Description

SHORTLISTED FOR MYSTERY WRITERS OF AMERICA BEST FIRST NOVEL EDGAR 2024

SHORTLISTED FOR THE CRIME WRITERS’ ASSOCIATION ILP JOHN CREASEY (NEW BLOOD) DAGGER 2024

SHORTLISED FOR THE ITW THRILLER AWARDS BEST FIRST NOVEL 2024

‘An epic, devastating, majestic mystery. Clever, richly imagined and outright thrilling’ Chris Whitaker

Berkeley, California 1944: A former presidential candidate is assassinated in one of the rooms at the opulent Claremont Hotel. A rich industrialist, Walter Wilkinson could have been targeted by any number of adversaries. But Detective Al Sullivan’s investigation brings up the spectre of another tragedy at the Claremont ten years earlier: the death of seven-year-old Iris Stafford, a member of the wealthy and influential Bainbridge family. Some say she haunts the Claremont still.

The many threads of the case keep leading Sullivan back to the three remaining Bainbridge heiresses, now adults: Iris’s sister, Isabella, and her cousins Cassie and Nicole. Determined not to let anything distract him from the truth – not the powerful influence of Bainbridges’ grandmother, or the political aspirations of Berkeley’s district attorney, or the interest of Chinese first lady Madame Chiang Kai-Shek – Sullivan follows his investigation to its devastating conclusion.

Chua’s page-turning debut brings to life a historical era rife with turbulent social forces and ground-breaking forensic advances, when access to power, and therefore justice, hinged on gender, race and class.

‘Riveting’ Daily Mail
‘Intriguing’ Sunday Times
‘Vividly intoxicating’ Janice Hallett

Publisher Review

Historical detective noir at its best. A vividly intoxicating story weaves the political landscape of post-war California together with the mystery and humanity of a notoriously tragic upper class family. A multi-layered read with something to say. Intelligent, surprising and satisfying. I can't believe this is a debut! -- Janice Hallett An epic, devastating, majestic mystery. The Golden Gate is clever, richly imagined and outright thrilling. -- Chris Whitaker Brimful of plot, packed with intriguing characters ... a riveting homage to American crime noir. * Daily Mail * All the elements I love in a mystery: A tough-guy homicide detective, an entrancing femme fatale, family secrets, a fabulous building in a beautiful city in a great time period, a touch of Agatha Christie, and a soupcon of Dashiell Hammett. And Amy Chua's terrific writing provides the icing. -- Lisa See An intriguing mystery * Sunday Times * An atmospheric page-turner * Prima * A tour de force of a novel. Brilliantly detailed, unflinching and supercharged with colour and character. Bravo -- Elizabeth Buchan A sharp, stylish and fascinating mystery novel that brings to life the grit, glamour and complexity of 1940s America -- Anna Mazzola A richly satisfying historical mystery that draws on its setting for more than mere atmosphere * Publishers Weekly * A sumptuous, rollercoaster of a read. Beautifully and intricately plotted, it reads like James Ellroy decided to channel Raymond Chandler and set a story in golden age San Francisco. I whizzed through it in two days and didn't want it to end. -- Simon Toyne Satisfyingly twisty, highly educational and lots of fun * Kirkus, starred review * A riveting mystery ... Chua skilfully creates tension * Booklist * A successful, compelling mashup of California history, ghost story, family drama and social commentary * Library Journal * Rich and satisfying ... an entertaining read * Seattle Times * A tough guy with room for gentleness... Detective Al Sullivan and his crew are a joy, introducing us to a Bay Area that is both intimately familiar and surprisingly new. -- Laurie R. King