FICTION

Whispering Shadows

by Jan-Philipp Sendker
37 Ink: Atria. Apr. 2015. 352p. ISBN 9781476793641. $25.99; ebk. ISBN 9781476793665. M
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Bereaved father and retired journalist Paul Leibovitz finds mystery, and perhaps love, in Sendker's latest (The Art of Hearing Heartbeats; A Well-Tempered Heart). In the wake of the death of his son and the dissolution of his marriage, Paul hides away on a small outlying Hong Kong island, nursing the memories of what he has lost. When the mystery of the untimely death of an American businessman somewhat implausibly finds him, he must help his detective friend Zhang identify the culprit before the case can arbitrarily be closed by the police. Along the way, Paul grows ever closer to girlfriend Christine, who harbors a deep-seated resentment against the Chinese who mistreated her family.
VERDICT The mystery is solved relatively early, and there isn't much suspense. The real strength of this book, the first in a new trilogy, is the fascinating exploration of Chinese and Hong Kong society and life. Recommended for those who love international mysteries, of course, but also for readers who will appreciate the lush descriptions of a beautiful country and culture. [See Prepub Alert, 10/13/14; library promotion.]
Reviewed by Liz Kirchhoff, Barrington Area Lib., IL , Mar 15, 2015
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