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The Shanghai Factor
Charles McCarry is widely considered one of the greatest espionage writers of the all-time, and in The Shanghai Factor he returns to his roots with an absorbing tale of global skulduggery that leaves the reader guessing at every turn.
A young, unnamed spy is living in Shanghai in order to observe and absorb the culture and language so as to aid a shadowy U.S. agency known only as 'HQ'. However when he meets a sultry and mysterious woman named Mei, they begin a torrid affair that threatens to expose him to HQ's enemies.
Soon the head of HQ, Luther Burbank, gives the spy a task that will force him to risk everything: go undercover as the American ambassador for a massive Chinese multinational conglomerate, and learn the secrets of their powerful CEO Chen Qi, whom HQ believes to be a front man for the nearly uncrackable Chinese Intelligence, known as the Guoanbu.
Soon the spy finds that HQ isn't the only one tracking his every move, and the deadly Guoanbu may be aware of his true identity. Danger lies around every corner, as the enigmatic Mei flits in and out of his life, yet every time he thinks he's closer to the truth, he finds himself drawn further into a deadly cat-and-mouse game between HQ and the Guoanbu that might not only end his life, but could upend the East/West balance of power.
A young, unnamed spy is living in Shanghai in order to observe and absorb the culture and language so as to aid a shadowy U.S. agency known only as 'HQ'. However when he meets a sultry and mysterious woman named Mei, they begin a torrid affair that threatens to expose him to HQ's enemies.
Soon the head of HQ, Luther Burbank, gives the spy a task that will force him to risk everything: go undercover as the American ambassador for a massive Chinese multinational conglomerate, and learn the secrets of their powerful CEO Chen Qi, whom HQ believes to be a front man for the nearly uncrackable Chinese Intelligence, known as the Guoanbu.
Soon the spy finds that HQ isn't the only one tracking his every move, and the deadly Guoanbu may be aware of his true identity. Danger lies around every corner, as the enigmatic Mei flits in and out of his life, yet every time he thinks he's closer to the truth, he finds himself drawn further into a deadly cat-and-mouse game between HQ and the Guoanbu that might not only end his life, but could upend the East/West balance of power.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2013
92 people are currently reading
1005 people want to read
About the author
Charles McCarry
29 books315 followersMcCarry served in the United States Army, where he was a correspondent for Stars and Stripes, was a small-town newspaperman, and was a speechwriter in the Eisenhower administration. From 1958 to 1967 he worked for the CIA, under deep cover in Europe, Asia, and Africa. However, his cover was not as a writer or journalist.
McCarry was editor-at-large for National Geographic and contributed pieces to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other national publications.
McCarry was best known for a series of books concerning the life of super spy Paul Christopher. Born in Germany before WWII to a German mother and an American father, Christopher joins the CIA after the war and becomes one of its most effective spies. After launching an unauthorized investigation of the Kennedy assassination, Christopher becomes a pariah to the agency and a hunted man. Eventually, he spends ten years in a Chinese prison before being released and embarking on a solution to the mystery that has haunted him his entire life: the fate of his mother, who disappeared at the beginning of WWII. The books are notable for their historical detail and depiction of spycraft, as well as their careful and extensive examination of Christopher's relationship with his family, friends, wives, and lovers.
McCarry was editor-at-large for National Geographic and contributed pieces to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and other national publications.
McCarry was best known for a series of books concerning the life of super spy Paul Christopher. Born in Germany before WWII to a German mother and an American father, Christopher joins the CIA after the war and becomes one of its most effective spies. After launching an unauthorized investigation of the Kennedy assassination, Christopher becomes a pariah to the agency and a hunted man. Eventually, he spends ten years in a Chinese prison before being released and embarking on a solution to the mystery that has haunted him his entire life: the fate of his mother, who disappeared at the beginning of WWII. The books are notable for their historical detail and depiction of spycraft, as well as their careful and extensive examination of Christopher's relationship with his family, friends, wives, and lovers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 21, 2019
All the top-shelf spy fiction seems to be written by former intelligence officers. I'm not sure if there is some retirement program (some post-retirement class or retreat) that involves teaching former CIA agents how to write spy-genre fiction. McCarry's most recent novel is a good blend of the counter-intelligence spy novel (one mastered by le Carré and Littell) and the mentor/acolyte subset of spy fiction. All in all, 'The Shanghai Factor' was a compelling, basically well-written novel.
I have noticed, however, a lot of recent spy fiction has an almost hyper-fixation on writing about sex, but it is never their novel's best parts. They can write smoothly about counter-intelligence, foreign cultures, and almost everything that is obliquely related to spy-craft, but once they start writing about sex, the prose starts sliding around like a vertigo sufferer on a lake of frozen KY (if you doubt me go read/listen to Matthews' Red Sparrow).
It wasn't a classic or GREAT novel, but not every spy novelist can grow up to be Graham Greene or John le Carré.
I have noticed, however, a lot of recent spy fiction has an almost hyper-fixation on writing about sex, but it is never their novel's best parts. They can write smoothly about counter-intelligence, foreign cultures, and almost everything that is obliquely related to spy-craft, but once they start writing about sex, the prose starts sliding around like a vertigo sufferer on a lake of frozen KY (if you doubt me go read/listen to Matthews' Red Sparrow).
It wasn't a classic or GREAT novel, but not every spy novelist can grow up to be Graham Greene or John le Carré.
June 9, 2013
The Shanghai Factor starts out strong as a spy thriller. I was immediately sucked into the story of the unnamed narrator in Shanghai and his adventures in espionage. This is summer reading at its best: you are transported to another country, a dangerous exotic locale where even speaking the language won't save you from peril, and as the suspense builds you are so into it that you can even taste the Yangtze River when the narrator is thrown in. McCarry seems to be using China the way LeCarre used Russia as an enemy empire, and it works. What didn't work so well was the cliched treatment of the female characters as Bond girl types who can't help falling for the narrator even though his appeal is not apparent to the reader. I also thought the ending was rushed and kind of weak compared to the strength of the beginning. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my copy.
September 20, 2013
A new Charles Mccarry book is a major event in my opinion. My favorite author. Period. Runs circles around Lecarre and Littell, better than Furst. America's greatest writer of espionage. His books are as literary as any books out there. Yes, he is that good.
"The Shanghai Factor" is a wonderful testimony to modern day espionage. While it is not on the same level as Mccarry's Paul Christopher stories, it is better than any spy novel printed in a long time.
Do yourself a favor and start with "The Miernik Dossier" and thank me later.
"The Shanghai Factor" is a wonderful testimony to modern day espionage. While it is not on the same level as Mccarry's Paul Christopher stories, it is better than any spy novel printed in a long time.
Do yourself a favor and start with "The Miernik Dossier" and thank me later.
June 29, 2018
This is a simple yet brilliant spy thriller. It keeps you hooked till the end. Is it in the league of John Le Carre? Probably yes. The narration of John Le Carre ones are bit complex, superbly pitched, rich, and very British. Here it is simple and lucid. This book should appeal to you if you read this genre.
January 10, 2023
Interesting.
The one thought I had the whole time reading this - I could never live a life like this. Half truths, no friends, every little thing could be something else... Awful.
But as a read - captivating.
I would have never chosen this book by myself, but S.S.Montefiore listed as one of his favourites and it was available on Scribd.
The one thought I had the whole time reading this - I could never live a life like this. Half truths, no friends, every little thing could be something else... Awful.
But as a read - captivating.
I would have never chosen this book by myself, but S.S.Montefiore listed as one of his favourites and it was available on Scribd.
July 30, 2015
"Better than John Le Carre" according to Lee Child. Bollocks is it.
May 8, 2014
This book was not what I had hoped for in a spy novel set in China. It comes with a couple of key illusions.
The first is the illusion that this book involves a lot of “tradecraft”, when it is really focused on psychology. There is little discussion of the technical aspects of espionage and the author is vague in areas where detail would have made the story more interesting.
The second is the illusion of character. The story is told in the first person by the main character who recounts his thoughts and conversations with others as both Chinese and US intelligence operatives attempt to “turn” him into a double agent. However, this character has no name, no future goals, little if any “baggage”, and little discussion of his past. He lets other events and people decide what he will be doing with his career and love life until the conclusion.
The prose is well written and flows nicely. In addition, the balancing act that he is playing between US and Chinese intelligence agencies is complicated by the fact that somebody has an ax to grind with him that is more than professional.
I would not recommend this book. For me, this book was more about mind games than spy games.
The first is the illusion that this book involves a lot of “tradecraft”, when it is really focused on psychology. There is little discussion of the technical aspects of espionage and the author is vague in areas where detail would have made the story more interesting.
The second is the illusion of character. The story is told in the first person by the main character who recounts his thoughts and conversations with others as both Chinese and US intelligence operatives attempt to “turn” him into a double agent. However, this character has no name, no future goals, little if any “baggage”, and little discussion of his past. He lets other events and people decide what he will be doing with his career and love life until the conclusion.
The prose is well written and flows nicely. In addition, the balancing act that he is playing between US and Chinese intelligence agencies is complicated by the fact that somebody has an ax to grind with him that is more than professional.
I would not recommend this book. For me, this book was more about mind games than spy games.
August 11, 2013
Read this on Anthony Bourdain's Twitter recommendation: "Charles McCarry’s latest, 'Shanghai Factor' a glorious spy novel. Witty, knowing. Delicious." The first half had potential but it devolved into a boring, predictable mess. The writing is a classic example of why "show not tell" is advice given to every high school English class; there are pages upon pages of drab dialogue explaining what's happening without developing any character. There is no mystery, intrigue, inventive tradecraft, or even humor or blood. On the other hand, this novel is the perfect length for a trans-con flight—if you want to pick up a throwaway paperback at the airport, this will undoubtedly be more enjoyably than Dan Brown.
December 22, 2024
Charles McCarry actually worked as a CIA officer abroad, so we can presume a certain degree of authenticity in his stories, though he insisted they were entirely made up. His dozen or so espionage novels are among the best ever written.
This is one of his late books, published in 2013. Narrated in the first person, it is the story of a young American spy in China, a "sleeper" sent to Shanghai to lie low for a few years while he masters the language. A chance encounter with an attractive young Chinese woman leads to an intense affair with her that lasts until he is warned by another American that counter-intelligence is interested in him and then accosted by a gang of toughs and tossed into the Yangtze. Back in the U.S., he teams up with a gnome-like counter-intel guru at agency headquarters to figure out what happened. They concoct a scheme to send him back to China to infiltrate Chinese intelligence by offering to be a double agent. The novel becomes a classic espionage puzzler about double and triple agents and wh0 you can and can't trust, as our hero bounces back and forth between China and the U.S., manipulated by Chinese tycoons and his American handler, always hoping to reconnect with the object of his passion, who has disappeared.
It's pretty gripping if you like the genre, painting a vivid picture of a rising China circa 2010 and the mind-twisting stresses of the clandestine life. The first line of the book is, "Those who keep an eye on me think I have a weakness for Chinese women." The succession of beautiful Chinese women encountered by the protagonist suggests that perhaps the author did, too. Highly entertaining.
This is one of his late books, published in 2013. Narrated in the first person, it is the story of a young American spy in China, a "sleeper" sent to Shanghai to lie low for a few years while he masters the language. A chance encounter with an attractive young Chinese woman leads to an intense affair with her that lasts until he is warned by another American that counter-intelligence is interested in him and then accosted by a gang of toughs and tossed into the Yangtze. Back in the U.S., he teams up with a gnome-like counter-intel guru at agency headquarters to figure out what happened. They concoct a scheme to send him back to China to infiltrate Chinese intelligence by offering to be a double agent. The novel becomes a classic espionage puzzler about double and triple agents and wh0 you can and can't trust, as our hero bounces back and forth between China and the U.S., manipulated by Chinese tycoons and his American handler, always hoping to reconnect with the object of his passion, who has disappeared.
It's pretty gripping if you like the genre, painting a vivid picture of a rising China circa 2010 and the mind-twisting stresses of the clandestine life. The first line of the book is, "Those who keep an eye on me think I have a weakness for Chinese women." The succession of beautiful Chinese women encountered by the protagonist suggests that perhaps the author did, too. Highly entertaining.
October 27, 2023
Mr. McCarry has often been compared to John Le Carre in bringing an insider's knowledge and experience to the espionage novel. In this instance I don't think he quite rises to that revered level. Still, I enjoyed this novel of counter-intelligence operations set in China, New York and Washington, D.C.
Once again, a young man with an affinity for languages is recruited from an esteemed university to enter the trade. He is sent to Shanghai for a year to perfect his Mandarin. Once there, he meets an attractive young lady who agrees to teach him the nuances of this difficult language. After a while, he accepts a position inside a major Chinese corporation. Eventually, he is approached about returning to the United States and that's where things get interesting as he attempts to navigate his way through relationships between the two intelligence services. Any further plot discussion could reveal too much so I will stop here and reiterate that, as a fan of the literary espionage novel, I enjoyed this read. Cheers!
Once again, a young man with an affinity for languages is recruited from an esteemed university to enter the trade. He is sent to Shanghai for a year to perfect his Mandarin. Once there, he meets an attractive young lady who agrees to teach him the nuances of this difficult language. After a while, he accepts a position inside a major Chinese corporation. Eventually, he is approached about returning to the United States and that's where things get interesting as he attempts to navigate his way through relationships between the two intelligence services. Any further plot discussion could reveal too much so I will stop here and reiterate that, as a fan of the literary espionage novel, I enjoyed this read. Cheers!
May 17, 2013
The Shanghai Factor by Charles McCarry is the first novel I've read by this author. He needs no introduction given his plethora of other books on the subject of espionage so I'll begin with stating I enjoyed reading this book a lot. Our nameless hero is narrating the story as he travels between China and America on the mission of getting intelligence about CEO Chen Qi. CEO Chen Qi is believed to be the front man for the Chinese Intelligence known simply as Guonbu. We follow our spy as he becomes emersed into a world where danger is at every turn and no one can be trusted.
The Shanghai Factor reads at a very quick pace and is easy to follow. It's a slow burn, much like espionage is described as being in this book. Our hero doesn't go dashing across lanes of traffic or zip lining off telephone poles. He's your average, intelligent guy that gets a whole lot of action from women of questionable backgrounds. If you're interested in a Jason Bourne, this is not the book for you.
Character development is done well considering this is a narrative. In the interest of pacing and good storytelling, there were no unnecessary characters thrown into the fray just to be killed off. The actions in this novel are purposeful and deliberate. Every person is well described even though our hero is unable to tell most of their background. He describes their actions, their looks, as a way to evoke what that person may be thinking or feeling.
In closing, I'd like to reinterate that I really enjoyed this book. It's filled with mystery and intrigue the entire time. There's a bit of romance in here as well. The sense that there is no one who can be trusted is always lingering like the elephant in the room. The Shanghai Factor is suited best for lovers of spy novels and fans of Charles McCarry.
The Shanghai Factor reads at a very quick pace and is easy to follow. It's a slow burn, much like espionage is described as being in this book. Our hero doesn't go dashing across lanes of traffic or zip lining off telephone poles. He's your average, intelligent guy that gets a whole lot of action from women of questionable backgrounds. If you're interested in a Jason Bourne, this is not the book for you.
Character development is done well considering this is a narrative. In the interest of pacing and good storytelling, there were no unnecessary characters thrown into the fray just to be killed off. The actions in this novel are purposeful and deliberate. Every person is well described even though our hero is unable to tell most of their background. He describes their actions, their looks, as a way to evoke what that person may be thinking or feeling.
In closing, I'd like to reinterate that I really enjoyed this book. It's filled with mystery and intrigue the entire time. There's a bit of romance in here as well. The sense that there is no one who can be trusted is always lingering like the elephant in the room. The Shanghai Factor is suited best for lovers of spy novels and fans of Charles McCarry.
November 14, 2018
This is my first foray into McCarry's spy thrillers, and I enjoyed it more for the setting than for the character development. I'm unfamiliar with China—one of the few places about which I can say that—so the author's descriptions intrigued me. One of our children speaks Mandarin, so I've absorbed a few of his studies along the way, and McCarry's depictions are consistent with what I've learned from my son.
The settings alone are reason to read this book, as is the sense of place in terms of lifestyle, culture, and politics.
That being written, I found the character development to be a little thin on the ground. I'd like to have known more about the protagonist a little earlier in the book; he appeared just another self-absorbed young man with too much testosterone and too little ambition early on. While I suspected the antogonist about halfway through the book, a lot of the action and intrigue kept me reading even though several story points were left unasnwered and ambiguous.
But I'll read more McCarry because of his ability to create a fascinating setting.
The settings alone are reason to read this book, as is the sense of place in terms of lifestyle, culture, and politics.
That being written, I found the character development to be a little thin on the ground. I'd like to have known more about the protagonist a little earlier in the book; he appeared just another self-absorbed young man with too much testosterone and too little ambition early on. While I suspected the antogonist about halfway through the book, a lot of the action and intrigue kept me reading even though several story points were left unasnwered and ambiguous.
But I'll read more McCarry because of his ability to create a fascinating setting.
November 16, 2013
This is my first McCarry title, although he writes the espionage books I like. I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more had I read it? The audio certainly emphasizes the cerebral over the action--it moves fairly slowly, with lots of intriguing detail but little action. I think my biggest problem was that I didn't like any of the characters--not that I must to enjoy a novel but in this case I found it made a difference; I didn't care about our unnamed spy's fate. Introspective and interior, polished prose, and a wonderfully projected sense of menace with danger always present from unknown sources.
March 13, 2013
Nice spy novel incorporating double agents and lots of deception. But I have to admit that I was disappointed to have figured out the "bad guy" pretty early in the story. I guess I've read too much Agatha Christie to trust those I'm supposed to trust.
March 29, 2024
A very american book, not exactly in a good sense.
The good thing is that it reads fast, as a good spy novel should; the bad thing is that there are some obvious holes in the plot.
Another good thing is that it contains some sarcastic insights; another bad thing is that, sarcasms apart, the insights are a bit common-place.
One insight which is not commom-place is that there may be a generation of chinese which resents their cultural revolution supporting parents for what they did to their grandparents.
But, alas, it's probably fiction.
The good thing is that it reads fast, as a good spy novel should; the bad thing is that there are some obvious holes in the plot.
Another good thing is that it contains some sarcastic insights; another bad thing is that, sarcasms apart, the insights are a bit common-place.
One insight which is not commom-place is that there may be a generation of chinese which resents their cultural revolution supporting parents for what they did to their grandparents.
But, alas, it's probably fiction.
May 10, 2017
If you're an avid fan of 'spy' fiction and you love the tradecraft, cat & mouse games, chess-like thinking, and other aspects of these novels that make them so interesting, you'll love Charles McCarry's 'The Shanghai Factor'. In addition to all the building blocks that make great spy thrillers, throw in a lot of sex as well as exotic locales and you'll experience a winning combination. My only warning is that this is one of those stories that requires concentration on the reader's part. If you're not paying attention, you'll be lost by about page 15.
The Shanghai Factor is the story of an American intelligence agent who's embedded (in a couple of different ways) in China. He's under the control of a mysterious leader at HQ (I assume it's the CIA, though I don't think it's ever spelled out explicitly). His mission is pretty much a mystery to him and the readers and really doesn't become clear until the end. It's an intricately plotted novel that will force you to wonder in almost every interaction that takes place what the heck is really happening, and why.
McCarry's writing is excellent and the dialogue is very crisp and believable. It's narrated in the first person by the American agent (what's his name? Who knows, pick one.....) and the descriptions of the locales and the people he interacts with in China are carefully crafted. He does a nice job developing the character of the narrator and likewise shows as us much as he can of his mysterious handler, Luther Burbank. The spy vs. spy action, tradecraft, and violence are all very well-done.
I've just recently 'discovered' Charles McCarry and am kicking myself for not being aware of such an excellent writer in my favorite genre. However, on the bright side I have another 10 or so of his novels to experience, and if they're as good as the first 2 I've read I'll be a happy reader.
The Shanghai Factor is the story of an American intelligence agent who's embedded (in a couple of different ways) in China. He's under the control of a mysterious leader at HQ (I assume it's the CIA, though I don't think it's ever spelled out explicitly). His mission is pretty much a mystery to him and the readers and really doesn't become clear until the end. It's an intricately plotted novel that will force you to wonder in almost every interaction that takes place what the heck is really happening, and why.
McCarry's writing is excellent and the dialogue is very crisp and believable. It's narrated in the first person by the American agent (what's his name? Who knows, pick one.....) and the descriptions of the locales and the people he interacts with in China are carefully crafted. He does a nice job developing the character of the narrator and likewise shows as us much as he can of his mysterious handler, Luther Burbank. The spy vs. spy action, tradecraft, and violence are all very well-done.
I've just recently 'discovered' Charles McCarry and am kicking myself for not being aware of such an excellent writer in my favorite genre. However, on the bright side I have another 10 or so of his novels to experience, and if they're as good as the first 2 I've read I'll be a happy reader.
January 13, 2015
Paul Christopher, he's not, but this nameless narrator drags us willynilly to the end. I got up in the middle of the night to read half a dozen more chapters and then before the crack of dawn to finish it. Nameless is a bit repulsive and this is where I like repulsive characters -- in books and movies, not sitting in my living room. Kudos to McCarry, now 83, for bringing spycraft up to date with cell phones, thumb drives, etc. Can't wait for my Shanghai sister to read this so we can compare notes on the supposed flaws I found. (I'm probably wrong.)
I took away one star. My Shanghai sister and brother said there are too many inaccuracies in the book and I gotta believe them as I know they both admire Charles McCarry's earlier books.
I took away one star. My Shanghai sister and brother said there are too many inaccuracies in the book and I gotta believe them as I know they both admire Charles McCarry's earlier books.
October 3, 2013
McCarry's book captures the paranoid insularity of counter-intelligence work and the people who are drawn to it. The book has limited action, but high tension. It also offers a fascinating picture of Chinese culture as seen through the eyes of a Mandarin-speaking non-Chinese. It's ongoing issues==who is watched, who is the watcher--is consistently interesting, even if the villain on the piece is obvious. It is a book that is very heavy on intrigue.
June 24, 2013
Mr McCarry has no equal in this genre. This book was un-put-downable. Anyone who enjoys this genre should begin with "The Tears of Autumn." Superb. As a former deep undercover operative, his novels are as much truth as fiction. His plot development is powerful yet sublime. Protagonists are human, flawed, and reachable.
February 16, 2025
3.5 I liked the book, but this nameless narrator didn't give a backstory to qualify himself as the spy he was. Great start to the story, but it labored under his half of the interactions he had with other characters, who I felt I knew better. Maybe that was the point. Ending seemed short shrifted.
December 7, 2018
The writing here was good and I enjoyed the author's use of humor but the story is one that will be forgotten within a day of reading. I kept expecting some dramatic event to occur but nothing happens.
February 7, 2014
A taut spy story that maintains its pace (until the denouement when it seems a little hurried) and portrays the ultimate nightmare - who can you ultimately trust?
August 9, 2019
Well, this was just hugely disappointing. I've heard so many good things about McCarry lately - who unfortunately died this past February - and I really enjoyed The Miernik Dossier, his first book (and first in the Paul Christopher series) written way back in 1973. But this book, his second-to-last novel and published exactly 40 years after Miernik, was a real dud.
And that's too bad, because it got off to such a strong start. A young CIA spook (although the Agency is never mentioned by name, just referred to as "Headquarters") is living under cover in Shanghai. A mere 25 pages in, he is the victim of an assassination attempt, after which he leaves China...and things grind to a halt. Like, for the whole rest of the book. He returns to Washington, he goes to New York, he goes back to Washington, he goes to Connecticut...he bumps into Chinese spies, bumps into a sexy Chinese lawyer who - probably the most outrageous coincidence in an entire book built on outrageous coincidences - he happened to go to prep school with...he has wildly satisfying sex with said lawyer (the third gorgeous Chinese girl he has wildly satisfying sex with) - in fact, that one attempt to whack him aside, wild sex is literally the only action in this whole story.
Also, and worthy of its own separate complaint - could this have had a more generic title??
There's lots more, but I've already wasted too much time reading this; don't want to waste even more discussing it. That said, I won't totally give up on McCarry - he just comes too highly recommended. But I'll definitely go back to his earlier stuff, and stick to the Christopher stories for which he is most famous.
And that's too bad, because it got off to such a strong start. A young CIA spook (although the Agency is never mentioned by name, just referred to as "Headquarters") is living under cover in Shanghai. A mere 25 pages in, he is the victim of an assassination attempt, after which he leaves China...and things grind to a halt. Like, for the whole rest of the book. He returns to Washington, he goes to New York, he goes back to Washington, he goes to Connecticut...he bumps into Chinese spies, bumps into a sexy Chinese lawyer who - probably the most outrageous coincidence in an entire book built on outrageous coincidences - he happened to go to prep school with...he has wildly satisfying sex with said lawyer (the third gorgeous Chinese girl he has wildly satisfying sex with) - in fact, that one attempt to whack him aside, wild sex is literally the only action in this whole story.
Also, and worthy of its own separate complaint - could this have had a more generic title??
There's lots more, but I've already wasted too much time reading this; don't want to waste even more discussing it. That said, I won't totally give up on McCarry - he just comes too highly recommended. But I'll definitely go back to his earlier stuff, and stick to the Christopher stories for which he is most famous.
July 28, 2023
This is a slow-burn, what you might call an intelligent spy drama, with less action and more mystery and intrigue.
The unnamed narrator is a spy for the US, who lives in Shanghai with the mission of improving his Mandarin and blending into the Shanghai society, waiting for instructions from his superiors. A chance bike accident that may or may not have been orchestrated introduces him to Mei, she becomes part of his life, helping him improve his Mandarin, getting him to interact socially by taking him to parties, not to mention the outstanding sex he has.
He entertains the possibility that Mei might be a Chinese spy, but that doesn't stop him from indulging in the relationship. He then gets kidnapped and attacked, thrown into the Yangtze river and thus starts leading a threatened existence. Eventually, he is called to the states and is given the assignment of building a network of Chinese spies drawn from the privileged class of party leaders’ children. Back in China, he takes a job with a mysterious industrialist, Chen Qi, whom HQ believes to be a front man for the Chinese Intelligence agency known as the Guoanbu, until he’s fired and assigned back to the States. He is pretty sure he is being followed, but not quite sure who is following him, is it the States or the Guanbo. The narrator, and by extension us, don't know who to trust and this forms the intrigue that sets up the reset of the novel.
There are no stunts, action scenes nor any fast paced chase sequences, in fact the kidnapping of the narrator is probably the only violent scene in this novel. A work that fans of John Le Carre might dig.
The unnamed narrator is a spy for the US, who lives in Shanghai with the mission of improving his Mandarin and blending into the Shanghai society, waiting for instructions from his superiors. A chance bike accident that may or may not have been orchestrated introduces him to Mei, she becomes part of his life, helping him improve his Mandarin, getting him to interact socially by taking him to parties, not to mention the outstanding sex he has.
He entertains the possibility that Mei might be a Chinese spy, but that doesn't stop him from indulging in the relationship. He then gets kidnapped and attacked, thrown into the Yangtze river and thus starts leading a threatened existence. Eventually, he is called to the states and is given the assignment of building a network of Chinese spies drawn from the privileged class of party leaders’ children. Back in China, he takes a job with a mysterious industrialist, Chen Qi, whom HQ believes to be a front man for the Chinese Intelligence agency known as the Guoanbu, until he’s fired and assigned back to the States. He is pretty sure he is being followed, but not quite sure who is following him, is it the States or the Guanbo. The narrator, and by extension us, don't know who to trust and this forms the intrigue that sets up the reset of the novel.
There are no stunts, action scenes nor any fast paced chase sequences, in fact the kidnapping of the narrator is probably the only violent scene in this novel. A work that fans of John Le Carre might dig.
February 8, 2020
Comparing an espionage author to John Le Carré as a parameter of excellence has become a sort of Pavlovian reflex in most blurbs and reviews of the books of the genre; in reality, my humble and probably controversial opinion is that most of Le Carré's fame as the archetype of classic espionage literature is vastly usurped. In fact, after The Spy Who Came In From The Cold and the 3-4 novels of the George Smiley series (actually all books of the highest level, but representing less than 20% of his total work), JLC's production has been very inconsistent to the say the least (including some works honestly unreadable) and it cost me a high number of DNF.
So, all this to say that, in my view, there are at least two espionage authors ranking well above JLC, one being Len Deighton and the other Charles McCarry, whose body of work I rate for the vast majority from good to excellent. For this, JLC should feel honoured to be compared to them and not the other way round.
Now, coming to McCarry, having finished and highly enjoyed the Paul Christopher's series, I am now tackling the few stand alone novels by this author; The Shanghai Factor was a very satisfying read, without the breadth and depth of the Christopher's story, yet a book with a very well constructed plot, the usual wilderness of mirrors which is the life of a field agent, all underpinned by a very sound depiction of the tradecraft. Not a masterpiece, but the type of very solid and enjoyable read that complements nicely a superior body of work by one of the most underrated author of the genre.
So, all this to say that, in my view, there are at least two espionage authors ranking well above JLC, one being Len Deighton and the other Charles McCarry, whose body of work I rate for the vast majority from good to excellent. For this, JLC should feel honoured to be compared to them and not the other way round.
Now, coming to McCarry, having finished and highly enjoyed the Paul Christopher's series, I am now tackling the few stand alone novels by this author; The Shanghai Factor was a very satisfying read, without the breadth and depth of the Christopher's story, yet a book with a very well constructed plot, the usual wilderness of mirrors which is the life of a field agent, all underpinned by a very sound depiction of the tradecraft. Not a masterpiece, but the type of very solid and enjoyable read that complements nicely a superior body of work by one of the most underrated author of the genre.
January 1, 2024
"Humanity Amidst Shadows: 'The Shanghai Factor' and the Quest for a Deeper Ending"
In "The Shanghai Factor," Charles McCarry takes us on a mesmerizing journey through the shadowy realms of espionage, setting his intricate tale against the vibrant backdrops of Shanghai, Washington, and New York City. This novel is not just a spy story; it's a profound exploration of identity and morality, deeply rooted in the emotional and psychological landscapes of its characters. McCarry's narrative is rich with cultural insights and suspenseful twists, making every page a discovery of intrigue.
However, the novel's conclusion, while providing closure, lacks the narrative vigor that so powerfully drives its earlier chapters. The predictability of the ending contrasts sharply with the unpredictable, thrilling journey that precedes it. Rather than soaring to new heights, the final pages settle into a comfortable glide, offering a resolution that, while neat, leaves a lingering sense of unfulfilled potential. A sharper, more unexpected twist could have elevated the story, making the ending resonate as powerfully as the journey itself.
Despite this, "The Shanghai Factor" stands out for its compelling dive into the human side of espionage. McCarry's skillful storytelling and deep character exploration make it a memorable read, one that stirs both the mind and the heart. It's a journey through shadows and emotions, offering a window into a world where every decision has weight and every emotion is a clue.
In "The Shanghai Factor," Charles McCarry takes us on a mesmerizing journey through the shadowy realms of espionage, setting his intricate tale against the vibrant backdrops of Shanghai, Washington, and New York City. This novel is not just a spy story; it's a profound exploration of identity and morality, deeply rooted in the emotional and psychological landscapes of its characters. McCarry's narrative is rich with cultural insights and suspenseful twists, making every page a discovery of intrigue.
However, the novel's conclusion, while providing closure, lacks the narrative vigor that so powerfully drives its earlier chapters. The predictability of the ending contrasts sharply with the unpredictable, thrilling journey that precedes it. Rather than soaring to new heights, the final pages settle into a comfortable glide, offering a resolution that, while neat, leaves a lingering sense of unfulfilled potential. A sharper, more unexpected twist could have elevated the story, making the ending resonate as powerfully as the journey itself.
Despite this, "The Shanghai Factor" stands out for its compelling dive into the human side of espionage. McCarry's skillful storytelling and deep character exploration make it a memorable read, one that stirs both the mind and the heart. It's a journey through shadows and emotions, offering a window into a world where every decision has weight and every emotion is a clue.
July 9, 2019
all reviews in one place:
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A nameless American spy placed in Shanghai with bare orders: learn the language, absorb the culture. Avoid other Caucasians, especially other Americans. Which turns out hard to do, for any other white person in Shanghai jumped at the opportunity to speak to a possible same origins kin. But he could trust no one, and knew patterns too well to fall for real, possible or imagined ploys. Up until a pure accident has sent him tumbling head-first into a very tight and sticky cobweb. For he ran into a bike of a very attractive young woman.
My Opinion: It was dull. This nameless fellow is yet again one of those guys whom men with power just want to pay to do nothing, and women are happy to have sex with him, and absolutely understand that he can’t stay, and must go, and can’t explain them shit. Secondary characters were cold and two-dimensional. Plot itself felt like a tumble of things that barely fit together to make some kind of unclear image. It didn’t feel like a thriller at all.
I understand there’s quite a bit of my own fault for choosing a book so poorly, so no matter how tempted I am to give this book less, I will give it a 3 out of 5, just in case it wasn’t as bad as it seemed to me.
night mode reading ;
skaitom nakties rezimu
About the Book: A nameless American spy placed in Shanghai with bare orders: learn the language, absorb the culture. Avoid other Caucasians, especially other Americans. Which turns out hard to do, for any other white person in Shanghai jumped at the opportunity to speak to a possible same origins kin. But he could trust no one, and knew patterns too well to fall for real, possible or imagined ploys. Up until a pure accident has sent him tumbling head-first into a very tight and sticky cobweb. For he ran into a bike of a very attractive young woman.
My Opinion: It was dull. This nameless fellow is yet again one of those guys whom men with power just want to pay to do nothing, and women are happy to have sex with him, and absolutely understand that he can’t stay, and must go, and can’t explain them shit. Secondary characters were cold and two-dimensional. Plot itself felt like a tumble of things that barely fit together to make some kind of unclear image. It didn’t feel like a thriller at all.
I understand there’s quite a bit of my own fault for choosing a book so poorly, so no matter how tempted I am to give this book less, I will give it a 3 out of 5, just in case it wasn’t as bad as it seemed to me.
September 3, 2022
One of McCarry's best, if not the best, an ingenious dive into the twists and turns of the mysteries of counter-intelligence (CI) and one of the very few thrillers to deal with the massive Chinese foreign intelligence agency, Guoanbu. McCarry has the dry, straight-faced wit and humour of an Elmore Leonard, the metaphysical concerns of a Graham Greene - but comparisons are indeed odious. McCarry is his own man, and frankly I don't need Lee Child, whoever he is, to tell me on the cover that McCarry is better than le Carre. This is surely taking endorsements too far! Maybe he is in some respects, maybe he isn't. These things are so subjective. I have enjoyed most of the Paul Christopher novels, though not all, and especially not the later, more turgid books of the series that take lengthy diversions into esoteric matters such as the Lost Tribe of Israel, the author's admiration for Mossad and the charming State of Israel. Frankly, I found that off-putting and left two unfinished. Anyway, The Shanghai Factor is different in several aspects. It's written in the first person, giving it a degree of intimacy the others lack, and it sometimes leaps into the present tense for immediacy. It's spare in style, and faster. It's also a clever exercise in how CI can get unstuck, how the smoke-and-mirrors game can undo the best laid plans in fiction as in the real world.
May 6, 2025
Dogshit.
The Wall Street Journal described him as the “dean of American Spy writers,” but the Shanghai Factor is shitty. The writing is bad, the plot, at least for the portion I read, was meandery, and it begins with this weird romantic relationship where the protagonist, an American spy, gets into a bicycle accident with a beautiful Chinese woman who immediately falls for him.
McCarry lays out their romance in vivid detail, describing a game the pair played where the protagonist to recite passages from classical Chinese texts while they were engaging in foreplay: “Mei liked foreplay games. Usually these consisted of a feat of Mandarin recitation performed by myself (with my eyes closed) while Mei messed around. No penetration allowed until my feat of memory was perfectly executed, though unlimited cock teasing was okay under the rules, and that's what Mei liked about the game. A couple of days earlier, she had given me these lines, composed around 200 B.C. by the poet and statesman Qu Yuan…”
I don’t mind the sex per se. The problem with this novel is that it uses the sex as a substitute for plot. For much of the first ten percent of the novel, as deeply as I could penetrate into the book (see what I did there?), the novel was all sex and no development, no narrative movement.
All this sex also gives off this weird orientalist vibe.
Read 10%.
The Wall Street Journal described him as the “dean of American Spy writers,” but the Shanghai Factor is shitty. The writing is bad, the plot, at least for the portion I read, was meandery, and it begins with this weird romantic relationship where the protagonist, an American spy, gets into a bicycle accident with a beautiful Chinese woman who immediately falls for him.
McCarry lays out their romance in vivid detail, describing a game the pair played where the protagonist to recite passages from classical Chinese texts while they were engaging in foreplay: “Mei liked foreplay games. Usually these consisted of a feat of Mandarin recitation performed by myself (with my eyes closed) while Mei messed around. No penetration allowed until my feat of memory was perfectly executed, though unlimited cock teasing was okay under the rules, and that's what Mei liked about the game. A couple of days earlier, she had given me these lines, composed around 200 B.C. by the poet and statesman Qu Yuan…”
I don’t mind the sex per se. The problem with this novel is that it uses the sex as a substitute for plot. For much of the first ten percent of the novel, as deeply as I could penetrate into the book (see what I did there?), the novel was all sex and no development, no narrative movement.
All this sex also gives off this weird orientalist vibe.
Read 10%.
February 7, 2017
This Shanghai-U.S. East Coast-based spy thriller is reminiscent of the early works of John le Carré, where the question always is, Whom can you trust? And the answer: no one. At least that’s how the unnamed narrator, a new CIA recruit, chooses to operate. Paranoia 101. Throughout, it’s McCarry’s wry observations of characters and their situations that make the reading such a pleasure.
Undocumented CIA agents, like the narrator
. . never carry official ID. This absence of proof that they’re up to no good is their protection. Otherwise, they are warned, they’re on their own. If they get themselves into trouble, they’ll get no help. If they do well, they’ll get no thanks. That formula is, of course, catnip to romantics.
McCarry gives his protagonist a deceptive openness and surface sociability. A Chinese languages major in college, he’s been sent to Shanghai to improve his language skills and cultural acumen and to keep a lookout for potential Agency recruits.
Early in his stay, a beautiful young woman crashes her bike into his, he buys her an expensive replacement, and before long, they’re lovers. It’s a fun way to learn the language not generally endorsed by Berlitz. From the beginning, he assumes she’d been sent by the Guoanbu, the Chinese intelligence service. Other than her name, Mei, he never asks her any questions about her background—what would be the point?—except to learn she was an exchange student in Massachusetts, which accounts for her American English. Nor does she ask such questions of him—ditto. Plus, he figures she already knows.
Through Mei, he meets wealthy, upwardly mobile young Chinese, disdainful of their stodgy Communist parents. Through one of them, he meets a prominent Chinese CEO and receives an employment offer he suspects is a feeler from Guoanbu. Such a placement could be invaluable to the CIA, if highly risky to him.
McCarry creates a number of entertaining secondary characters, especially lusty Mei, the hot-and-cold Chinese spy Lin Ming, and his mother’s former crack-addict cook, Magdalena. Are any of them what and who they seem? Then there’s his handler, the eccentric CIA director of counter-intelligence Luther Burbank (to the surprise of horticulturalists everywhere), who advises him take the job. Burbank is the only man at the Agency who knows what he’s up to, and they talk only rarely. When they do, Burbank counsels that becoming a an effective espionage agent and undermining Guoanbu, will be a long game, vulnerable to exposure at every turn. They have to be content to wait for the payoff. He does take the job and, from there, life gets complicated.
McCarry’s writing is smooth and literary, and one of my favorite authors, Alan Furst, calls him “a master of intelligent, literate spy fiction.” If you like an old-fashioned spy story dependent more on agents’ wits than electronic wizardry and body count, you may enjoy this one too.
Undocumented CIA agents, like the narrator
. . never carry official ID. This absence of proof that they’re up to no good is their protection. Otherwise, they are warned, they’re on their own. If they get themselves into trouble, they’ll get no help. If they do well, they’ll get no thanks. That formula is, of course, catnip to romantics.
McCarry gives his protagonist a deceptive openness and surface sociability. A Chinese languages major in college, he’s been sent to Shanghai to improve his language skills and cultural acumen and to keep a lookout for potential Agency recruits.
Early in his stay, a beautiful young woman crashes her bike into his, he buys her an expensive replacement, and before long, they’re lovers. It’s a fun way to learn the language not generally endorsed by Berlitz. From the beginning, he assumes she’d been sent by the Guoanbu, the Chinese intelligence service. Other than her name, Mei, he never asks her any questions about her background—what would be the point?—except to learn she was an exchange student in Massachusetts, which accounts for her American English. Nor does she ask such questions of him—ditto. Plus, he figures she already knows.
Through Mei, he meets wealthy, upwardly mobile young Chinese, disdainful of their stodgy Communist parents. Through one of them, he meets a prominent Chinese CEO and receives an employment offer he suspects is a feeler from Guoanbu. Such a placement could be invaluable to the CIA, if highly risky to him.
McCarry creates a number of entertaining secondary characters, especially lusty Mei, the hot-and-cold Chinese spy Lin Ming, and his mother’s former crack-addict cook, Magdalena. Are any of them what and who they seem? Then there’s his handler, the eccentric CIA director of counter-intelligence Luther Burbank (to the surprise of horticulturalists everywhere), who advises him take the job. Burbank is the only man at the Agency who knows what he’s up to, and they talk only rarely. When they do, Burbank counsels that becoming a an effective espionage agent and undermining Guoanbu, will be a long game, vulnerable to exposure at every turn. They have to be content to wait for the payoff. He does take the job and, from there, life gets complicated.
McCarry’s writing is smooth and literary, and one of my favorite authors, Alan Furst, calls him “a master of intelligent, literate spy fiction.” If you like an old-fashioned spy story dependent more on agents’ wits than electronic wizardry and body count, you may enjoy this one too.
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