no matter where you are, so even if he can be trusted, he's not that open to P.I. help (especially American P.I. help). I really enjoyed him as a character, and hope that he gets sent to NYC in the future to help with something in a Rush Hour/Red Heat-type move.
Bill, as usual, comes across as a better guy than he does in the books from his perspective. I appreciate that dynamic, he comes across as more heroic (if semi-annoyingly interested in Lydia -- from her perspective), and she comes across a bit more clever and resourceful in his books. He didn't get nearly enough to do, in my opinion, but I know he'll get his turn soon enough.
Not the best in this series, but man, it was entertaining. Loved seeing these two as fish out of water, yet still doing their thing. Bring on the next!
August 24, 2017
"Swiftly running water does not reflect the sky."
(A Chinese proverb)
S. J. Rozan's Reflecting the Sky (2001) is already my eighth novel in the Chin/Smith series and - although I quite like it - it is nowhere as good as Stone Quarry or Winter and Night , both winners of many prestigious awards.
The entire novel takes place in Hong Kong where Lydia Chin and her frequent partner Bill Smith are trying to carry out a task for "Grandfather Gao", the infinitely wise patriarch of the New York Chinese community, and a childhood friend of Lydia Chin's actual grandfather. Since another of Mr. Gao's childhood friends, a Mr. Wei, died in new York Lydia and Bill are supposed to deliver a letter and the ashes for burial to Mr. Wei's brother who lives in Hong Kong with the rest of the family. They also are carrying a keepsake for Mr. Wei's grandson, Harry.
The job seems straightforward, but Lydia and Bill face serious obstacles right from the very beginning. When they arrive in the Hong Kong apartment of the Wei family, they find the place ransacked. Harry has been kidnapped. The detectives' job becomes a monumentally difficult task and they get entangled with people involved in serious criminal activities and the Hong Kong police. They have to deal with greed, family obligations, the triads, and even the repercussions of Maoist Cultural Revolution. The plot is really complicated, but the author appears to have a tight control over it, and the complex chains of events are relatively logical and not overly implausible.
As usual for Ms. Rozan's the novel features accomplished prose. Clichés are unavoidable in a book series, but somehow in this installment they are not that conspicuous. The best thing about the novel is the splendid portrayal of Hong Kong. Reading the many descriptions of the city's landscapes and observations of the inhabitants' life I almost felt as if I were there on location. Three magnificent scenes stand out: the sea of thousands of Filipino women congregated in a small park close to the Statue Square. The text paints such vivid images that I felt the need to check the surroundings via the Street View on Google Maps. Lydia and Bill's riding the famous Hong Kong outdoor escalator provides another memorable scene. But the top honors go to the protracted scene that takes place in Mr. Lee's antique shop. Not only Mr. Lee's mysterious and somewhat sinister persona, but also the descriptions of various displayed items, particularly the burial art, will hold the reader's attention.
I suppose that a large proportion of the Chin/Smith novels' readers come back to the series because of the somewhat ambiguous, enigmatic nature of the relationship between Lydia and Bill. The readers will not be disappointed here. The novel contains quite a powerful and in my view psychologically plausible scene between the protagonists. Alas, Ms. Rozan's fixation on gun play in the denouement scenes continues unabated. I would like to understand the nature of that compulsion, particularly in this novel, where guns are not needed by the logic of the plot. So sad that a great author continually feels the need to spoil her work every time she writes a novel!
Three stars.
(A Chinese proverb)
S. J. Rozan's Reflecting the Sky (2001) is already my eighth novel in the Chin/Smith series and - although I quite like it - it is nowhere as good as Stone Quarry or Winter and Night , both winners of many prestigious awards.
The entire novel takes place in Hong Kong where Lydia Chin and her frequent partner Bill Smith are trying to carry out a task for "Grandfather Gao", the infinitely wise patriarch of the New York Chinese community, and a childhood friend of Lydia Chin's actual grandfather. Since another of Mr. Gao's childhood friends, a Mr. Wei, died in new York Lydia and Bill are supposed to deliver a letter and the ashes for burial to Mr. Wei's brother who lives in Hong Kong with the rest of the family. They also are carrying a keepsake for Mr. Wei's grandson, Harry.
The job seems straightforward, but Lydia and Bill face serious obstacles right from the very beginning. When they arrive in the Hong Kong apartment of the Wei family, they find the place ransacked. Harry has been kidnapped. The detectives' job becomes a monumentally difficult task and they get entangled with people involved in serious criminal activities and the Hong Kong police. They have to deal with greed, family obligations, the triads, and even the repercussions of Maoist Cultural Revolution. The plot is really complicated, but the author appears to have a tight control over it, and the complex chains of events are relatively logical and not overly implausible.
As usual for Ms. Rozan's the novel features accomplished prose. Clichés are unavoidable in a book series, but somehow in this installment they are not that conspicuous. The best thing about the novel is the splendid portrayal of Hong Kong. Reading the many descriptions of the city's landscapes and observations of the inhabitants' life I almost felt as if I were there on location. Three magnificent scenes stand out: the sea of thousands of Filipino women congregated in a small park close to the Statue Square. The text paints such vivid images that I felt the need to check the surroundings via the Street View on Google Maps. Lydia and Bill's riding the famous Hong Kong outdoor escalator provides another memorable scene. But the top honors go to the protracted scene that takes place in Mr. Lee's antique shop. Not only Mr. Lee's mysterious and somewhat sinister persona, but also the descriptions of various displayed items, particularly the burial art, will hold the reader's attention.
I suppose that a large proportion of the Chin/Smith novels' readers come back to the series because of the somewhat ambiguous, enigmatic nature of the relationship between Lydia and Bill. The readers will not be disappointed here. The novel contains quite a powerful and in my view psychologically plausible scene between the protagonists. Alas, Ms. Rozan's fixation on gun play in the denouement scenes continues unabated. I would like to understand the nature of that compulsion, particularly in this novel, where guns are not needed by the logic of the plot. So sad that a great author continually feels the need to spoil her work every time she writes a novel!
Three stars.
September 9, 2020
Winning!
I enjoy when Chin is lead but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy Smith’s ride.
I enjoy when Chin is lead but that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy Smith’s ride.
March 13, 2014
I love the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series. I think that Ms. Rozan does a particularly good job of presenting the very different perspectives and voices of Lydia and Bill. I like that she alternates the narrators -- one book Lydia, the next book Bill, and so forth. I can't think of another author, at least not in the mystery genre, that did that before her, and it is very effective. The Lydia books, with their focus on Chinese-American culture, are particularly interesting and even enthralling. I don't understand why the "critics," the so-called "experts" seem to like the Bill books better.
This one is particularly good -- Lydia and Bill go to Hong-Kong to perform a simple seeming errand, but of course nothing is simple. It made me want to go to Hong Kong -- and eat the food!
When I finished this book (which I have read at least twice before), I had that wash of contentment that comes from a really good read.
This one is particularly good -- Lydia and Bill go to Hong-Kong to perform a simple seeming errand, but of course nothing is simple. It made me want to go to Hong Kong -- and eat the food!
When I finished this book (which I have read at least twice before), I had that wash of contentment that comes from a really good read.
August 3, 2016
Lydia Chinn is a Chinese-American P.I. who lives in Chinatown in New York. Her investigative partner is Anglo Bill Smith. In this story Lydia and Bill travel to Hong Kong to deliver a piece of jade to grandson upon his grandfather's death. And to deliver the grandfather's remains to be buried in Hong Kong. But it not so simple when they arrive to find that the grandson has been kidnapped. Complicating things further is the fact that the deceased grandfather had two families - one in New York and the other in Hong Kong and, of course, they didn't know about each other. I listened to this book on audio and enjoyed it very much. Lots of intrigue and S.J. Rozan paints a vivid picture of Hong Kong.
February 25, 2016
This is a 3 and 1/2. Possibly my favorite part of the book, beyond the developing relationship between Lydia and Bill, was Hong Kong as character. Rozan does a fabulous job exploring the differences between America and Hong Kong. Lovely book. I also like the development of other characters, Mark, a sergeant in the Hong Kong police especially.
Read
March 3, 2023Life has an interesting way of tossing curves at us all. That seems true in the fictional lives of characters in books. Lydia Chin and her private investigating partner, Bill Smith, had no plans to visit Hong Kong, but that all changed when the old man called Lydia in for a meeting.
She respectfully refers to him as Grandfather. He is one of Chinatown’s elders in New York City, and he wants her to go to Hong Kong with Smith. He wants them to deliver a letter addressed to his brother, a keepsake of sentimental value to his grandson, and the ashes of an old friend. He stresses that both must go.
But things aren’t so cut and dried in a sometimes-mysterious place like Hong Kong. When they arrive, the little boy to whom they were to have delivered the keepsake is missing, someone ransacked the apartment, and no one wants the cops involved.
This is a vivid snapshot of Hong Kong just after the British relinquished it and before the brutal crackdowns of the Chinese Communist Party. I enjoy so much the sexual tension between these two, and this time, Bill has some competition from a young Chinese-American who works for the cops in Hong Kong. The author does a magnificent job of showing the ways in which the Chinese and American cultures clash, and she gives you fascinating insights into the Chinese culture.
I’ve always enjoyed this series, and I suspect in four months or so, I’ll read the next book. Incidentally, the audio narrator was wonderful. She was perfect for this book.
She respectfully refers to him as Grandfather. He is one of Chinatown’s elders in New York City, and he wants her to go to Hong Kong with Smith. He wants them to deliver a letter addressed to his brother, a keepsake of sentimental value to his grandson, and the ashes of an old friend. He stresses that both must go.
But things aren’t so cut and dried in a sometimes-mysterious place like Hong Kong. When they arrive, the little boy to whom they were to have delivered the keepsake is missing, someone ransacked the apartment, and no one wants the cops involved.
This is a vivid snapshot of Hong Kong just after the British relinquished it and before the brutal crackdowns of the Chinese Communist Party. I enjoy so much the sexual tension between these two, and this time, Bill has some competition from a young Chinese-American who works for the cops in Hong Kong. The author does a magnificent job of showing the ways in which the Chinese and American cultures clash, and she gives you fascinating insights into the Chinese culture.
I’ve always enjoyed this series, and I suspect in four months or so, I’ll read the next book. Incidentally, the audio narrator was wonderful. She was perfect for this book.
August 21, 2020
Holy shit. I had a review drafted in my head about how amazing the mystery was and much I enjoyed the details about Hong Kong's culture. But then the last two pages knocked the thoughts out of me?? Like this wasn't supposed to be a review about how Lydia and Bill's relationship is progressing but hhhhhh. That was sweet and a little sad at the same time, but extremely attention-grabbing.
Overall, Rozan is super good at writing subtlety in her characters' arcs and I think that's why her books as a whole are amazing. Like both the individual plots and the overarching relationships require patience and thoughtfulness. It's too late at night for me to write a comprehensive review but pretty much "book good, ending satisfying on several levels".
(Poor Bill, as usual. Just can't catch a break of any kind.)
Overall, Rozan is super good at writing subtlety in her characters' arcs and I think that's why her books as a whole are amazing. Like both the individual plots and the overarching relationships require patience and thoughtfulness. It's too late at night for me to write a comprehensive review but pretty much "book good, ending satisfying on several levels".
(Poor Bill, as usual. Just can't catch a break of any kind.)
February 9, 2020
I had to jump from #3 to #7 in the series. In Lydia’s and Bill’s relationship, much of their teasing and snappy dialogue is gone, replaced by a deeper commitment to their working partnership. I missed the humor from the first two books I read. In this book they are on a mission for Mr Gao that takes them to Hong Kong. Interesting in how Lydia, a NYC Chinatown native, takes to her first trip outside America. She gets to use her Cantonese while Bill employs his Spanish, Dutch and Tagalog in the service of their new case: a kidnapped boy.
March 29, 2023
This took me sooooooo long to read -- years -- and I’m not sure why. It’d been years since I’d read my list Lydia Chin/Bill Smith mystery and it took me a while to get into it. Lydia and Bill travel to Hong Kong on a mission for her grandfather (or was it her great uncle). On her way to deliver a jade to a relative she gets pulled into a kidnapping. Rozan does a great job at presenting an Americanized Chinese in a Hong Kong world. Her writing was so descriptive I really felt like I was there.
February 11, 2020
Lydia and Bill go to Shanghai to deliver a piece of jade for a client. After delivering it, the young son of the recipient is kidnapped, and they are hired to find him. You are taken through the streets of Shanghai, with all the colors and noise. Bill is injured and taken to the hospital. When he gets out, they are going home the next morning. Lydia asks Bill to spend the night with her!!!!! He refuses, because he doesn't want them to start out this way.
January 27, 2019
I really liked this book. I enjoyed the characters, the history, context, and culture woven in, and of course, the mystery itself. The reader made everything even more enjoyable with the foreign language pronunciation and voice changes and even though this book is a bit on the long side and a bit confusing in places, I found it quite absorbing and enriching.
January 24, 2021
Not something I’d usually read, as I like Uk and US crime, but this really brought Hing King to life and I liked the tension between the two detectives.
Would make a good book group choice as there’s lots to talk about in terms of two cultures clashing and merging.
339
Would make a good book group choice as there’s lots to talk about in terms of two cultures clashing and merging.
339
July 1, 2017
prefered the earlier books in the series
May 6, 2019
I am really enjoying this series. This one is set in Hong Kong.
November 15, 2019
I am totally enjoying this series. My mail problem is that I can’t read them all. I can’t find them anywhere. So I am filling in the gaps. Can’t wait to see what’s next.
December 18, 2019
I love the whole series. S. J. Rozan is a fantastic writer and there isn't another crime/mystery series like the Lydia and Bill series.
October 10, 2021
Slow at first, but keep at it gets better.
mystery-yet-to-read
March 16, 2022Own pbk
June 6, 2022
Hong Kong setting is the best part.
September 19, 2022
Always enjoy the Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series.
March 28, 2023
Good 👍
The names were a bit difficult to manage but on the whole a good story and great description of Hong Kong and its atmosphere.
The names were a bit difficult to manage but on the whole a good story and great description of Hong Kong and its atmosphere.
May 5, 2024
This one was in Hong Kong, so a change of pace.
August 15, 2019
4.5 🌟 (rounded up)
This & Shanghai Moon are my 2 favorites in the series.
I loved the switch to a foreign setting & the additional challenge posed to the protagonists by that. I definitely sweltered with them in the Hong Kong humidity.
I enjoyed their banter & their deepening partnership.
The only splinter was Lydia's excessive regard for Grandfather Gao, because I felt that it excessively played up to the filial piety stereotype.
This & Shanghai Moon are my 2 favorites in the series.
I loved the switch to a foreign setting & the additional challenge posed to the protagonists by that. I definitely sweltered with them in the Hong Kong humidity.
I enjoyed their banter & their deepening partnership.
The only splinter was Lydia's excessive regard for Grandfather Gao, because I felt that it excessively played up to the filial piety stereotype.
August 9, 2025
The Lydia Chin & Bill Smith series has been interesting. educational and loads of fun. This book started the same way. Locating the story in China (Hong Kong) was intriguing and held a good deal of promise.
Unfortunately, toward the end of the middle third the storyline of this novel lost its GPS signal. There was a lot of rehashing, reversing and reversing. In other words the plot seemed unsure and went in circles, and not in a good way. By the time the book ended I was almost past caring who did what. The relationship between Lydia and Bill also seemed dimmed, without that spark of romance. My overall feeling was one of disappointment.
Unfortunately, toward the end of the middle third the storyline of this novel lost its GPS signal. There was a lot of rehashing, reversing and reversing. In other words the plot seemed unsure and went in circles, and not in a good way. By the time the book ended I was almost past caring who did what. The relationship between Lydia and Bill also seemed dimmed, without that spark of romance. My overall feeling was one of disappointment.
May 11, 2012
Setting – Hong Kong
Theme – choices, truth, tradition
Characters-
Lydia Chin – excited about going to Hong Kong – enjoys it, her family’s history there, the excitement, the old and the new.
Bill Smith – along for the ride – very supportive of Lydia. Though he does, of course, get beaten up pretty badly – including a broken nose.
Grandfather Gao – grew up with Wei Yao-Shi. Both immigrated to New York, but Wei, of import/export business, continued to go back and forth to China and back. Wei has passed, and entrusted Gao to execute his will – including the delivery of a jade Buddha to his grandson in Hong Kong, deliver a letter/package to his brother, and to take his ashes to be buried. For unknown reasons he believes there is more to the request than the surface, and asks Lydia and Bill to do this task and to deal with whatever problems that show up. Lydia is extremely pleased with his confidence in her – with his validation of a woman PI, and with his acknowledgement of Bill.
Wei Yao-Shi – he came to America, married, and had a son Franklin. He seemed to embrace the American way of life, but made frequent trips for business (so we thought) to Hong Kong – where he married a Chinese woman, had another son (Wei Di-Fen / Steven) and eventually a grandson (Ha-Hao / Harry). Neither family knew of the other until his death.
Mark Quan – American born Chinese, and not a citizen of Hong Kong and a police officer. He and his family had a long association with Grandfather Gao, (in fact as a boy, he and Lydia had spent time in Gao’s shop during a storm, playing cards) – and Gao has pointed him in the right direction a few times, making him an effective cop in spite of the discrimination he ‘suffers’ as American born. When aware of trouble, Gao directs Lydia to him for assistance.
Wei Ang-Ran – Yao-Shi’s brother. 30 years earlier he got sucked in with Lee to export Chinese antiquities, and though he wants out, Lee’s not letting him. Concerned his nephew will get into trouble, he orchestrates the kidnapping of his nephew Harry with her amah for a fun few days away from home while distracting Steven. He feels very guilty for the bad decisions he has made.
Wei Di-Fen (Steven) – an honest businessman, loving father & husband – he would not allow the illegal export of antiquities, and his uncle Ang-Ran is trying to protect him. He remains clueless of the real dynamics through the end.
Franklin Wei – Steven’s half brother, American, a doctor with 3 ex-wives. He and uncle Ang-Ran have worked together on the smuggling – something he finds exciting, but not harmful.
L.L. Lee – head of Strength and Harmony triad – heavily involved in selling antiquities. He wants to locate harry, and return him to his father to force Steven to continuing to use Lion Rock Enterprises to export antiquities – and he is ruthless in getting it – bugging the Wei’s apartment, killing Iron Fist (who helped his girlfriend hide Harry), beating up and threatening to kill Bill – I was sad he didn’t get his in the end – a cold blooded fish.
Plot –
Lydia and Bill explore the city – its streets, its shops, its transportation systems, its food, its scenery, its temples, its traditions.
When they go to Steven’s home to deliver the Buddha, they find that Harry and his amah are gone. Two ransom calls come – one wanting the to trade the boy for the jade, the other wanting a million dollars.
It takes quite a bit of detecting to figure out… brother/uncle Wei Ang-Ran has been smuggling, and arranged for Harry to be gone and is the one to ask for the jade… that the amah realized that something went wrong, so with her boyfriend Iron Fist hides him (at a martial arts school)… that L.L. Lee wants the boy to put Steven in his debt… and Franklin gives his uncle and half brother an out by going on air to confess to the illegal smuggling of Lion Rock, under his direction alone – knowing the L.L. would kill him.
Lydia and Bill’s relationship – hmmmm… mutually supportive etc. At the end, she invites him into her bed – and he says no – he wants her in their reality, not in the magic of Hong Kong – and she reminds him she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to … which he accepts. ahhhh
Theme – choices, truth, tradition
Characters-
Lydia Chin – excited about going to Hong Kong – enjoys it, her family’s history there, the excitement, the old and the new.
Bill Smith – along for the ride – very supportive of Lydia. Though he does, of course, get beaten up pretty badly – including a broken nose.
Grandfather Gao – grew up with Wei Yao-Shi. Both immigrated to New York, but Wei, of import/export business, continued to go back and forth to China and back. Wei has passed, and entrusted Gao to execute his will – including the delivery of a jade Buddha to his grandson in Hong Kong, deliver a letter/package to his brother, and to take his ashes to be buried. For unknown reasons he believes there is more to the request than the surface, and asks Lydia and Bill to do this task and to deal with whatever problems that show up. Lydia is extremely pleased with his confidence in her – with his validation of a woman PI, and with his acknowledgement of Bill.
Wei Yao-Shi – he came to America, married, and had a son Franklin. He seemed to embrace the American way of life, but made frequent trips for business (so we thought) to Hong Kong – where he married a Chinese woman, had another son (Wei Di-Fen / Steven) and eventually a grandson (Ha-Hao / Harry). Neither family knew of the other until his death.
Mark Quan – American born Chinese, and not a citizen of Hong Kong and a police officer. He and his family had a long association with Grandfather Gao, (in fact as a boy, he and Lydia had spent time in Gao’s shop during a storm, playing cards) – and Gao has pointed him in the right direction a few times, making him an effective cop in spite of the discrimination he ‘suffers’ as American born. When aware of trouble, Gao directs Lydia to him for assistance.
Wei Ang-Ran – Yao-Shi’s brother. 30 years earlier he got sucked in with Lee to export Chinese antiquities, and though he wants out, Lee’s not letting him. Concerned his nephew will get into trouble, he orchestrates the kidnapping of his nephew Harry with her amah for a fun few days away from home while distracting Steven. He feels very guilty for the bad decisions he has made.
Wei Di-Fen (Steven) – an honest businessman, loving father & husband – he would not allow the illegal export of antiquities, and his uncle Ang-Ran is trying to protect him. He remains clueless of the real dynamics through the end.
Franklin Wei – Steven’s half brother, American, a doctor with 3 ex-wives. He and uncle Ang-Ran have worked together on the smuggling – something he finds exciting, but not harmful.
L.L. Lee – head of Strength and Harmony triad – heavily involved in selling antiquities. He wants to locate harry, and return him to his father to force Steven to continuing to use Lion Rock Enterprises to export antiquities – and he is ruthless in getting it – bugging the Wei’s apartment, killing Iron Fist (who helped his girlfriend hide Harry), beating up and threatening to kill Bill – I was sad he didn’t get his in the end – a cold blooded fish.
Plot –
Lydia and Bill explore the city – its streets, its shops, its transportation systems, its food, its scenery, its temples, its traditions.
When they go to Steven’s home to deliver the Buddha, they find that Harry and his amah are gone. Two ransom calls come – one wanting the to trade the boy for the jade, the other wanting a million dollars.
It takes quite a bit of detecting to figure out… brother/uncle Wei Ang-Ran has been smuggling, and arranged for Harry to be gone and is the one to ask for the jade… that the amah realized that something went wrong, so with her boyfriend Iron Fist hides him (at a martial arts school)… that L.L. Lee wants the boy to put Steven in his debt… and Franklin gives his uncle and half brother an out by going on air to confess to the illegal smuggling of Lion Rock, under his direction alone – knowing the L.L. would kill him.
Lydia and Bill’s relationship – hmmmm… mutually supportive etc. At the end, she invites him into her bed – and he says no – he wants her in their reality, not in the magic of Hong Kong – and she reminds him she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to … which he accepts. ahhhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2012
Lydia Chin might come from a respectable Chinese family but she’s American through and through – born and bred in New York. You can’t take China out of the girl, though, so when Grandfather Gao – the most respected man in China Town – asks her to go to Hong Kong to run an errand for him, Lydia feels she cannot refuse.
There’s no good reason why an American Private Eye should be taking the ashes of Grandfather’s oldest friend to his grandson in Hong Kong. Lydia is asked to take her partner, Bill Smith, along to run a seemingly straightforward errand that shouldn’t require one cop, let alone two.
But Lydia and Bill get to Hong Kong to discover that the errand is not as straightforward as it seems. They arrive at the right address to discover the young boy and his nanny have been kidnapped. The boy’s parents seem most reluctant to involve the Hong Kong police, so Lydia and Bill attempt to investigate. Things get even more complicated when not one but two separate ransom requests arrive.
S.J. Rozan’s series about Lydia Chin and Bill Smith has been running in the USA for years. Published originally in 2001 under the title Reflecting the Sky, this is the first time this novel has been released in the UK, but it’s worth the wait. Lydia Chin is an appealing heroine, and she and Bill are very good foils. As is the usual format in such a series with male and female protagonists, the two as partners have a trust and closeness that inevitably leads to a sexual tension that adds an extra spark to the novel. On one hand you wish they’d get it together – but on the other you hope they won’t, because that will change the dynamic of the relationship and make future books a lot less interesting.
What is particularly well drawn about Lydia is the alienation she feels in both countries where the novel is set. In New York she feels set apart from Western culture because her background and upbringing have instilled in her a need to be loyal to her Chinese ancestry. However, in Hong Kong – her first visit to the country where her family originate – she realises just how American in attitude and outlook she has become, and she still feels like an outsider.
As Lydia and Bill investigate the mystery of the missing boy, the plot twists and turns into ever murkier waters. It is revealed fairly early on that Grandfather Gao’s dearly departed friend had two completely separate families – one in New York and one in Hong Kong – that for years were entirely ignorant of the other’s existence. Further investigation reveals that both the old man’s sons are concealing secrets, but do either of them have compelling motive to resort to kidnap and murder?
Blood Rites is a compelling mystery that keeps you guessing till the end. The Hong Kong backdrop is deftly brought to life, and Lydia Chin is a marvellous character you’ll undoubtedly want to read more about.
Reprinted with permission of Shots e-zine (http://www.shotsmag.co.uk)
There’s no good reason why an American Private Eye should be taking the ashes of Grandfather’s oldest friend to his grandson in Hong Kong. Lydia is asked to take her partner, Bill Smith, along to run a seemingly straightforward errand that shouldn’t require one cop, let alone two.
But Lydia and Bill get to Hong Kong to discover that the errand is not as straightforward as it seems. They arrive at the right address to discover the young boy and his nanny have been kidnapped. The boy’s parents seem most reluctant to involve the Hong Kong police, so Lydia and Bill attempt to investigate. Things get even more complicated when not one but two separate ransom requests arrive.
S.J. Rozan’s series about Lydia Chin and Bill Smith has been running in the USA for years. Published originally in 2001 under the title Reflecting the Sky, this is the first time this novel has been released in the UK, but it’s worth the wait. Lydia Chin is an appealing heroine, and she and Bill are very good foils. As is the usual format in such a series with male and female protagonists, the two as partners have a trust and closeness that inevitably leads to a sexual tension that adds an extra spark to the novel. On one hand you wish they’d get it together – but on the other you hope they won’t, because that will change the dynamic of the relationship and make future books a lot less interesting.
What is particularly well drawn about Lydia is the alienation she feels in both countries where the novel is set. In New York she feels set apart from Western culture because her background and upbringing have instilled in her a need to be loyal to her Chinese ancestry. However, in Hong Kong – her first visit to the country where her family originate – she realises just how American in attitude and outlook she has become, and she still feels like an outsider.
As Lydia and Bill investigate the mystery of the missing boy, the plot twists and turns into ever murkier waters. It is revealed fairly early on that Grandfather Gao’s dearly departed friend had two completely separate families – one in New York and one in Hong Kong – that for years were entirely ignorant of the other’s existence. Further investigation reveals that both the old man’s sons are concealing secrets, but do either of them have compelling motive to resort to kidnap and murder?
Blood Rites is a compelling mystery that keeps you guessing till the end. The Hong Kong backdrop is deftly brought to life, and Lydia Chin is a marvellous character you’ll undoubtedly want to read more about.
Reprinted with permission of Shots e-zine (http://www.shotsmag.co.uk)
April 26, 2012
Published in the UK as "Blood Rites", this is the seventh book in a series about Chinese-American PI Lydia Chin and her all-American partner Bill Smith who live and work in New York's Chinatown. An old family friend of Lydia hires the pair to deliver a legacy to his grandson in Hong Kong but on arrival they discover the 7 year-old is missing. When two completely separate ransom demands are made and the family won't accept any help from them or call the police, they refuse to just walk away.
Rozan has an impressive ability to conjure up a vivid portrait of Hong Kong not just visually, but also through the landscape, smells, sounds, food and weather. She steers the reader through the fascinating culture clash of the semi-Westernised city that is now part of the People's Republic of China without ever letting it get in the way of a fascinating and fast-paced plot.
The central pair of characters have the satisfying shorthand of a well-established business partnership without spilling over into clichés and although I was tantalised by occasional references to previous situations where they may have been more personally involved, they did not hamper this particular novel. The wider cast is equally well drawn, from Mark Quan, the Hong Kong cop born in Alabama who also doesn't quite fit in to his environment to Grandfather Gao, the dubiously connected patriarchal figure back in New York who seems to pull many strings.
I've never read anything by S.J. Rozan before but had high hopes when I saw her work described as being a cross between Sue Grafton and Harlan Coben, two of my favourite authors. Pleasingly, this strikes me as a very accurate assesment and I not only thoroughly enjoyed this book but will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
Rozan has an impressive ability to conjure up a vivid portrait of Hong Kong not just visually, but also through the landscape, smells, sounds, food and weather. She steers the reader through the fascinating culture clash of the semi-Westernised city that is now part of the People's Republic of China without ever letting it get in the way of a fascinating and fast-paced plot.
The central pair of characters have the satisfying shorthand of a well-established business partnership without spilling over into clichés and although I was tantalised by occasional references to previous situations where they may have been more personally involved, they did not hamper this particular novel. The wider cast is equally well drawn, from Mark Quan, the Hong Kong cop born in Alabama who also doesn't quite fit in to his environment to Grandfather Gao, the dubiously connected patriarchal figure back in New York who seems to pull many strings.
I've never read anything by S.J. Rozan before but had high hopes when I saw her work described as being a cross between Sue Grafton and Harlan Coben, two of my favourite authors. Pleasingly, this strikes me as a very accurate assesment and I not only thoroughly enjoyed this book but will definitely be reading the rest of the series.
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