“a muscular historical thriller with credible action, strong characters, lively plotting and an unusual, finely drawn setting.”
Andrew Taylor
ONE LAST DANCE BEFORE I DIE
In a city where money rules everyone and everything, in a tiny enclave filled with Russian exiles and Chinese revolutionaries, one policeman tries to find justice and the truth.
1920s Shanghai: only the toughest survive. China is a land of warlords all competing to rule. Civil war, readily available guns, drugs, gambling and prostitution make this a supremely dangerous place for the unwary.
When a rich banker’s chauffeur is cut down in the street and murdered, Rod Cottey of the Shanghai Municipal Police Force has to risk everything to find the murderer.
“Slickly written, authentic-feeling and enormous fun. A highly recommended and gripping historical detective yarn!”
Angus Donald
This book was one which I had thought about and planned for a very long time. It was inspired by the two ex-Shanghai officer who trained the first commando units, and then the SOE and CIA: Fairbairn and Sykes, the inventors of the commando dagger, but much, much more besides. If you have any interest in this amazing period, I can recommend “Empire Made Me”, by Robert Bickers; “The Shanghai Green Gang”, by Brian G Martin; “The World’s First SWAT Team”, by Leroy Thompson and any of the books written on self-defence by Fairbairn, too.