I really enjoyed Lisa See’s “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan”, so I took “Dragon Bones” out of the library to read. This is a modern day mystery set in China. “Dragon Bones” is actually the third in a trilogy of books focusing on Lui Hulan, an inspector in China’s Ministry of Public Security, and her American lawyer husband, David Stark. A death at the Three Gorges dam site appears more than an accident, and soon Hulan and David find themselves embroiled in mystery and intrigue involving several people’s greedy quests for power, and the archaeological site which is linked to the dam area. Findings of great magnitude and the essence of Chinese culture and history come into play, while Hulan and David try to unravel the clues before more deaths occur.

This was the first of the Red Princess mysteries by Lisa See that I have read, and it was very readable given the fact that I had not read its predecessors. I found this novel to be a page turner. I was taken in by the mystery, but also by the insights into Chinese culture and modern day happenings. I look forward to reading the other novels in this series, along with some of See’s other historical fiction. I feel she does a wonderful job in creating and developing her characters. However, be warned – she does not shirk from writing detailed (sometimes gory) descriptions of victims!

I give this book 4 Stars!