Bad Traffic
By Simon Lewis
Scribner, $25.00
ISBN: 978-0-06-072414-6

What is it to be like a fish out of water? Certainly Chinese Inspector Jian finds out when he receives a telephone call from his daughter, who he sent to college in England, asking for help. He flies to Great Britain with absolutely no knowledge of the country or its language in an effort to find her. Thus begins the adventures of a foreigner lost in an alien environment with no ability to communicate.

Along the way he stumbles upon a smuggled Chinese man who can speak English, and between the two of them they begin to follow a trail, sometimes hazardous, other times amusing, but always filled with lots of violence. It starts when Jian learns his daughter had dropped out of college and worked as a waitress in a Chinese restaurant. Then she disappeared. Together, they tackle a band of thugs involved in an immigration scheme.

Filled with lots of action, the novel is exceedingly entertaining and thrilling. Intertwined are lots of reflections on Chinese viewpoints, despite the UK setting. Fast-paced, the story moves along in so many unexpected ways that the reader just keeps on in wonderment. Highly recommended.

Review by THEODORE FEIT

©2009 Lorie Ham. All rights reserved.