Jade Woman (Penguin Crime Monthly)

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Summary: Humor, adventure, excitement, murder, gangsters, Hong Kong
Review: Dashing Lovejoy is at it again--this time in Hong Kong! Running from the law and some small time hood, he's off to the orient, loses everything, becomes mixed up in a huge antiques swindle, and is locked into serfdom. Jade Woman is one of my favorite Jonathan Gash books. Even when his life is on the line, Lovejoy never runs out of witty things to say. Murder, intrigue, antiques, and the spell of Hong Kong mix together to bring you a real page-turner.

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Summary: Author's Hong Kong Experiences Enhance It
Review: The English physician who writes under the name of Jonathan Gash lived in Hong Kong for several years; his knowledge of the weather, society, and people combine to make this one of the better Lovejoys. This is also a great choice for someone unfamiliar with Lovejoy as he is quickly yanked out of England and left penniless in Hong Kong. As with many of Gash's Lovejoy efforts, the action is fast and furious for the last 20 pages or so. Recommended.

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Summary: One of the best in the series
Review: This is one of the best in the series. Gash successfully brings together plot, pacing, setting and character. Often his plots are convoluted, but this one moves surely, and without sacrificing entertainment. As in the Gondola Scam (in Venice), Gash limits the region to explore to great effect. We lovingly follow Lovejoy through Hong Kong, meet up with the requisite number of baddies, but also the quirky and unusual characters that assist Lovejoy in his quest. A tightly and carefully constructed book, and a great introduction to the entire series.

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Summary: Come Travel the world - Lovejoy Style!
Review: Travelling with Lovejoy is so very different than what anyone is used to. In this book we see him in Hong Kong as he's trying to escape some nasty characters back in East Anglia. He starts out OK with a plane ride, passport and money in his pocket, but he's not in Hong Kong for five minutes before everything he has is stolen. As he wanders around hungry for two days, we see Hong Kong through his eyes, and he, even with all his troubles, is fascinated by it. It's easy to see the author's experiences of Hong Kong in the wonderful descriptions that he paints in this book. Anyway, poor old Lovejoy finally finds himself a way to make a living (and what a way that is!), but he gets mixed up with a nasty lot too. His experiences with the Hong Kong triads is unforgettable (and actually quite funny too). We of course see another master fiddle done by the old faker (Lovejoy himself), and we also get more interesting info on some pretty nice antiques (Asian style). This book is captivating, as are all the others in this wonderful series.