Following The Eye of Jade, this is the second mystery to feature Diane Wei Liang's female private detective in Beijing. When she tries to find a missing pop singer, Mei Wang discovers unexpected connections to the political demonstrations of Tiananmen Square nearly 10 years earlier, and a political prisoner only now being freed.
"As Mei learns of the effects that tragedy had on the missing singer, she contemplates her own actions in 1989. The skillful storytelling—Liang effectively juggles the dual narratives—and the strong sense of place combine to create a tense and compelling private-eye mystery. Mei's gentle but fiercely independent nature may remind readers of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs."—Booklist
