This noir-style mystery is set in Hong Kong in the 1950s. The protagonist, Charles Balcome, is an English gentleman who enjoys having affairs with the bored wives of the island’s rich English business tycoons. But Balcome has a dark secret and enjoys killing people. When the beautiful young wife of a banking executive invites him to act as an investigator to find her husband’s missing son, Balcome agrees – on the condition that the wife agrees to a liaison with him when the young man is found. Balcome, who has a background as a military investigator, relishes the hunt – and the potential opportunity to do some killing.

Thus begins this gripping suspense/thriller, filled with intrigue, double-crosses, unknown motives, sex, and the violent deaths of many deserving criminals. The investigation into the banker’s missing son leads Balcome in several directions, all of which are filled with peril. Meanwhile a local police detective is investigating one (or more?) of Balcome’s stray bodies. Will Balcome find the missing boy? Will he be caught by the police for his killings? Is everything all that it seems to be? The author weaves the story expertly while keeping up the suspense and giving us characters with enough depth to make us care. It is a satisfying read that I rushed to finish because I wanted to know how things would play out. Exactly what you want from a mystyer.

The setting of 1950s Hong Kong is sometimes troublesome, with its casual racism and the throw-back setting, lacking in any technology. The complexity of the plot gets a little hard to follow toward the end, but the payoff is worth pushing through to the brilliant conclusion. While not perfect, this is a wholly worth while read. This is the first book in a short series and I will certainly be looking to read the next installment to follow Charles “BlackJack” Balcome.