annieb123
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
A Chinese Remedy is the first book featuring "fixer" Chance Yang, written by Shawe Ruckus. Released in 2021, this release roughly coincides with the release of the third book in the series. It's 246 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats.
This was an interesting read, with a large cast of odd but well rendered characters and engaging story. It's less a crime fiction story (although the crime element is tangential) and much more of a collection of character study vignettes tied together through common elements and circumstances. The story elements required a bit more attention to detail; it's not a passive read, and it's not a cozy mystery. In fact the mystery element is secondary to the character driven plot.
It's quite well written, although stylistically very choppy and staccato. Many of the passages are more like theatre scene direction and notation. Characters wander onstage, deliver their lines, and exit stage left. It doesn't take long to get into the flow of the book's odd pacing, but it is noticeable.
There are three books extant in the series at this point, making it a good candidate for a long weekend binge or buddy read.
Three and a half stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.