Ghost Hero

That's a very cranky rating, and would have been a star higher if this hadn't come after TEN BOOKS in the series. It's decidedly weaker than most of them just in terms of the slightly farcical mood of the ending, but that isn't what bugs me. I <i>love</i> the slowly deepening partnership between Bill and Lydia, with little doled-out promises of more (which Bill has wanted all along), and didn't mind the fact that glaciers have moved faster than they have. Didn't mind it too much. Most of the time. I didn't like the way Bill's drinking and general self-destructive behaviour seemed to be intensifying, but we also learned his back story over the course of a bunch of books, and Lydia was neither going to let him get away with too much NOR take over his need to learn to take care of himself. (I don't just mean not getting a concussion every other book or more, of course.) <br /><br />But we've kept getting closer and closer, and all of Lydia's family except her mother have told her - with varying degrees of subtlety - that Bill is perfect for her (because he respects her professionally and every other way, not because he wants her) and we got really, really close at the end of the previous book, and then: SMACK. Another PI, cute, intelligent and CHINESE turns up and likes Lydia and Lydia/Bill goes back five steps (and her mother continues to be vicious about "the white baboon"), and honestly, it's just seems like a cheap trick when this guy is the third Chinese guy to be interested in Lydia, with some degree of reciprocation. The author has well and truly set up the cultural problems Bill and Lydia will face as a couple, and now it's time to commit and let us see them dealing with those problems.<br /><br />The next book will be a Bill one, and I will read it, as those usually have more emotional depth, but after that I'm out unless the relationship stuff changes. The mysteries for the last couple have been great, but they'd have to be very special to make up for the disappointment of this one.<br />

While I usually enjoy the Rozan books, this plot lacked the cohesion the author is capable of writing. After restarting the book three times, I put it away. I must add that the reader was annoying when he screeched not thinking it was inappropriate for an audio book.

Why hello Lydia and Bill! It’s been a long time. I’ve missed hearing about NYC’s Chinatown. <br /><br />Perfect for nighttime listening in preparation for bed. Interesting enough to stop my mind from wandering but not so engrossing that I couldn’t put it down to sleep. <br /><br />

<i>This originally appeared at <a href="http://irresponsiblereader.com/2017/10/20/ghost-hero-by-s-j-rozan/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">The Irresponsible Reader</a>.</i><br>--- <br>So, Lydia Chin is approached by a potential client who is clearly lying about his identity about some paintings that are rumored to be in New York, and potentially on sale soon. This client really wants to establish a name for himself in Contemporary Chinese Art, and owning these paintings -- preferably before they go on sale -- will go a long way toward that. Here's the trick, no one knows if they really do exist, or where they might be. Still the rumors persist, and in the "where there's smoke, there's fire" kind of thinking, they've got to exist. The trick is that the artist was killed in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. The client wants her to find them, prove they're real (ideally), and help him get the leg up on the competition.<br><br>Like I said, Lydia doesn't trust the man, and doesn't understand why he picked her, but his cash is good and she's curious (about him, the paintings, why he might want the paintings). So she takes the case, but doesn't know where to start. Luckily, her partner, Bill Smith knows just the guy to talk to -- another Chinese PI. Second generation ABC, from the Midwest, Jack Lee has an art degree and mostly looks into stolen and questionable art. Really, he's the ideal PI to look for these paintings -- and it turns out that someone else thought so, too and already hired him to do that. The three decide to work together on this, each playing to their own strengths.<br><br>From there, they dive deep into the New York Art Scene -- at least those that brush up against Chinese Art -- there are people who care about art, people who care about influence and money, and those who really, really care about art. Some care so much that Jack Lee gets shot at more than once. There are other threats as well -- the idea that Chau might still be alive is a pretty hot political topic, and various governmental entities seem interested in what Lydia is up to.<br><br>The case is pretty interesting -- and the various people that the trio interacts with are so interesting, so colorful, occasionally so despicable. The solution that Lydia cooks up is worthy of Blackadder's Baldrick, but I kind of liked it. It works as a solution in a novel (I hope nothing like this would happen in real life). The ultimate reveal was a bit too obvious, but I still enjoyed it -- and the rest of the mystery made up for it.<br><br>I've said time and time again, I love reading the back-and-forth between Lydia and Bill -- adding Jack to that seems like a gamble. Thankfully, it worked wonderfully, he fits in with the two of them so wonderfully well that you wish he'd been around for a couple of novels previously to this. It almost doesn't matter if the plot behind the book was entertaining, just get the three of these guys around a beverage or two and it's worth it.<br><br>On the one hand, I'm kind of with Lydia in not understanding why someone would come to her to look for this -- art isn't her thing. On the other hand, she dealt with art dealers in <b>China Trade</b>, Chinese heirlooms in <b>Reflecting the Sky</b>, missing jewels in <b>The Shanghai Moon</b> (which yeah, is sort of precious minerals, but the art aspect of the Moon seems as/more important than the gems). So it's not like she's an utter novice. Sure, going to Bill Smith or Matt Scudder would seem like a bad move -- but Lydia's a good choice for this case (not as obvious a choice as Jack Lee, I grant you). And how could I not think of another PI in New York? <br> <br>There was one thing I was disappointed in: I was truly hoping/expecting that this book would contain a clue (if not more) about why this was the last book to be published in the series -- and given the 6 years that have passed since then, it seems pretty likely that this was it for the series. I'm assuming that it wasn't planned, but can't find any information about it (which means that someone's going to come along in half an hour with a link to 15,000 words about the reason for this.) <i>Update: A few hours after posting this on my blog, <a href="https://twitter.com/SJRozan/status/921506442846330882" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Rozan assured me </a>that the series is not over, which is great to hear</i> <br> <br>A fun, fast-paced read that is enjoyable, engaging and all around entertaining -- which is pretty much a great way to describe any novel from Lydia Chin's point of view. Give this one a shot and then pick up the others (or pick up the others, and then this one -- either way).<br><br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1484366230i/21712406.png" alt="2017 Library Love Challenge" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy">

I've got to admit its getting better, a little better all the time.

Fun characters &amp; dialogue that made the story fly. A mystery rooted in poignant Chinese immigrant experiences. Tightly-crafted plot with an awesome twist. Loved it!

Lydia Chin, young New York private investigator, although she is what she refers to as an ABC [American-Born Chinese], cannot imagine why a new client wants to hire for an investigation dealing with contemporary Chinese art [what he refers to as a “cutting edge collecting area” in the West], freely admitting that she has no clue about art. Despite her reluctance, she agrees to accept his retainer to check out rumors of some new pieces of art by one Chau Chun, known as the Ghost Hero. This despite the fact that Chau is believed to have died 20 years ago in the uprising at Tienanmen Square.<br /><br />This particular artist’s work was known to contain “hidden” political symbols, and the putative new work contains current political references. There is a suspicion, then, that the work is contemporary, not created over two decades earlier. But the potential value of the Ghost Hero’s “ghost paintings” is enormous, since in the past his work was worth half a million dollars, give or take. <br /><br />As always with work by this author, there is a full quotient of clever, witty dialogue from clever, witty people – well, a few people in particular: Lydia; her cousin, Linus, tech geek [read “hacker”] extraordinaire; Bill Smith, a mid-fifties white guy [referred to by Lydia’s disapproving mother as the “white baboon” – can you tell she doesn’t like him?], also a p.i. and over the past few years Lydia’s partner; and Jack Lee, a 2d generation ABC from the suburban Midwest and art expert as well as a p.i., in this case having also been hired [by an unnamed client] to investigate the possibility of the existence of the self-same paintings. The stakes are raised when the investigation sparks the interest of the wrong people, and bullets and threats start to fly.<br /><br />Parenthetically, I have to admit to some small confusion on my part keeping the Asian names straight, but ultimately that is of small moment, as in the end the author makes everything clear. Brilliantly plotted, and with protagonists the reader cares about and roots for, the book is highly recommended.<br />

I listened to this for my mystery book group and never would have finished it if reading just for enjoyment. I thought I would like this story about the New York art scene mixed with recent Chinese history. But the story didn't capture my attention and I disliked the narrator.<br /><br />Perhaps I would have liked this more if I had read it in print. But the narrator made all of the main characters (Lydia, Bill, and Jack) sound like teenage or early 20-something females, which made them difficult to take seriously. Worse, except for the characters given strong Chinese actions, everyone sounded alike. When conversations occurred between three or more characters (and at times even two) it was very difficult to tell who was speaking.<br /><br />And the mystery? I guessed it very early on. This was very disappointing as the series was highly recommended.<br /><br />

This has always been a favorite sleuth series - Lydia Chin and Bill Smith. A big part of my enjoyment has been the descriptions of NYC's Chinatown and its people, as well as Lydia's relationship with her mother (and Bill, too). <br /><br />While "Ghost Hero" had a good story to tell - the validity of art works by a Tienanmen Square protester - and some good description of the contemporary Chinese art scene in NYC, Bill and Lydia weren't all that "present" - they seemed to be on the sidelines. And as a result, the action of the plot was not engaging or dynamic. And the final revelation was flat - and expected.<br /><br />I had been eagerly waiting for this one, but was a tad disappointed. Maybe the next one.

This is a fine adventure amongst the NY Chinese art community as Lydia, Bill, and a new affiliated PI take on bad guys from all directions by pulling off multiple ingenious scams (all in the interest of "the truth").<br /><br />Rozan is in fine form w/ Lydia, et al in wisecracking glory in English and Chinese.<br /><br />After having some reservations w/ the last book (happy to discuss elsewhere) this one really is a gem.