The Shanghai Moon: A Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel

by S.J. Rozan

Book Overview

With The Shanghai Moon , S. J. Rozan returns to her award-winning, critically acclaimed, and much-loved characters Lydia Chin and Bill Smith in the first new novel in the series in seven years. Estranged for months from fellow P.I. Bill Smith, Chinese-American private investigator Lydia Chin is brought in by colleague and former mentor Joel Pilarsky to help with a case that crosses continents, cultures, and decades. In Shanghai, excavation has unearthed...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312644523
• ISBN13: 9780312644529
• Release Date: August 2010
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.5" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

"I'm back." and I'm so glad!

First Sentence: "I'm back." PI Lydia Chin is back from a case that took her to China, but she is estranged from her friend and partner, Bill Smith. Her former mentor, Joel Pilarsky, contacts her to work on a case with him as he needs a connection to the Chinese community. During WWII, China accepted refugees fleeing Europe. Rosalie Gilder and her brother were sent to Shanghai ahead of their parents, along with the family jewelry. Rosalie meets and marries a Chinese gentleman and in celebration a piece of jewelry is created using hundreds-of-years-old jade and diamonds from Rosalie's mother's necklace. That piece, known as the Shanghai Moon, disappeared after the way and is much sought by collectors. Now jewelry, identified as belonging to Rosalie, has been found during an excavation in Shanghai, but the Moon is not among them. A lawyer specializing in Holocaust assets recovery asks for Pilarsky and Lydia's help. After a murder, Bill rejoins with Lydia to find the necklace and the truth. I have so missed this series. Those who have followed it know that the protagonist alternates with each book, and this was Lydia's turn. But part of what makes the books work is the uncertainty of the relationship between the two characters and where it might, or might never, lead. Rozen does create great characters, brings them to life. She is masterful in blending the two cultures and educating us about both. I love Rozan's use of dialogue and humor, particularly Lydia's mental conversations. They add just the right touch of lightness to the story. And this story was particularly good. There was fascinating information about the recent history of China and their taking in refugees during the war. I learned things I had never known. I loved Rozan's use of Rosalie's letters and found them fascinating. The plot was so well done. It twisted direction with nearly every chapter. All I can say is that I hope we don't have to wait as long for the next Lydia Chin/Bill Smith book.

Finally!

A friend pointed out that the four most important words in any relationship -- even more than "I love you," -- are, "I've got your back." I've been a fan of S.J. Rozan's Lydia Chin & Bill Smith series of contemporary mysteries for quite some time, primarily because these two sometime partners truly embody the essence of "I've got your back" which, for me, is far sexier than 92% of the so-called "romance" novels lining the shelves of the average bookstore. I am delighted that a new book is finally available. The plot of Rozan's latest book, "The Shanghai Moon," ostensibly revolves around a legendary piece of missing jewelry. However, the real story is about complex loyalties and human connections. What secrets do we hide to protect ourselves? What secrets do we hide to protect others? And what happens when these secrets collide? Through letters, diaries, and government records, Bill and Lydia strive to untangle the path of the Shanghai Moon from its birth in the Jewish/European expatriate community of WWII Shanghai to a murder in modern day New York City. Rozan manages to seamlessly weave the various narratives to provide a depth of motivation, perspective, and humanity beyond a simple whodunnit. I'll be honest: I love these books, and if you haven't read the others in the series, I highly recommend them. At the same time, other than the context of some of the ongoing relationships, The Shanghai Moon easily stands on its own. It's fascinating, heartbreaking, fun, and real. I hope it finds the audience it deserves.

The Shanghai Moon

I don't know if S.J. Rozan intended her first book with Chin and Smith in seven years to be a "big" book. THE SHANGHAI MOON is certainly their most complex and sprawling case, yet Lydia, Bill, and friends are as present as ever, too. In story time, THE SHANGHAI MOON takes place four months after WINTER AND NIGHT. Part of me wanted to believe it had been four months in reality, but the rest knew that 9/11 intervened and for a time Rozan found herself unable to write about Lydia and Bill. This context makes the novel all the more remarkable and resonant.

"Moon"-struck

It's been a long time between books, but she's finally back! Edgar-winning novelist S.J. Rozan returns to her wonderful Lydia Chin/Bill Smith series for a superb look at how history informs all of our actions. Without giving the intricate plot away, let's just say it involves Jewish refugees in China during World War II, a stolen heirloom and skullduggery among rival factions in modern-day Chinatown. As always, Rozan's dialogue crackles -- especially in the scenes between Lydia and her mother -- and her plotting is sure and surprising. But in "The Shanghai Moon" (a nod to the great Wilkie Collins novel, "The Moonstone"), Rozan also explores the ramifications of a lesser-known part of Jewish history. Within the framework of first-rate mystery, Rozan examines how one can never escape one's past and how the preconceptions a family has about its ancestors can inform, for better or worse, its life decisions. The novel is set now, and in the turbulent years of World War II through letters, and these letters from the past give us a superb portrait of the effects of global events on individuals' lives. This book would not only be great for mystery fans, but for book groups as well, since it is such an intelligent and dynamic look at the making of the modern world. All that, and it's a wonderful read. Highly recommended.

Lydia and Bill are back!

THE SHANGHAI MOON is the ninth installment in S.J. Rozan's award winning Lydia Chin / Bill Smith series. It's been seven years since we last had a look at our favorite New York City P.I.s. This 'who done it/where is it' gives us a group of today's greedy types unfolding against the Shanghai of World War II. The 'Shanghai Moon' is a rumored heirloom of antique jade -- which may not exist -- and people are dying because of it. Chin and Smith once again do a professional job of unraveling what's afoot. The author's two intervening standalone books, in which she experimented with and stretched her writing, resonate here with a lovely new patina surrounding Lydia and Bill. The prose is beautifully Rozan, and she has crafted a poignant history lesson in the letters chronicling the uncommon love story that backdrops the book. I can not overstate how much I enjoyed this book. Highly recommended!