As an avid true crime reader, I was excited for this one. Pamela Werner was a 20 year old expat living in China with her elderly father when she was brutally murdered in the 1930s. Political turmoil was reaching its height between the Chinese and Japanese, and the investigation into the murder eventually got sidetracked. Pamela's father undertook his own investigation to try to get justice for his daughter, but despite uncovering the perpetrators of the crime, no one was ever charged.


For some reason, I had some difficulty following the narrative at times. I'm not sure if it was because I was completely unfamiliar with the political climate in China at the time, but I never felt completely transported to the setting of Peking in 1937. At the same time, I appreciate that French didn't try to bog the reader down with a ton of backstory.

If you enjoy true crime, this is a fascinating read that although considered "unsolved" is pretty neatly wrapped up by the end.

A really interesting historical true crime book! Definitely recommend for anyone interested in true crime or this period of history.