Ghost Hero (Lydia Chin and Bill Smith Series #11)

There is much too much banter in this novel and not nearly enoug

There is much too much banter in this novel and not nearly enough movement....frankly, I gave up 2/3 of the way thru and archived this on my NOOK. I've read Rozan before & loved the work, but this was a hughe disappointment.

A Ghost As Hero?

A ghost as hero? Well, why not? So much fiction requires us to suspend belief, in Ghost Hero author S.J. Rozan makes it a pleasure. The story is mostly told in conversation between very likable characters. To tell a story in that manner is hard to pull off without making the conversations stilted. But here they are pleasantly breezy, but so well-crafted that I was impressed the more I read. When all was done, I felt eager to read other stories in the series, which was all new to me. Author Rozan took some big chances with her invented characters such as Vladimir and Dr. Lin, but they worked well and with great humor. And the um, real characters did too. I particularly liked Jack and Eddie To.

A Great New Caper Set in the NYC Art World with Investigators Lydia Chin and Bill Smith

There are few authors that can keep a series fresh and entertaining in the way that S.J. Rozan has with her Lydia Chin/Bill Smith PI books. In her 11th, GHOST HERO, she brings her two private investigators into the world of art (Chinese and Chinese-American) in the galleries of New York City where they cross paths with another PI. I won't say any more because I know that part of the joy of reading a book is discovering what comes next. I will say that Rozan's humor, her intricate plots (that feel like a literary peeling away of the layers on an onion), her keen observations about human nature and her street smarts make this another wonderful addition to the series. I prefer to read most series in the order that they were written, but if you haven't read any of this series before (and why haven't you?), this would be an excellent place to start. But I think that you'll then go back to CHINA TRADE (the 1st in the series) and start all over again. Enjoy!

This is a super twisting Chin and Smith investigative thriller

Modern day Chinese art collector Jeff Dunbar hears rumors of the discovery of previously unknown works by the late "Ghost Hero" Chau Chun, who died during the Tiananmen Square uprising. A legend among freedom lovers, the Ghost Hero concealed anti-government messages in his drawings. Although Jeff assumes that if the paintings exist they are forgeries as they contain contemporary political messages or the Ghost lives, he hires Chinese-American private investigator Lydia Chin to look into the existence and authenticity of the claims.

Lydia's partner Bill Smith introduces her to a sleuthing colleague Jack Lee, also a native Chinese-American. Jack explains that NYU professor Bernard Yang has hired him to investigate the Chau Chun claims. As the detectives compare notes, Lydia and Bill wonder what their client really wants.

This is a super twisting Chin and Smith investigative thriller (see On the Line) that grips readers from the moment Dunbar hires Chin and never slows down until the final denouement. The key cast is fully developed in this fast-paced yet cerebral mystery. Like Chin, Smith and Lee, readers will want to know who is painting the current Ghost Hero masterpieces.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.