“Black Karma” by Thatcher Robinson is a White Ginger novel, set in current day San Francisco. Bai Jiang is a San Francisco souxun, a person who finds others whether or not they want to be found. Bai is hired by the police inspector to find Daniel Chen, a man suspected of being involved in a drug heist that went bad and caused the death of a San Francisco police officer. Bai reluctantly agrees to look for Chen in Chinatown because she’s sure someone in the San Francisco police department wants to kill Chen.
Bai and Lee, her partner and best friend, quickly find the investigation to be more complex than they expected. Bai digs into the world of the Sun Yee On triads and Nortenos drug lords. As the stakes rise, Lee helps Bai bring the investigation to the attention of players involved in international intelligence who are in the business of buying and selling information. The move puts Bai’s and Lee’s lives at risk.
When people around her start dying, Bai finds herself caught up in a more personal battle. A marriage proposal from a man she finds rude and insensitive, a date with a very handsome young man and Jason, her ex, who tries to pursue her and keep her safe, while warning her to stay away from her other suitors.
The story is well-written with a solid plot set in colorful San Francisco. The characters are captivating and developed nicely. Unfortunately, readers who try to pick up the series with this second book may find themselves a bit lost and wanting more details about the characters.
FTC Full Disclosure: A review copy of this book was provided by its publisher.
