I wanted to share a new book with you called The Jade Dragon: An Amateur Detective Historical Mystery (Death in Shanghai Book 1) by Garrett Hutson (Author). Before I share my review with you I wanted to share other books Garrett Hutson has written, Inside this post is my affiliate links. If you click on the links and make a purchase I will make a small percentage from the items you purchase.
In The Jade Dragon the Author brings us to Shanghai, China, in 1935 giving us a realistic description of the different parts of the City by ethnic composition. This is the first in a series and this book can be read as a stand-alone novel and doesn’t have to be read in any certain order and I hope you check out the series soon.
The main character Doug encounters an old schoolmate at the beginning of a two-year immersion posting in Shanghai for the US Navy, and we learn there are old issues that have to sort out. Despite their somewhat troubled past, Doug enjoys getting to know the new version of Tim..
This book is filled with spies, gangs, drugs, sexy nightclubs, an political intrigue, The story can be described as a great mystery. Then you add in a smart, sassy American woman, a group of newspapermen who don’t give up on a story, and the looming shadow of World war, and you have a recipe for a great series
1930s, Shanghai was the place to be, a very international City with all the best and worst any City has to offer. Doug Bainbridge, already fluent in Cantonese and Mandarin, is sent by the Office of Naval Intelligence to immerse himself in the City preparatory to what, we do not know. When Doug meets an old friend, a reporter, but that friend is murdered shortly thereafter, he determines to find the perp. But corruption, beautiful women, gay neighbors in an era when homosexuality was considered criminal, all create roadblocks and a moral conundrum for Doug.
About the book:
An old friend murdered. The police won’t investigate, so it falls to Doug Bainbridge to find justice for Tim… if mobsters, communist insurgents, or Japanese spies don’t get to him first.
In 1935, Shanghai is the place to be. Glittering nightlife, bustling business, and a diverse international community are just some of the appeals of the “Paris of the Orient.” Douglas Bainbridge, Office of Naval Intelligence, is beginning a two-year immersion in Shanghai when he runs into Tim McIntyre, a childhood friend from San Francisco. Tim is a reporter for the Shanghai office of the Associated Press, and he offers to show Doug the local nightlife.
While enjoying a show at The Jade Dragon, Tim never returns from intermission, and Doug finds Tim’s body in an alley. The police dismiss it as a robbery gone bad, but Doug knows there was more to it. Bystanders saw Tim arguing with a pair of men before walking away with them.
Doug finds files in Tim’s office showing he was investigating Japanese infiltration of a Korean resistance group; and the notorious “Green Gang” that controls the opium trade in China, and has deep ties to General Chiang Kai-Shek himself. Tim’s friend and fellow reporter, Art “Jonesy” Jones goads Doug into solving Tim’s murder. But in Shanghai, danger lurks around every dark corner.
The Jade Dragon will take you on a journey to old Shanghai, where danger, excitement, and romance exist side by side. The Jade Dragon is an upmarket historical mystery, with crossover appeal to fans of spy fiction, and gay & lesbian fiction.
Meet the Author: Garrett Hutson
Garrett Hutson writes upmarket mysteries and historical spy fiction, driven by characters who are moving and unforgettable. He lives in Indianapolis with his husband, three adorable dogs, one odd-ball cat, and more fish than you can count. You can usually find him reading about history, and day-dreaming about being there. This is where his stories are born, and he hopes they transport you the way his imagination transports him.
Look for him on Twitter (@GarrettBHutson) and Facebook (Garrett Hutson Author). You can contact him or sign up for his monthly newsletter on his website at www.garretthutson.com.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
