The Interior: A Red Princess Mystery (Red Princess Mysteries Book 2)

The Interior, Lisa See's gripping follow-up to her best-selling novel Flower Net, follows Liu Hulan and David Stark into China 's remote countryside on a heart-pounding journey that begins as a favor to an old friend- and ends with a shocking revelation of murder, betrayal, and greed. After a hit and run accident that leaves a close friend dead, David accepts the job opportunity of a lifetime when he's asked to open a law office for Phillips, MacKenzie Stout in Hulan's home city of Beijing. Meanwhile, Hulan has received an urgent message from an old friend imploring her to investigate the suspicious death of her daughter. The scent of trouble wafts up almost immediately as David and Hulan realize their separate cases have a surprising element in common: the dead girl worked for Knight International, the toy company about to be sold to David's new biggest client, Tartan Enterprises. In spite of David's protests, Hulan goes undercover, transforming herself from Red Princess to peasant girl, to gain entry into the Knight factory compound. Once inside, rather than finding answers to the girl's death, Hulan unearths more questions, all of which point to possible crimes committed by David's client- ranging from corruption to child labor to unsafe manufacturing practices to far worse. Suddenly Hulan and David find themselves on opposite corners: One of them is trying to expose a company and unearth a killer, while the other is ethically bound to protect his client. Their independent activities collide when a female worker, who gets seriously wounded on the factory floor where Hulan is working, later winds up dead- her body discovered close to where David is finalizing the details of the merger with Knight and Tartan executives. As the body count rises, the ''accidents'' and ''suicides'' begin to look more and more like cold-blooded murders, with the possible suspects ranging from an old peasant farmer to a popular government official to the genius inventor behind Knight International's wildly popular action figure toys. Hulan's trip into the countryside to help piece together clues about her friend's daughter's life brings her back to the past she's long been running from- and forces her to face some ugly truths about herself. At the same time, David sees that his deep desire to overlook the truth- about Hulan's feelings concerning his move to Beijing, about his colleague's death, about his new client's activities- could possibly cost him everything, both professionally and personally. Deftly weaving her plot from the affluent streets of Los Angeles to the teeming city of Beijing to the primitive culture of China's country villages, Lisa See reveals the striking contrast between Eastern tradition and Western beliefs, the privilege and betrayal of the ruling class, the poverty and desperation of peasant life, and the pull of professional duty and the power of ''true heart love.'' An enthralling story that keeps you guessing until the end, The Interior takes readers deep into the heart of China to reveal universal truths about good and evil, right and wrong- and the sometimes subtle lines that distinguish them. *** ''Lisa See is one of the classier practitioners of that ready-for-Hollywood genre, the international thriller? She draws her characters (especially her Chinese heroine, Liu Hulan) with convincing depth, and offers up documentary social detail that reeks of freshly raked muck? See?s China is as vivid as Upton Sinclair?s Chicago.'' The New York Times ''[See?s] true ambition is not simply to entertain (which she does) but to illuminate the exotic society that is contemporary China, and to explore the consequences ‚ present and future ‚ of its growing partnership with the United States? See paints a fascinating portrait of a complex and enigmatic society, in which nothing is ever quite as it appears, and of the people, peasant and aristocrat alike, who are bound by its subtle strictures.'' The San Diego Union Tribune ''Sophisticated?.See?s writing is more graceful than is common in the genre, and she still has China passionately observed.'' The Los Angeles Times ''The Interior is packed with well-researched and nuanced reporting on today?s China?Hulan is an insightful guide to both Chinese corruption and those who resist it.'' Washington Post ''Immediate, haunting and exquisitely rendered, a fine line drawing of the sights and smells of the road overseas.'' San Francisco Chronicle ''[An] unflinching portrait [of] modern-day China.'' Booklist ''The novel eschews any cheap exoticism to plunge the reader into the puzzle that is China today as seen through the eyes of outsiders. A unique read, whose credible protagonists make this a thriller with a heart.'' The Saturday Review ''A cracking good story.'' The Good Book Guide ''The strength of See?s work here is her detailed and intimate knowledge of contemporary China, its mores, its peculiar mixture of the traditional and the contemporary, and its often bedeviled relationships with the U.S. '' Publishers Weekly ''A must-read for those looking for foreign intrigue.'' Rocky Mountain News ''A well-written book with a complex plot?Shines a harsh and revealing light on the modern-day Chinese interior and on Beijing, the real China beneath the postcard images?She explores themes of Old China and new China, and how the more things change the more they remain the same. She illuminates tradition and change, Western and Eastern cultural differences, and the real politics behind the system. All this in the middle of her thriller which is also about greed, corruption, abuse of the disadvantaged, the desperation of those on the bottom of the food chain, and love.'' Nashville Tennessean ''A unique read?a thriller with a heart.'' The Guardian

“see Paints A Fascinating Portrait Of A Complex And Enigmatic Society, In Which Nothing Is Ever Quite As It Appears, And Of The People, Peasant And Aristocrat Alike, Who Are Bound By Its Subtle Strictures.”
–san Diego Union-tribune

while David Stark Is Asked To Open A Law Office In Beijing, His Lover, Detective Liu Hulan, Receives An Urgent Message From An Old Friend Imploring Her To Investigate The Suspicious Death Of Her Daughter, Who Worked For A Toy Company About To Be Sold To David’s New Client, Tartan Enterprises.

despite David’s Protests, Hulan Goes Undercover At The Toy Factory In The Rural Village Of Da Shui, Deep In The Heart Of China. It Is A Place That Forces Hulan To Face A Past She Has Long Been Running From. Once There, Rather Than Finding Answers To The Girl’s Death, Hulan Unearths More Questions, All Of Which Point To Possible Crimes Committed By David’s Client. Suddenly Hulan And David Find Themselves On Opposing Sides: One Of Them Is Trying To Expose A Company And Unearth A Killer, While The Other Is Ethically Bound To Protect His Client. As Pressures Mount And Danger Increases, Hulan And David Uncover Universal Truths About Good And Evil, Right And Wrong–and The Sometimes Subtle Lines That Distinguish Them.

“[see] Illuminates Tradition And Change, Western And Eastern Cultural Differences. . . . All This In The Middle Of Her Thriller Which Is Also About Greed, Corruption, Abuse Of The Disadvantaged, The Desperation Of Those On The Bottom Of The Food Chain, And Love.”
–the Tennessean

“sophisticated . . . Graceful . . . See’s Picture Of Contemporary China’s Relationship With The United States Is Aptly Played Out Through Her Characters.”
–los Angeles Times

“immediate, Haunting And Exquisitely Rendered.”
–san Francisco Chronicle

publishers Weekly

as In Her Debut Novel, Flower Net, The Strength Of See's Work Here Is In Her Detailed And Intimate Knowledge Of Contemporary China, Its Mores, Its Peculiar Mixture Of The Traditional And The Contemporary, And Its Often Bedeviled Relationships With The U.s. Here Again Are American Lawyer David Stark And His Chinese Lover, Police Investigator Liu Hulan; They Become Involved In The Issue Of Working Conditions Among Women In An American-owned Toy Factory In Rural China--a Highly Promising And Original Notion. Stark's Law Firm Wants Him To Supervise The Buyout Of The American Entrepreneur Who Launched The Toy Company, While Liu Is Called In By The Mother Of A Factory Worker Who Seems To Have Committed Suicide. What Actually Happened To Her, And Why? It Seems Inevitable That The Lovers Will Be Pulled In Different Directions By Their Opposing Interests, And Soon Liu Has Introduced Herself Into The Factory As A Worker, While Stark's Deal, Important To His Career, Begins To Unravel. So Far, So Good; But As The Action Becomes Increasingly Violent, With Another Girl's Sudden Death At The Factory, Gunplay, A Deathly Sick Liu Struggling To Survive, And A Climactic Fire That Takes Hundreds Of Lives (a Calamity Treated Almost As An Afterthought), It Becomes Apparent That See Has Plotting Problems. Many Story Threads Seem To Disappear, The Action Scenes Are Stagy And Unconvincing, And The David-liu Relationship Never Seems To Generate Much Real Warmth. A Pity, Because Until The Melodrama Takes Over, Much Here Is Original And Fresh, An Absorbing Look At An Unfamiliar World. Agent, Sandra Dijkstra. 6-city Author Tour. (oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

"See paints a fascinating portrait of a complex and enigmatic society, in which nothing is ever quite as it appears, and of the people, peasant and aristocrat alike, who are bound by its subtle strictures."--San Diego Union-Tribune While David Stark is asked to open a law office in Beijing, his lover, detective Liu Hulan, receives an urgent message from an old friend imploring her to investigate the suspicious death of her daughter, who worked for a toy company about to be sold to David's new client, Tartan Enterprises. Despite David's protests, Hulan goes undercover at the toy factory in the rural village of Da Shui, deep in the heart of China. It is a place that forces Hulan to face a past she has long been running from. Once there, rather than finding answers to the girl's death, Hulan unearths more questions, all of which point to possible crimes committed by David's client. Suddenly Hulan and David find themselves on opposing sides: One of them is trying to expose a company and unearth a killer, while the other is ethically bound to protect his client. As pressures mount and danger increases, Hulan and David uncover universal truths about good and evil, right and wrong--and the sometimes subtle lines that distinguish them. "[See] illuminates tradition and change, Western and Eastern cultural differences. ... All this in the middle of her thriller which is also about greed, corruption, abuse of the disadvantaged, the desperation of those on the bottom of the food chain, and love." --The Tennessean "Sophisticated ... graceful ... See's picture of contemporary China's relationship with the United States is aptly played out through her characters." -- Los Angeles Times "Immediate, haunting and exquisitely rendered." --San Francisco Chronicle From the Trade Paperback edition “See paints a fascinating portrait of a complex and enigmatic society, in which nothing is ever quite as it appears, and of the people, peasant and aristocrat alike, who are bound by its subtle strictures.” —San Diego Union-Tribune While David Stark is asked to open a law office in Beijing, his lover, detective Liu Hulan, receives an urgent message from an old friend imploring her to investigate the suspicious death of her daughter, who worked for a toy company about to be sold to David’s new client, Tartan Enterprises. Despite David’s protests, Hulan goes undercover at the toy factory in the rural village of Da Shui, deep in the heart of China. It is a place that forces Hulan to face a past she has long been running from. Once there, rather than finding answers to the girl’s death, Hulan unearths more questions, all of which point to possible crimes committed by David’s client. Suddenly Hulan and David find themselves on opposing sides: One of them is trying to expose a company and unearth a killer, while the other is ethically bound to protect his client. As pressures mount and danger increases, Hulan and David uncover universal truths about good and evil, right and wrong–and the sometimes subtle lines that distinguish them. Praise for The Interior “[See] illuminates tradition and change, Western and Eastern cultural differences. . . . All this in the middle of her thriller which is also about greed, corruption, abuse of the disadvantaged, the desperation of those on the bottom of the food chain, and love.” —The Tennessean “Sophisticated . . . graceful . . . See’s picture of contemporary China’s relationship with the United States is aptly played out through her characters.” — Los Angeles Times “Immediate, haunting and exquisitely rendered.” —San Francisco Chronicle "The Interior brings back the duo of Chinese police detective Liu Hulan and her lover, American attorney David Stark. This time, for Hulan, the case is alarmingly personal, unearthing her own buried past and a stunning network of violence and conspiracy."--BOOK JACKET. "When an old friend from a village deep within China's interior asks Hulan to find out the truth about her daughter's suspicious suicide, Hulan cannot refuse - even if it means going undercover in a newly built American toy factory linked to David's firm and finding her way into the heart of a dangerous mystery."--BOOK JACKET. "Meanwhile, David's new job has him trapped in a tangle of legal and ethical dilemmas. To extricate himself, he must first decide whom to trust and where his greatest duty lies."--BOOK JACKET.