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An Intangible Affair
The first time Jamie meets Jim, she is a graduate student, and he is a dashing young man embarking on a successful career in pharmaceutical research. They cultivate a mutual affection for each other while pursuing different goals in life. When Jamie meets Jim again years later, she has broken up with her long-time boyfriend, and he is having marital problems. A one-night stand in a remote hotel turns their friendship into a two-decade long love affair. When their liaison becomes too difficult to sustain, it brings a crisis to its head. The accidental death of Jim's wife clears the way for the lovers, but instead of uniting with Jamie, Jim commits suicide. Suspenseful and gripping, An Intangible Affair is a tale of passion and deception, friendship and love.
234 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2017
About the author
G.X. Chen
14 books34 followersG.X. Chen (晓明), author of the Back Bay Investigation mystery series and other novels, is a freelance writer and a graduate of Fudan University and University of New Mexico. She has taught literature at Fudan as well as Shanghai Foreign Language Institute. Her publications in China included novellas “春鸣” (The Sound of Spring), “一个留学生的自白” (The Story of a Foreign Student); and the translations “荆棘鸟” (The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough) and “一个演员的自白” (Confessions of An Actor by Laurence Olivier). A world traveler and an amateur photographer, she lives in Boston and Florida.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 18, 2017
An Intangible Affair is a novel in the Mystery/Crime genre by G.X. Chen. It is the fourth installment of the Back Bay Investigation series by the same author and delivers a top-notch mystery yet again.
The novel opens with Jamie, a successful businesswoman, who receives a letter from her lover, Jim. Jim has written his suicide note in this letter, and Jamie is devastated. Jim is a long-time best friend of Fang Chen, who is very intrigued upon receiving Jim’s suicide note. Jim’s wife, Dory, is found dead at their house, with her circumstances of death being bitten by a black widow snake. Jim has a strong alibi, so the circumstances around Jim’s death appear very questionable to him. Fang Chen is visited at his home by his younger friend, Ann Lee, and the duo sit down and get their minds ticking as to what drove Jim to commit suicide.
Fang Chen then narrates the story of Jim and Jamie’s love affair, which started when Jamie was a student and Jim was a post-grad student. Circumstances lead to Jim marrying Dory and starting his family, and Jamie is left with unsatisfactory relationships. Jamie then ends up being Jim’s secret lover and is waiting for him to leave his wife and family until his death. The whole narrative is analyzed by Ann Lee, and she and Fang Chen decide to visit Jim’s house, as Fang Chen has to give his condolences to the family. Ann Lee then asks to meet Jamie, and by then, has already solved the murder mystery.
The author has done a remarkable job keeping the attention of the reader and has devised an excellent plot. She gradually leads the reader to the ending, as Ann eventually solves the mystery and realizes who the culprit is. Whether they are punished by the authorities and thrown into jail, you’ll have to read and find it out. I, personally, feel that Ann’s last words are a take-home message for anyone who reads the book, irrespective of their interest in this genre’. Fantastic work by the author, and I cannot wait to read other books by her.
The novel opens with Jamie, a successful businesswoman, who receives a letter from her lover, Jim. Jim has written his suicide note in this letter, and Jamie is devastated. Jim is a long-time best friend of Fang Chen, who is very intrigued upon receiving Jim’s suicide note. Jim’s wife, Dory, is found dead at their house, with her circumstances of death being bitten by a black widow snake. Jim has a strong alibi, so the circumstances around Jim’s death appear very questionable to him. Fang Chen is visited at his home by his younger friend, Ann Lee, and the duo sit down and get their minds ticking as to what drove Jim to commit suicide.
Fang Chen then narrates the story of Jim and Jamie’s love affair, which started when Jamie was a student and Jim was a post-grad student. Circumstances lead to Jim marrying Dory and starting his family, and Jamie is left with unsatisfactory relationships. Jamie then ends up being Jim’s secret lover and is waiting for him to leave his wife and family until his death. The whole narrative is analyzed by Ann Lee, and she and Fang Chen decide to visit Jim’s house, as Fang Chen has to give his condolences to the family. Ann Lee then asks to meet Jamie, and by then, has already solved the murder mystery.
The author has done a remarkable job keeping the attention of the reader and has devised an excellent plot. She gradually leads the reader to the ending, as Ann eventually solves the mystery and realizes who the culprit is. Whether they are punished by the authorities and thrown into jail, you’ll have to read and find it out. I, personally, feel that Ann’s last words are a take-home message for anyone who reads the book, irrespective of their interest in this genre’. Fantastic work by the author, and I cannot wait to read other books by her.
February 20, 2017
A definite mystery lover's book!
I don't care for extramarital stories as a rule it always has a bad ending doesn't matter which direction it goes. However, the mystery plotted in this story is against all the regular rules. The love in this story is surprisingly powerful and which ends the story with an unexpected twist and poetic justice.
I don't care for extramarital stories as a rule it always has a bad ending doesn't matter which direction it goes. However, the mystery plotted in this story is against all the regular rules. The love in this story is surprisingly powerful and which ends the story with an unexpected twist and poetic justice.
February 18, 2017
Suspendible, an ending with a twist...keep up a good work and keep writing!!
February 4, 2017
As usual, G.X. Chen's newest novel was one I was eager to read and once again, the author didn't disappoint. Intangible Affair begins with immediate suspense and mystery, and promises a thrilling ride to the very end. Paraphrased from the novel itself, the opening is brutal and drops the reader right into Chen's well-crafted mystery.
Fang Chen and Ann Lee, best friends and investigative partners (for those of you who aren't familiar with the characters already), are once again affected by the sudden death of Fang Chen's former college roommate and thrust into a world of suspense. The murder and investigation carries more weight for Fang Chen, whose wife is pregnant for the first time.
G.X. Chen takes the characters through a knotted and gnarled plot, once again showcasing the author's talent for crafting a complex and intriguing tale that quite honestly has become the trademark of these novels. Though the plot often begins straightforward, it becomes clear that there are complexities not so easily dismissed.
It's another excellent novel in Chen's legacy and I'd fully recommend it for those who continue to enjoy a good mystery.
Fang Chen and Ann Lee, best friends and investigative partners (for those of you who aren't familiar with the characters already), are once again affected by the sudden death of Fang Chen's former college roommate and thrust into a world of suspense. The murder and investigation carries more weight for Fang Chen, whose wife is pregnant for the first time.
G.X. Chen takes the characters through a knotted and gnarled plot, once again showcasing the author's talent for crafting a complex and intriguing tale that quite honestly has become the trademark of these novels. Though the plot often begins straightforward, it becomes clear that there are complexities not so easily dismissed.
It's another excellent novel in Chen's legacy and I'd fully recommend it for those who continue to enjoy a good mystery.
February 5, 2017
Chen creates intriguing romantic suspense mystery...
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March 8, 2017
Amazing story with unpredictable end.
February 28, 2017
Unlike the few previous books
Well, Chen has changed the direction slightly. This is less of a mystery, but more similar to her Forget Me Not book. This book deals with love relationship, wrong choices we made, yet get ourselves deeper into that rabbit hole, we can't seem to get out.
Although there were hints of why Tim got married to Dory, it allowed readers to answer that question, and therefore form their own judgement. How could a father decide to make orphans of his children for the protection of a mistress!! Love is blind, love is irrational .
Well, Chen has changed the direction slightly. This is less of a mystery, but more similar to her Forget Me Not book. This book deals with love relationship, wrong choices we made, yet get ourselves deeper into that rabbit hole, we can't seem to get out.
Although there were hints of why Tim got married to Dory, it allowed readers to answer that question, and therefore form their own judgement. How could a father decide to make orphans of his children for the protection of a mistress!! Love is blind, love is irrational .
February 19, 2017
A mystery lover's book
I don't care for extramarital stories as a rule it always has a bad ending doesn't matter which direction it goes. However, the mystery plotted in this story is against all the regular rules. The love in this story is surprisingly powerful and which ends the story with an unexpected twist and poetic justice.
I don't care for extramarital stories as a rule it always has a bad ending doesn't matter which direction it goes. However, the mystery plotted in this story is against all the regular rules. The love in this story is surprisingly powerful and which ends the story with an unexpected twist and poetic justice.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews