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Lily Wong #1
The Ninja Daughter
An action-packed thriller about a Chinese-Norwegian modern-day ninja with family issues who fights the Los Angeles Ukrainian mob, sex traffickers, and her own family to save two desperate women and an innocent child.
After her sister is raped and murdered, Lily Wong dedicates her life and ninja skills to the protection of women. But her mission is complicated. Not only does she live above the Chinese restaurant owned by her Norwegian father and inspired by the recipes of her Chinese mother, but she has to hide her true self from her Hong Kong tiger mom is already disappointed at her less than feminine ways, and who would be horrified if she knew what she had become.
But when a woman and her son she escorted safely to an abused women’s shelter return home to dangerous consequences, Lily is forced to not only confront her family and her past, but team up with a mysterious―and very lethal―stranger to rescue them.
8 hours and 16 minutes
After her sister is raped and murdered, Lily Wong dedicates her life and ninja skills to the protection of women. But her mission is complicated. Not only does she live above the Chinese restaurant owned by her Norwegian father and inspired by the recipes of her Chinese mother, but she has to hide her true self from her Hong Kong tiger mom is already disappointed at her less than feminine ways, and who would be horrified if she knew what she had become.
But when a woman and her son she escorted safely to an abused women’s shelter return home to dangerous consequences, Lily is forced to not only confront her family and her past, but team up with a mysterious―and very lethal―stranger to rescue them.
8 hours and 16 minutes
9 pages, Audible Audio
First published November 5, 2019
183 people are currently reading
1429 people want to read
About the author
Tori Eldridge
21 books215 followersTori Eldridge is the bestselling author of the Lily Wong mystery thrillers as well as a two-time Anthony Award nominee, Lefty and Macavity Awards finalist, and winner of the 2021 Crimson Scribe Award for Best Book of the Year. She penned the standalone Dance Among the Flames and will launch her new Ranger Makalani Pahukula mystery series with Kaua‘i Storm on May 20, 2025. In addition to novels, Tori's short stories have been featured in numerous literary, crime fiction, and horror anthologies. Born and raised in Honolulu—of Hawaiian, Chinese, and Norwegian descent—she lived in New York and Los Angeles before settling in Portland, Oregon, where her grandchildren live. Before writing, Tori performed on Broadway, television, and film; and holds a 5th degree black belt in To-Shin Do ninja martial arts.
Find her online at ToriEldridge.com
Facebook @ToriEldridgeAuthor
Instagram @writer.tori
Twitter @ToriEldridge
Bookbub @ToriEldridge
Aloha and thanks for visiting!
Find her online at ToriEldridge.com
Facebook @ToriEldridgeAuthor
Instagram @writer.tori
Twitter @ToriEldridge
Bookbub @ToriEldridge
Aloha and thanks for visiting!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
November 1, 2021
4 ☆
Lily Wong, age 25, still mourns the murder of her then 15-year old sister Rose years later. Employed by a women’s shelter, Lily has channeled her grief, guilt, and anger into protecting abused women. At the opening of The Ninja Daughter, Lily is strung up with her hands bound after being caught for breaking into and entering an abusive spouse’s house.
Lily’s usual work is to ensure the safe arrival of a victimized woman and any children into her employer’s residence, Aleisha’s Refuge. But in this debut novel, Lily is caught up in a cesspool involving the Ukrainian mob, a human-trafficking Latinx gang, local politics, and an even more skilled hitman for hire. Set in Los Angeles, this is in its noir-ish side - not amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood film premieres - but in a world with imminent and frequent threats of danger lurking in the deep shadows cast by the bright sunshine.
When pressed to the wall and outnumbered during her amateur sleuthing, Lily makes the unexpected choice of asking for help from the older assassin. In this story’s surprising twist is the temptation of the hero - a nice touch:
I have read crime fiction for my entire reading life. At this point, I seek novelty and at least some humor in addition to a credible protagonist and a satisfying mystery. I’ll be especially pleased if I can find it with a female main character, because not only is it an empowering representation, but it goes against the mainstream.
The author, Tori Eldridge, has delivered. Aspiring writers are urged to start with what they know best, so there’s a lot of Eldridge in The Ninja Daughter. Eldridge has extensive training in Asian martial arts, and she carefully details the strategy Lily adopts to extricate herself or to defend herself. I could have done without having so many fighting moves explicitly named, even though it enhances the author’s credibility. The GR description calls this a thriller, but I felt that the need to establish the character rendered the pace of The Ninja Daughter less urgent than other thrillers. Like her creator, Lily Wong is of bi-racial heritage and her actions and decisions are heavily influenced by the cultural currents of her family and her environment. All of which makes for a fresh and authentic voice in the crime fiction genre. So, when will the sequel come out?
#2 The Ninja's Blade 3.5 ☆
#3 The Ninja Betrayed 4 ☆
I hadn't trained in the shadow arts to become an assassin. I had done it to help, empower, and protect. Even at the age of 12... I had a feeling that one day, life would try to beat my family. I needed a way to fight back. I needed a way to win.
Lily Wong, age 25, still mourns the murder of her then 15-year old sister Rose years later. Employed by a women’s shelter, Lily has channeled her grief, guilt, and anger into protecting abused women. At the opening of The Ninja Daughter, Lily is strung up with her hands bound after being caught for breaking into and entering an abusive spouse’s house.
Lily’s usual work is to ensure the safe arrival of a victimized woman and any children into her employer’s residence, Aleisha’s Refuge. But in this debut novel, Lily is caught up in a cesspool involving the Ukrainian mob, a human-trafficking Latinx gang, local politics, and an even more skilled hitman for hire. Set in Los Angeles, this is in its noir-ish side - not amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood film premieres - but in a world with imminent and frequent threats of danger lurking in the deep shadows cast by the bright sunshine.
When pressed to the wall and outnumbered during her amateur sleuthing, Lily makes the unexpected choice of asking for help from the older assassin. In this story’s surprising twist is the temptation of the hero - a nice touch:
"Nothing good could come from being a killer’s crush."
His warm breath caressed my face. “No. What you really want to know is … are you like me?”
I have read crime fiction for my entire reading life. At this point, I seek novelty and at least some humor in addition to a credible protagonist and a satisfying mystery. I’ll be especially pleased if I can find it with a female main character, because not only is it an empowering representation, but it goes against the mainstream.
The author, Tori Eldridge, has delivered. Aspiring writers are urged to start with what they know best, so there’s a lot of Eldridge in The Ninja Daughter. Eldridge has extensive training in Asian martial arts, and she carefully details the strategy Lily adopts to extricate herself or to defend herself. I could have done without having so many fighting moves explicitly named, even though it enhances the author’s credibility. The GR description calls this a thriller, but I felt that the need to establish the character rendered the pace of The Ninja Daughter less urgent than other thrillers. Like her creator, Lily Wong is of bi-racial heritage and her actions and decisions are heavily influenced by the cultural currents of her family and her environment. All of which makes for a fresh and authentic voice in the crime fiction genre. So, when will the sequel come out?
#2 The Ninja's Blade 3.5 ☆
#3 The Ninja Betrayed 4 ☆
April 6, 2021
This was unique and interesting. I liked the different ethnic flavors brought into this story and how it made a remarkable protagonist. I appreciated her efforts to do good while not being so polished and perfect that she never got into a sticky situation. Overall I enjoyed the personalities of Lily, her family, and her friends, or is acquaintances a better word? If you want something a little different and you like your female lead to be kick ass then pick this one up. 🥷
April 20, 2021
3 Stars for The Ninja Daughter: Lily Wong Series, Book 1(audiobook) by Tori Eldridge read by Natalie Naudus.
This was kind of a disappointment. I like the premise, I thought. My wife is half Chinese. I’m always up for a good ninja story. But the main character is so anti men that it got kind of annoying. And I think the story could have been a little bit better. I think I’ll pass on the next book in the series.
This was kind of a disappointment. I like the premise, I thought. My wife is half Chinese. I’m always up for a good ninja story. But the main character is so anti men that it got kind of annoying. And I think the story could have been a little bit better. I think I’ll pass on the next book in the series.
January 30, 2020
Lily Wong is a fascinating protagonist, a young ninja woman of mixed Chinese-Norwegian ancestry who protects women against abusers. I was attracted by the Norwegian, Chinese, and martial-arts aspects of the book's description.
The story was entertaining, there was plenty of action, and the characters and their interrelationships were well portrayed. I enjoyed the mix of cultures. In addition to Lily's mixed ancestry, she is also trained in Japanese martial arts.
The book also contained interesting factual information, such as the differences between the Mandarin and Cantonese languages. And it was fun to find out that Norwegian and Swedish (my ancestral language through my maternal grandmother) words for the four types of grandparent are the same: mormor, morfar, farmor, and farfar..
I'm looking forward to reading more of LIly Wong's adventures in the sequels.
The story was entertaining, there was plenty of action, and the characters and their interrelationships were well portrayed. I enjoyed the mix of cultures. In addition to Lily's mixed ancestry, she is also trained in Japanese martial arts.
The book also contained interesting factual information, such as the differences between the Mandarin and Cantonese languages. And it was fun to find out that Norwegian and Swedish (my ancestral language through my maternal grandmother) words for the four types of grandparent are the same: mormor, morfar, farmor, and farfar..
I'm looking forward to reading more of LIly Wong's adventures in the sequels.
December 10, 2023
Cozy in conflict with Noir
Review of the Agora Books paperback edition (November 2019)
[3.5 rounded up]
The Ninja* Daughter is a promising first outing for an expected series to come. Author Eldridge incorporates her own varied ethnic upbringing and martial arts training into the mix of what may seem like a quirky backstory, but which still comes across as authentic. The cozy family and food scenes do seem in conflict with the rather vicious bloodletting that comes along, especially towards the end. Usually crime fiction goes either the cozy or the noir route, so this may throw off fans of one or the other branches of the genre. Still, I'm eager to see how the Lily Wong character will develop in the future.
This should appeal to fans of the Jane Whitefield series (who similarly is a vigilante protecting the victimized) by Thomas Perry and the Ava Lee series (who similarly practices martial arts) by Ian Hamilton.
* Technically, this should probably have been The Kunoichi Daughter, but the average person wouldn't know what Kunoichi means.
Trivia and Links
Lily Wong returns in the further books The Ninja's Blade (September 2020), The Ninja Betrayed (September 2021) and The Ninja's Oath (September 2023).
December 9, 2023 Update Deleted broken link which previously went to the first appearance of Lily Wong in the short story Call Me Dumpling in the December 2014 issue of Suspense Magazine. The previous link no longer works for some reason. But you can check the general listing of back issues of Suspense Magazine in case they fix the link to the December 2014 issue. Links from September/October 2016 onwards seem to work ok, all the earlier ones don't.
The Ninja Daughter is one of the initial titles from Agora Books, a new imprint of independent publisher Polis Books which will be "a diversity-focused imprint devoted to crime and noir fiction." Other initial releases from Agora Books are Three-Fifths (September 2019) by John Vercher, Remember (October 2019) by Patricia Smith, Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (February 2020), Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem by Gary Phillips (February 2020), Line of Sight by James Queally (March 2020) and Both Sides: Stories From the Border edited by Gabino Iglesias (April 2020). Watch for further releases from Agora Books at the Polis Books website.
Review of the Agora Books paperback edition (November 2019)
[3.5 rounded up]
The Ninja* Daughter is a promising first outing for an expected series to come. Author Eldridge incorporates her own varied ethnic upbringing and martial arts training into the mix of what may seem like a quirky backstory, but which still comes across as authentic. The cozy family and food scenes do seem in conflict with the rather vicious bloodletting that comes along, especially towards the end. Usually crime fiction goes either the cozy or the noir route, so this may throw off fans of one or the other branches of the genre. Still, I'm eager to see how the Lily Wong character will develop in the future.
This should appeal to fans of the Jane Whitefield series (who similarly is a vigilante protecting the victimized) by Thomas Perry and the Ava Lee series (who similarly practices martial arts) by Ian Hamilton.
* Technically, this should probably have been The Kunoichi Daughter, but the average person wouldn't know what Kunoichi means.
Trivia and Links
Lily Wong returns in the further books The Ninja's Blade (September 2020), The Ninja Betrayed (September 2021) and The Ninja's Oath (September 2023).
December 9, 2023 Update Deleted broken link which previously went to the first appearance of Lily Wong in the short story Call Me Dumpling in the December 2014 issue of Suspense Magazine. The previous link no longer works for some reason. But you can check the general listing of back issues of Suspense Magazine in case they fix the link to the December 2014 issue. Links from September/October 2016 onwards seem to work ok, all the earlier ones don't.
The Ninja Daughter is one of the initial titles from Agora Books, a new imprint of independent publisher Polis Books which will be "a diversity-focused imprint devoted to crime and noir fiction." Other initial releases from Agora Books are Three-Fifths (September 2019) by John Vercher, Remember (October 2019) by Patricia Smith, Untamed Shore by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (February 2020), Matthew Henson and the Ice Temple of Harlem by Gary Phillips (February 2020), Line of Sight by James Queally (March 2020) and Both Sides: Stories From the Border edited by Gabino Iglesias (April 2020). Watch for further releases from Agora Books at the Polis Books website.
January 5, 2020
The Ninja Daughter is full of action, that's for sure! With every turn of the page, something happens like an intense bike ride, or danger lurking around the corner. This book is a lot of fun to read, that's for sure, and it's pretty quick too!
Although I enjoyed this novel, I did find myself missing out on something...and I'm not sure what. Maybe it was the writing, or the highly unlikely situations like "look! A clue that just happened to be here" kind of setup. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not my preference. I can totally see this book being produced into some sort of mini-series!
Although I enjoyed this novel, I did find myself missing out on something...and I'm not sure what. Maybe it was the writing, or the highly unlikely situations like "look! A clue that just happened to be here" kind of setup. Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's just not my preference. I can totally see this book being produced into some sort of mini-series!
August 25, 2024
The Ninja Daughter was not plot driven. I felt like it was a series of vignettes strung together with a very loose thread and the author was more interested in portraying the Scandinavian, Chinese, Japanese cultural mix than telling a great story. I think I have been spoiled by reading Eric Van Lustbader's Ninja novels that seem to go deep into the Japanese culture and ninjutsu, yet tell a compelling story. The redeeming factor of The Ninja Daughter was the demystifying of ninjutsu, taking the supernatural and mystical out of the martial art of ninjutsu.
May 26, 2025
Unputdownable! Lily Wong is a badass ninja who rescues women and children from their abusers. The book is chock full of Chinese culture and cuisine. Contemporary LA is almost a character in the book. Speaking of characters! Wonderful. And did I mention martial arts!!
November 24, 2019
4 Stars
*A gritty, exciting mystery about revenge and redemption*
ARC provided by Agora Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Martial Arts, and I love kickass heroines. So The Ninja Daughter caught my eye right away. This is the story of Lily Wong, a young woman who dedicates her life to helping abused women after her sister is raped and murdered. Sometimes her work involves helping women orchestrate their escape from abusive situations. Other times she distributes vigilante justice herself. Lily is a flawed character who operates outside of the law, but I enjoyed reading about her. Her work was gripping to read about, but I also enjoyed the exploration of Lily’s personal life. With a Norwegian father and Chinese mother, Lily’s heritage pulls her in conflicting directions. She struggles with balancing family expectations with her own self-given task of protecting women. And I liked how Martial Arts teachings were infused into the whole story. So many people misunderstand Martial Arts. It is completely evident that Eldridge draws from her own training in To-Shin Do for both the fight scenes and the mentality of Martial Arts. According to her bio, she also has a similar cultural background to Lily, so she draws a lot from her own life experiences.
This is definitely an adult story. It deals with topics of abuse and rape and other violence. The opening scene is a torture scene. That being said, the overall story is not too graphic. The violence falls into the middle ground: there is enough content to put off sensitive readers, but it is not nearly as graphic as some popular books.
The story ended up being more of a Mystery than a Thriller. Lily’s roll as protector often has her functioning like a private investigator, so the story had a strong Mystery vibe. That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. I love reading Mysteries. Combined with the other elements of the story, The Ninja Daughter was my kind of book.
There were some aspects that showed this is a debut novel and the first in a series. There was a lot of information that had to be set up. Not just the characters and plot, but also a lot of background about Chinese and Norwegian culture as well as the different Martial Arts disciplines. It was a lot of information to fit into a short novel. But I was engaged the whole time, and this was a great debut novel. I look forward to reading the sequel!
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
*A gritty, exciting mystery about revenge and redemption*
ARC provided by Agora Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love Martial Arts, and I love kickass heroines. So The Ninja Daughter caught my eye right away. This is the story of Lily Wong, a young woman who dedicates her life to helping abused women after her sister is raped and murdered. Sometimes her work involves helping women orchestrate their escape from abusive situations. Other times she distributes vigilante justice herself. Lily is a flawed character who operates outside of the law, but I enjoyed reading about her. Her work was gripping to read about, but I also enjoyed the exploration of Lily’s personal life. With a Norwegian father and Chinese mother, Lily’s heritage pulls her in conflicting directions. She struggles with balancing family expectations with her own self-given task of protecting women. And I liked how Martial Arts teachings were infused into the whole story. So many people misunderstand Martial Arts. It is completely evident that Eldridge draws from her own training in To-Shin Do for both the fight scenes and the mentality of Martial Arts. According to her bio, she also has a similar cultural background to Lily, so she draws a lot from her own life experiences.
This is definitely an adult story. It deals with topics of abuse and rape and other violence. The opening scene is a torture scene. That being said, the overall story is not too graphic. The violence falls into the middle ground: there is enough content to put off sensitive readers, but it is not nearly as graphic as some popular books.
The story ended up being more of a Mystery than a Thriller. Lily’s roll as protector often has her functioning like a private investigator, so the story had a strong Mystery vibe. That wasn’t what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it. I love reading Mysteries. Combined with the other elements of the story, The Ninja Daughter was my kind of book.
There were some aspects that showed this is a debut novel and the first in a series. There was a lot of information that had to be set up. Not just the characters and plot, but also a lot of background about Chinese and Norwegian culture as well as the different Martial Arts disciplines. It was a lot of information to fit into a short novel. But I was engaged the whole time, and this was a great debut novel. I look forward to reading the sequel!
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 4 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Originality: 4 Stars
February 23, 2021
The Ninja Daughter is the first in the series by Tori Eldridge. Meet Lily Wong. Snarky, in-your-face, no nonsense, kick-ass, modern day Ninja. After the murder of her sister, Lily trained herself to be able to protect those women who cannot help themselves. Instead of the usual diet of wife abusers and drunks, Lily has fallen into something that is far more dangerous. She caught in between rival street gangs and hired assassins. She must use every lesson her Sensi had passed onto her if she hopes to survive while protecting those she has promised to help.
My love of all things dealing with martial arts goes back to when I was mesmerized with Shogun and Bruce Lee as a teen. Lily fits the bill and now knowing the author’s own background, she creates a thriller that rings true. Here is a fast-paced story that blends the beauty of the orient with the lethal fighting warriors of the past.
Lily definitely has a new fan!
My love of all things dealing with martial arts goes back to when I was mesmerized with Shogun and Bruce Lee as a teen. Lily fits the bill and now knowing the author’s own background, she creates a thriller that rings true. Here is a fast-paced story that blends the beauty of the orient with the lethal fighting warriors of the past.
Lily definitely has a new fan!
January 30, 2020
The Ninja Daughter is an action paced thriller. I really loved that! The beginning of this book was very nice, you get to know the setting and the main character. I thought I would end to love this book, but the closer I got to the ending, the less it interested me. Let me explain. The story turned to some political and economic stuff which I don't like in books. That is just a personal preference.
The culture in this book was so nice to read about! Lily is half Norwegian and half Chinese. I wish there was more about the Chinese culture in this book though. It was there in the beginning, but I missed it as a line throughout the book. But that's just a detail. Loved the ninja aspect of The Ninja Daughter!
What I absolutely love is that Lily is such a strong independent woman. She's truly a badass and was the perfect main character in my opinion for this story!
I give 3,5 stars. I recommend this thriller for whoever loves a thriller with culture aspects and with political dilemmes!
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Special thanks to JKS Communications for this review copy! And for the extra goodies!
The culture in this book was so nice to read about! Lily is half Norwegian and half Chinese. I wish there was more about the Chinese culture in this book though. It was there in the beginning, but I missed it as a line throughout the book. But that's just a detail. Loved the ninja aspect of The Ninja Daughter!
What I absolutely love is that Lily is such a strong independent woman. She's truly a badass and was the perfect main character in my opinion for this story!
I give 3,5 stars. I recommend this thriller for whoever loves a thriller with culture aspects and with political dilemmes!
-
Special thanks to JKS Communications for this review copy! And for the extra goodies!
April 1, 2022
Alright I just listened to this book because it was free on audible. Also because the narrator is fantastic. Natalie Naudus is very good! I listened to Daughter of the Moon Goddess and she was great so I looked for more of her work. The plot and story line were not my normal. The genre also wasn't what I would normally go after. There was a lot of realistic and well thought out fighting and detective work. There were some realistic responses to situations. There were realistic reactions when something was stressful or morally ambiguous. All of which I steer well clear of. That being said the writing was good, and the book was enjoyable.
February 10, 2025
2.5 stars
ALC review
Lily Wong is on a mission for vengeance following the rape and murder of her sister, and she is determined to use her ninja training to protect other women and children in need. This takes Lily up against the local faction of the Ukrainian mob and she’ll need to trust someone she’d sworn to destroy.
I really struggled to stay engaged during this book, which I think was a result of the combination of a stagnant plot and an underwhelming narrator. The narrative successfully moves from A to B but there aren’t any stand out of memorable moments in between. I was also shocked this book was written by a woman because female characters are very much written through the male gaze which gives me the sense ick.
I liked the dynamic between the two main characters except for the insta-lust from Lily’s side because YOU LITERALLY DESPISE THIS MAN? I was just rolling my eyes so hard. Lily as a main character offers a great perspective of the issues of growing up in a mixed race household and the feeling of being torn between cultures and communities. I also thought the relationship between her and her parents, as a pair and individually, was very well done and compelling.
This definitely wasn’t the book for me but the characters have potential.
ALC review
Lily Wong is on a mission for vengeance following the rape and murder of her sister, and she is determined to use her ninja training to protect other women and children in need. This takes Lily up against the local faction of the Ukrainian mob and she’ll need to trust someone she’d sworn to destroy.
I really struggled to stay engaged during this book, which I think was a result of the combination of a stagnant plot and an underwhelming narrator. The narrative successfully moves from A to B but there aren’t any stand out of memorable moments in between. I was also shocked this book was written by a woman because female characters are very much written through the male gaze which gives me the sense ick.
I liked the dynamic between the two main characters except for the insta-lust from Lily’s side because YOU LITERALLY DESPISE THIS MAN? I was just rolling my eyes so hard. Lily as a main character offers a great perspective of the issues of growing up in a mixed race household and the feeling of being torn between cultures and communities. I also thought the relationship between her and her parents, as a pair and individually, was very well done and compelling.
This definitely wasn’t the book for me but the characters have potential.
August 27, 2020
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S THE NINJA DAUGHTER ABOUT?
Lily Wong's nickname is Dumpling, and like that food, there's a lot hidden underneath the surface.
For starters, there's the fact that she trained extensively in martial arts—more than her parents realized—growing up. Then there's the fact that she (in her mind, at least) let her sister down the night that her sister was sexually assaulted and murdered. Which fuels the last hidden part of her life—she uses her guilt and need for vengeance to fuel her utilization of those martial arts skills to be a kunoichi—a female ninja—to help women and children who are the victims of abuse while she hunts for her sister's killer. Her parents only know she does IT work from home.
When the book opens she's trying to help a Ukrainian immigrant woman and her son get away from her abusive husband (who brags about his criminal connections), but that's not going too well. To distract her self from the lack of success there, she takes up the cause of a waitress who'd been attacked in her home by a customer. The judge tossed the case based on insufficient evidence following weeks of the waitress being victim shamed through the media (traditional and social).
Lily decides that this waitress needs a big sister to look out for her and appoints herself to fill that role. She does this by doing what she can to keep Mia safe and then to investigate the guy she pressed charges against. This leads her into a murky world of government contracts, real estate, organized crime, and murder.
YOU KNOW WHO LILY REMINDS ME OF?
Part of it's the city of L.A., part of it's the female action-hero vibe, the one woman against the world kind of thing. Part of it is ineffable. But I couldn't help but think of Cas Russell (of Zero Sum Game and Null Set) and Teagan Frost (of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind ) as I read this book.
Sure, Lily's more grounded than either of them, she has no real powers other than those that are the result of years of training and practice. Theoretically, everything that Lily does in this book Tori Eldridge is (or at least was at one point) capable of doing herself—and a lot of what Cas and Teagan do are purely the stuff of fiction. Still, I'm probably going to lump the three of them together in my mind for some time to come.
The biggest difference between them is that Lily knows just who she is and where she comes from—her family is strong, affectionate (in their way), and supportive. She may have friends to augment that core support, but they're not everything she has. This makes her a bit more stable and capable of dealing with challenges that come than the others.
(and, yeah, I thought of Lydia Chin and her mother every time Lily and her Ma interacted, but that's a whole other can of worms).
THE FOOD
There's food all over this book. Lily's father owns and runs a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The woman that runs the shelter she works with cooks amazing sounding soul food. The meals she eats with her family and on her own sound amazing. Spenser and Elvis Cole may know their way around a kitchen, but Lily Wong knows her way around some fantastic restaurants in L.A. She's so far ahead of the game than Kinsey Milhone's lousy sandwiches and Hungarian food that it's hard to believe they're in the same genre.
Do not read this book if you're peckish. Keep yourself fed well, or you're going to be snacking far too much.
LILY'S HERITAGE
It's that family makes Lily who she is. In these three hundred pages, we hear more about Lily's grandparents and parents than I'm used to hearing about a protagonist's family over several books. Particularly when we're talking about an action hero.
Eldridge has given Lily the same heritage that she has—a Norwegian father from North Dakota and a Chinese mother. So Eldridge knows the special kind of alchemy that the mixture of the two cultures produces.
THE IMPORTANT WORD IN THE TITLE
Obviously, it's Ninja that draws your attention and is the memorable takeaway, but as you can tell, it's Daughter that colors the whole book. It's Lily's interactions with her parents, her application of the way they raised her and still care for her, the way she draws on what they teach and tell her that defines her and proves to be the key to figuring out what's going on in the book.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE NINJA DAUGHTER?
If you want to ignore the deeper stuff and enjoy a book about a determined young woman out for vengeance (presumptive and by proxy, as it often is) on the streets of Los Angeles, this book will do the trick.
If you want a rounded, complex, female character trying to figure out how to deal with personal guilt, and trauma while helping out women and children by any means necessary, this book will do the trick, too. The idea that she may be starting to figure out a way past the guilt and move into healing and happiness* makes that all the better.
* Sure, I realize that within the first fifty pages of the sequel, all that can go away. The important thing is that it was there
You could make the case that Philip Marlowe was Chandler's attempt at telling the story of a knight errant in early-twentieth-century L.A. Lily's in the same vein—just a little more modern (and, ironically enough, using an older kind of warrior). Eldridge's L.A. has slightly nicer mean streets, but they're just as deadly and are in just as much need for a hero. I hope we get to see her at work for quite some time.
---
WHAT'S THE NINJA DAUGHTER ABOUT?
Lily Wong's nickname is Dumpling, and like that food, there's a lot hidden underneath the surface.
For starters, there's the fact that she trained extensively in martial arts—more than her parents realized—growing up. Then there's the fact that she (in her mind, at least) let her sister down the night that her sister was sexually assaulted and murdered. Which fuels the last hidden part of her life—she uses her guilt and need for vengeance to fuel her utilization of those martial arts skills to be a kunoichi—a female ninja—to help women and children who are the victims of abuse while she hunts for her sister's killer. Her parents only know she does IT work from home.
When the book opens she's trying to help a Ukrainian immigrant woman and her son get away from her abusive husband (who brags about his criminal connections), but that's not going too well. To distract her self from the lack of success there, she takes up the cause of a waitress who'd been attacked in her home by a customer. The judge tossed the case based on insufficient evidence following weeks of the waitress being victim shamed through the media (traditional and social).
Lily decides that this waitress needs a big sister to look out for her and appoints herself to fill that role. She does this by doing what she can to keep Mia safe and then to investigate the guy she pressed charges against. This leads her into a murky world of government contracts, real estate, organized crime, and murder.
YOU KNOW WHO LILY REMINDS ME OF?
Part of it's the city of L.A., part of it's the female action-hero vibe, the one woman against the world kind of thing. Part of it is ineffable. But I couldn't help but think of Cas Russell (of Zero Sum Game and Null Set) and Teagan Frost (of The Girl Who Could Move Sh*t with Her Mind ) as I read this book.
Sure, Lily's more grounded than either of them, she has no real powers other than those that are the result of years of training and practice. Theoretically, everything that Lily does in this book Tori Eldridge is (or at least was at one point) capable of doing herself—and a lot of what Cas and Teagan do are purely the stuff of fiction. Still, I'm probably going to lump the three of them together in my mind for some time to come.
The biggest difference between them is that Lily knows just who she is and where she comes from—her family is strong, affectionate (in their way), and supportive. She may have friends to augment that core support, but they're not everything she has. This makes her a bit more stable and capable of dealing with challenges that come than the others.
(and, yeah, I thought of Lydia Chin and her mother every time Lily and her Ma interacted, but that's a whole other can of worms).
THE FOOD
There's food all over this book. Lily's father owns and runs a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown. The woman that runs the shelter she works with cooks amazing sounding soul food. The meals she eats with her family and on her own sound amazing. Spenser and Elvis Cole may know their way around a kitchen, but Lily Wong knows her way around some fantastic restaurants in L.A. She's so far ahead of the game than Kinsey Milhone's lousy sandwiches and Hungarian food that it's hard to believe they're in the same genre.
Do not read this book if you're peckish. Keep yourself fed well, or you're going to be snacking far too much.
LILY'S HERITAGE
It's that family makes Lily who she is. In these three hundred pages, we hear more about Lily's grandparents and parents than I'm used to hearing about a protagonist's family over several books. Particularly when we're talking about an action hero.
Eldridge has given Lily the same heritage that she has—a Norwegian father from North Dakota and a Chinese mother. So Eldridge knows the special kind of alchemy that the mixture of the two cultures produces.
THE IMPORTANT WORD IN THE TITLE
Obviously, it's Ninja that draws your attention and is the memorable takeaway, but as you can tell, it's Daughter that colors the whole book. It's Lily's interactions with her parents, her application of the way they raised her and still care for her, the way she draws on what they teach and tell her that defines her and proves to be the key to figuring out what's going on in the book.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT THE NINJA DAUGHTER?
If you want to ignore the deeper stuff and enjoy a book about a determined young woman out for vengeance (presumptive and by proxy, as it often is) on the streets of Los Angeles, this book will do the trick.
If you want a rounded, complex, female character trying to figure out how to deal with personal guilt, and trauma while helping out women and children by any means necessary, this book will do the trick, too. The idea that she may be starting to figure out a way past the guilt and move into healing and happiness* makes that all the better.
* Sure, I realize that within the first fifty pages of the sequel, all that can go away. The important thing is that it was there
You could make the case that Philip Marlowe was Chandler's attempt at telling the story of a knight errant in early-twentieth-century L.A. Lily's in the same vein—just a little more modern (and, ironically enough, using an older kind of warrior). Eldridge's L.A. has slightly nicer mean streets, but they're just as deadly and are in just as much need for a hero. I hope we get to see her at work for quite some time.
April 26, 2021
DNF at 35% but still rating it because of the amount of victim blaming this did to the DV survivors and people going through it. The diversity was great and I enjoyed those aspects of her dealing with her family but not enough to put up with how she treated the victims.
October 1, 2019
An excellent debut novel. Lily Wong is a smart, driven and kick-ass young woman you can’t help but root for. A fast paced interesting story. I can’t wait to see what Lily gets up to next.
November 4, 2021
Ungh! Lured into a chiclit trap by ninja!
December 18, 2019
This action-packed debut thriller introduces Lily Wong, a Chinese-Norwegian woman who fights the Los Angeles Ukrainian mob, sex traffickers, and her own family’s expectations to protect desperate women and children.
The layers of external conflict and the search for justice combine with the internal conflicts that come from being mixed-race in a community that favours the conventional.
The detailed descriptions of martial arts techniques and the Los Angeles setting adds a depth of authenticity to this remarkable page-turner from an author to follow.
The layers of external conflict and the search for justice combine with the internal conflicts that come from being mixed-race in a community that favours the conventional.
The detailed descriptions of martial arts techniques and the Los Angeles setting adds a depth of authenticity to this remarkable page-turner from an author to follow.
March 14, 2021
I have a new idol, and her name is Lily Wong. The badass yet sensitive protagonist in THE NINJA DAUGHTER (the start of a thrill-a-minute series) will make you want to stand up and clap as she hunts down the scum of L.A. to defend and protect women and children. Think of this book as Kill Bill without the gore. There's so much strength and heart in Tori Eldridge's debut. I'd recommend THE NINJA DAUGHTER to just about anyone.
December 24, 2024
Thank you to Datura for sending me the Lily Wong series, which is rereleasing January 21, 2025! Here are my thoughts on the first book in the series.
Lily Wong’s sister passes away after a violent sexual assault, and this pushes Lily to do whatever she can to protect vulnerable women in her community. Her parents wouldn’t approve of her violent day job, so she does her best to save face and keep what remains of her family together.
As I started reading this novel, I didn’t fully know what to expect. I thought it was going to be full action, non-stop. Something like Kill Bill or John Wick. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. The novel does provide those bad-ass female hero moments, full of violence and action but it also balances a kind family life.
This first novel did such a great job of showing me who Lily is, her background and relationships as well as her motivations and how she got to be this vigilante-type character. At first, I wasn’t sure that I would like the back and forth, but I found it really fleshed out the novel and made me more invested in the outcome to Lily’s scarier scenes.
The relationships with friends, family and romantic partners were intriguing and original. The book ends nicely, and ties everything together but leaves space for me to want to learn more about Lily and some of the other characters. Overall, I am even more thrilled that Datura sent me these books because it’s a series I am genuinely excited to continue and share!
Lily Wong’s sister passes away after a violent sexual assault, and this pushes Lily to do whatever she can to protect vulnerable women in her community. Her parents wouldn’t approve of her violent day job, so she does her best to save face and keep what remains of her family together.
As I started reading this novel, I didn’t fully know what to expect. I thought it was going to be full action, non-stop. Something like Kill Bill or John Wick. But I was in for a pleasant surprise. The novel does provide those bad-ass female hero moments, full of violence and action but it also balances a kind family life.
This first novel did such a great job of showing me who Lily is, her background and relationships as well as her motivations and how she got to be this vigilante-type character. At first, I wasn’t sure that I would like the back and forth, but I found it really fleshed out the novel and made me more invested in the outcome to Lily’s scarier scenes.
The relationships with friends, family and romantic partners were intriguing and original. The book ends nicely, and ties everything together but leaves space for me to want to learn more about Lily and some of the other characters. Overall, I am even more thrilled that Datura sent me these books because it’s a series I am genuinely excited to continue and share!
July 21, 2020
Lily Wong is the daughter of Chinese/Norwegian parents. This gives her an exotic look and a unique outlook. She has found her passion in helping women at risk. In this, she is aided both by her sense of right and her expertise in the Ninja skills. It is refreshing to read an action story with a female heroine and one who is defined by more than just her fighting skills, which are impressive. She's focused, caring and funny. I was happy to find the supporting characters were as complex as our heroine. Her relationship with her parents was complex and interesting and they were more than just clueless charactictures. It's well worth it to read the author's note at the end. Tori Eldridge is as interesting as Lily herself. I'm looking forward to the next one in the Lily Wong series.
May 27, 2020
I like Lily Wong. I'm tired of all those contemporary heroines who can do so much more and know so much more than men simply because they're female. Lily does have super powers but she only uses them to humiliate bad guys. She has a lovably aggravating family. I like the way Eldridge blends the back story with the mystery at hand. She can keep the story moving without resorting to constant violence and tension. With the believable characters, exciting plot, and realistic details of locale and Ninja fighting, this book has pretty much everything I want in a mystery. I'll definitely be reading more of these.
August 28, 2025
The author took the common bit of writing advice--write what you know--and put it to good use in this book. The protagonist, like the author, is Norwegian-Chinese, kicks ass, and lives in L.A. I really enjoyed the cultural details, and I like how Lily's Norwegian father runs the Chinese restaurant, having perfected the recipes his wife grew up with.
Lily puts her ninja skills to good use in contemporary L.A. to protect women and children who end up in trouble. She's a smart character driven by the desire to do good, but isn't perfect by any means.
I sometimes felt the story was slow, and I didn't care for how Lily focused sometimes on her weight or how much she ate. I would give this book three and a half stars. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next one in the series or not, but I certainly enjoyed this one.
Lily puts her ninja skills to good use in contemporary L.A. to protect women and children who end up in trouble. She's a smart character driven by the desire to do good, but isn't perfect by any means.
I sometimes felt the story was slow, and I didn't care for how Lily focused sometimes on her weight or how much she ate. I would give this book three and a half stars. I'm not sure if I'll pick up the next one in the series or not, but I certainly enjoyed this one.
February 25, 2020
Wonderful. Lily Wong (aka Dumpling) is a heroine for the 21st century--badass, deep, relentless. Tori Eldridge has a winner here! Brava!
April 29, 2024
I enjoyed it enough to pass it to my own ninja daughter. We’ll see what she thinks. I’ll read the second one in the series.
May 16, 2025
3.39 stars…is it bad my favorite character was the uber driver, I am willing to read the next one to see if she becomes a bigger part of the series
January 25, 2022
Very unlikeable protagonist at times, but I expect no less of a vigilante. Good writing, perfect story flow, I just thought our protag made some very dumb decisions over all. Good combat scenes. Sometimes graphic. I like how race is talked about, considering both the protag and the author are Eurasian. Author is knowledgeable in anatomy lol. Would read another book by this author.
July 26, 2020
Nothing like a kick ass woman sticking up for other women to perk up my reading life. Lily Wong is a trained ninja who is using her skills to help protect abused women in Los Angeles. She's of Norwegian and Chinese descent which impacts her family life and how she views the world. There were a few coincidences that made the story a bit too pat at times but I enjoyed the character quite a bit and would like to read more by the author.
January 7, 2024
3.75 rounded up
February 21, 2020
No wonder this book is getting so much hype! It is phenomenal and I can not wait for the next one! I have been hearing lots of good things about this book and this author and I couldn’t wait to see for myself. Wow! One of the best books of this year
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