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The Willow Woman

(Philip Ye #1)

Laurence Westwood (Goodreads Author)

4.58 · Rating details · 19 ratings · 17 reviews

Chengdu: a teeming, modern metropolis.

Yet China’s painful turbulent history still leaves its mark on the minds of all who live there.

Philip Ye, half English, half Chinese, is a homicide detective with the Chengdu Public Security Bureau who suffers his own anguish from a life blighted by tragedy and the unsettling appearance of ghosts that often intrude in on his investiga ...more

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Paperback, 440 pages

Published January 7th 2019 by Shikra Press

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Aug 08, 2019 Yvonne (It's All About Books) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019-releases, giveaway, cover-love, buddyread, detective, china, foreign-cultures, mystery, thriller, crime

Finished reading: August 8th 2019

"He plays the game very well. But anyone who thinks Philip Ye is not his own master is blind. As a friend I would never turn my back on him, as an enemy I would never underestimate him."

(view spoiler)

Finished reading: August 8th 2019

"He plays the game very well. But anyone who thinks Philip Ye is not his own master is blind. As a friend I would never turn my back on him, as an enemy I would never underestimate him."

(view spoiler)

P.S. Find more of my reviews here. ...more

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Jul 04, 2019 Noriko rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, mystery

When I get deeply invested in the story, I tend to be quite reluctant to finish a book. Knowing full well that I am capable of finishing a book in a short while, I would usually put it off making convenient excuses and prolong the arrival of the time when I have to part with the book, the story, and the characters.
This is exactly what happened to me while reading this book, and I have to say, it doesn't happen every day.

Upon receiving a review request from the author, I took him up on the offe ...more

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Aug 08, 2019 Nicki rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-in-2019, buddy-read, detective, china, for-review

I really enjoyed this one and felt like I was in China whenever I picked it up. The author, Laurence Westwood has done an amazing job with the descriptions and background about Chinese history and the political situation. I found it fascinating when one the characters, I think it was the Prosecutor Xu Ya, was thinking about how the country had changed from being all about The Party and family, to now being about Capitalism and self, how the character of the country had changed and crime had rise ...more

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Nov 26, 2019 Shalini rated it it was amazing

A police procedural with a difference set in China

Philip Ye stole my heart, yes... the brilliant enigmatic detective simply stole it all away.

Then came Constable Ma, the accused - I wanted to hold her and tell her don't worry. It will be okay

Fatty Deng was one of the best investigators for the prosecutor

Finally Prosecutor Xu Ya, the woman I was jealous of. You see, she had a huge crush on Philip Ye, so she became my competitor. And yeah she was intelligent.

All 4 came together to solve the myster ...more

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May 11, 2019 Kelly Van Damme rated it it was amazing

First of all, massive thanks to Laurence Westwood for sending me a copy of The Willow Woman! Laurence contacted me a few months ago, asking me if I’d be interested to read and review his book and of course I accepted, I mean, have you read that synopsis?! Also, I had so much cover love for The Willow Woman! Blogtour books and life got a bit in the way (thanks again for your patience and understanding, Laurence!) but finally I had the time and the right frame of mind to get stuck in it.

The right First of all, massive thanks to Laurence Westwood for sending me a copy of The Willow Woman! Laurence contacted me a few months ago, asking me if I’d be interested to read and review his book and of course I accepted, I mean, have you read that synopsis?! Also, I had so much cover love for The Willow Woman! Blogtour books and life got a bit in the way (thanks again for your patience and understanding, Laurence!) but finally I had the time and the right frame of mind to get stuck in it.

The right frame of mind? Yes, I confess, my name is Kelly and I’m a mood reader. While I always try to keep up with the books I have to read and get ahead of my blogtours schedule, I also try to pick up books I’m in the mood for. If I don’t, I just don’t enjoy it as much as I probably would have otherwise. Admittedly, it took me a little while to be in the mood for The Willow Woman because of its setting: China. While that felt rather unique and while I was curious to see how the setting would influence the story, I’d been having busy, brain-foggy days and I was a tad worried about the Chinese names: I’m not very good with names, let alone names in a language I don’t know. I haven’t read many books with an Asian setting, frankly I only remember two: Memoirs of a Geisha (which I loved) and Wild Swans (which I DNF’d), so I thought I’d have to be clear-headed and clear-scheduled. Folks, let me tell you: I needn’t have worried! Laurence even had the foresight to include a list of characters at the beginning of the book, which did come in handy in the beginning of the book, when I did sneak a peek every once in a while to check who someone was, or how they were connected to the main character, but after the introductory pages had ended and the story was in full force, I had zero problems remembering who everyone was. So if like me, you’re bad with names, no worries!

Speaking of names, these are the most important ones. Philip Ye, son of an English mother and an (in)famous Chinese father. His looks are English but his heart is Chinese. He is often made fun of because of his movie star looks, but he couldn’t care less about his own handsomeness, he isn’t the least bit arrogant and he’s not a womaniser. There’s Xu Ya, the new prosecutor. She may be beautiful, but first and foremost she is sharp as a tack and has an extreme sense of justice, she’s kind, she’s brave, she has quite a dark history and I enjoyed the glimpses into her former life. There’s Fatty Deng with his Hawaiian shirts, little Mouse who’s terrified of her own shadow but steps up all the same, Constable Ma whom I pictured as a Chinese Brienne of Tart. By the end of the book, I had become so invested in these people that they had ceased to be mere characters, they had become my friends.

Like I said above, I’m not well-versed in Asian-based books. The majority of the thrillers I read are set in the UK or the US, places I may not have been yet, but close enough to my own world for them to seem familiar. And they often feel a tad interchangeable in terms of setting, too. Take a thriller set in, say, Brighton, and put the characters and their story in a Belgian seaside town, most of the times, it would work. So I was very curious about the setting in China, and how much it would influence the story, if at all. As it turns out: you could not take this story out of China. At all. Chinese culture is intricately and masterfully woven into the storylines, so much so and in such a way, that I feel I have learned a lot with very little effort. Laurence is obviously quite the sinologist and interlaces a superb detective story / thriller with Chinese history, law, traditions and customs. The long and short of it is: if you’re at all interested in Chinese culture in the broadest sense, do yourself a favour and pick up The Willow Woman!

One last remark: the blurb mentions ghosts, but if you’re looking for a paranormal thriller, this isn’t it. Ghosts are but an itty-bitty part of the story, they are mentioned more as a kind of cultural phenomenon than anything else, and rather in passing too, so don’t let that scare you off if you’re not into ghosts, and don’t let it be the reason to pick up this book if you are.

A brilliant book with brilliant characters that took me completely by surprise. Highly recommended! I for one am keeping everything crossed that this won’t be Philip Ye’s last outing. Although the story is nicely wrapped up at the end I do feel there is lots more to tell, and, let me tell you, if there’s a second instalment I will be first in line to get my mitts on it! I do hope to find out soon, since Laurence has graciously accepted my invitation for a Q&A, so stay tuned and in the meantime, why don’t you check out The Willow Woman here on Amazon?

I hope you all know that my book love and gushing is genuine and I don’t fake it because I was gifted a book, but just to be clear: the fact that I was gifted The Willow Woman did not in any way influence my review. All my opinions and views are my own and are completely unbiased. ...more

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Apr 09, 2019 Devyani rated it really liked it

Rating: 4.5 stars

TITLE: The Willow Woman

SERIES: Philip Ye Novels (#1)

AUTHOR: Laurence Westwood

GENRE: Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Paranormal Mystery

PUBLISHER: Shikra Press Limited

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

PUBLICATION DATE: January 7, 2019

PAGE COUNT: 450 (Paperback)

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“She reminded herself that dying was nothing but falling into an eternal, dreamless sleep, with all the suffering of life, all the hopes and the fears, all of the unrequited desires left behind for good. She had com ...more

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Sep 25, 2019 Charlie W rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-blog, 2019-favourites

‘…the living were the living, and the dead were the dead, and never the twain should meet…’

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Westwood’s second book (and the first in his Philip Ye series) rises above many other crime novels I have read this year, with its sophisticated and fascinating look into the Chinese criminal justice system. Elaborate and intense in its execution, The Willow Woman is packed with corruption, spirituality, and tragedy. It is certainly ‘…the living were the living, and the dead were the dead, and never the twain should meet…’

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Westwood’s second book (and the first in his Philip Ye series) rises above many other crime novels I have read this year, with its sophisticated and fascinating look into the Chinese criminal justice system. Elaborate and intense in its execution, The Willow Woman is packed with corruption, spirituality, and tragedy. It is certainly one of my favourite reads of 2019.

Published in January by Shikra Press, The Willow Woman primarily follows Philip Ye, a biracial spirit-medium and homicide detective with the Chengdu Public Security Bureau. Questioning the occurrence of visiting apparitions, he is one day led to an unsettling event which eventually equals in his determined search for a missing and vulnerable young man. As new players begin to get involved, this sets off ‘a chain of violent events’, including multiple murders. And, before we know it, Ye and his associates uncover that Chengdu has an even darker and treacherous underbelly than previously thought.

Although focused on Ye, The Willow Woman is met with contrasting perspectives every chapter, jigsawing together. This is how we are introduced to the other wealth of storylines. Prosecutor Xu Ya is a key character of interest. Fiery and uncompromising, she believes the rule of law should be upheld regardless of circumstance or urgency. She is both admirable, yet frustrating, and such attributes add to the constant, one-sided power struggle between her and Philip Ye. Personal favourites of mine include Fatty Deng and Constable Ma, who are consistent underdogs throughout, and provide the book with most of its humorous moments.

Upon first look, as noted by other reviewers, Westwood’s novel can appear daunting for those unfamiliar with the Chinese system. The large quantity of characters may add to this. But with an accommodating character index in the book’s opening pages, as well as an introduction to the system, it does not take long to get to grasp the relationships between characters and Chengdu’s bleak atmosphere. Further historical information is also easily accessible on Westwood’s website (listed below) for those keen on understanding China’s history, transition and culture further.

Throughout, Westwood’s extensive research can be noted. As a student of Chinese law (both dynastic and modern), and with a clear interest in China’s culture altogether, the information given feels enthusiastic and intricately added. As noted by a fellow reviewer, it never feels like an “information-dump”. The knowledge given is done so incrementally, adding to character’s beliefs, and bringing spiritual and political endeavours to the fore.

The writing is absorbing, and the investigative representation feels natural and authentic. This, perhaps, may be due to Westwood’s own background as an investigator. It is easy to become invested in certain characters as their tragic backstories are shared – it seems no character has had an “easy life”.

Overall, The Willow Woman was a joy to read. I very much look forward to a sequel, and to see where Ye’s story takes us next. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys crime novels featuring cults, sparse elements of the supernatural / spiritual, and especially law students (like myself) who enjoy drawing comparisons between adversarial and inquisitorial procedures.

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full review can be found at: thebookreviewer.org ...more

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Aug 18, 2019 Mina Vucicevic rated it it was amazing

First of all, I would like to thank Laurence Westwood for reaching out and sending me a free copy of The Willow Woman.

The plot summary and beautiful cover awakened my interest the moment I received the book. In the end, I was not disappointed — this novel is just amazing.

After only a couple of pages, I couldn’t put it down. The Willow Woman has a great, intriguing beginning, and as the suspense was building, I was getting more and more into it. Moreover, Mr. Westwood’s style is both articulate a ...more

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Feb 24, 2019 Penny Wright rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

I tend to mostly read fantasy or science fiction, so I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to branch out into other genres. When Laurence Westwood reached out to me and asked if I was interested in reviewing The Willow Woman, a mystery novel set in modern-day China and with a slight paranormal aspect, I jumped on the opportunity.

There are several characters that we follow as they try to unravel the mystery surrounding a shooting, a missing son, and a cult that worships the Willow Woman. Ph I tend to mostly read fantasy or science fiction, so I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to branch out into other genres. When Laurence Westwood reached out to me and asked if I was interested in reviewing The Willow Woman, a mystery novel set in modern-day China and with a slight paranormal aspect, I jumped on the opportunity.

There are several characters that we follow as they try to unravel the mystery surrounding a shooting, a missing son, and a cult that worships the Willow Woman. Philip Ye is a homicide detective who is led to the sight of the shooting by an apparition that appears to him the night before. We also meet Ma Meili, the constable that does the shooting that Philip Ye witnesses; Xu Ya, a new public prosecutor, and her investigator, Fatty Deng.

I was hooked by this novel pretty early on. It’s a fairly long novel, but one that I flew through easily and was constantly kept guessing about what would happen next. I was thrilled that I wasn’t able to immediately guess the ending or twist of the novel like I have with many other mystery books I’ve read in the past.

Laurence Westwood’s writing is absolutely spectacular. Everything flowed nicely and it was paced perfectly, the language and word-choices kept me engaged, and the perspectives transitioned smoothly from one character to another. I’d recommend this book based on Westwood’s writing style alone.

There were some moments in the book where women are subjugated or that just felt sexist, but while reading it I discussed those moments with someone that has quite a bit more knowledge of Chinese culture than I do, and they told me that it’s not a far-off representation of some of the plights of women in modern-day China. Some examples include the “Beautification” program of the police to hire attractive women to make people like the police better; Ma Meili constantly being called an ogre or ugly or simply treated poorly because she’s not “attractive;” and the portrayal of women just generally being focused on men, relationships, and marriage more than anything else. After speaking to my friend, I’m assuming this was done to make the story more authentic to how women are treated in China.

The only reason I’m not giving this book five stars is that I was frustrated by Xu Ya’s obsession with Philip Ye. It didn’t make sense to me and their connection was too loose to intrigue me. They attended the same school many years ago and never spoke, and yet Xu Ya has seemingly been obsessed with him for years and years. While I understand that Philip Ye is supposed to be an incredibly attractive, rich, much sought-after bachelor, it still felt a little forced.

Overall, there’s so much to keep you interested in this novel, from the main mystery to the political intrigue that I definitely recommend to anyone wanting a new mystery novel to read, and a new author to explore. I’ll certainly be looking forward to any future novels written by Laurence Westwood. ...more

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Feb 19, 2019 Helen Ward rated it it was amazing

Having read this author’s other book, ‘The Balance of Heaven and Earth’, and really enjoyed it, I thought I’d give the first book in this new series a go. I do love historical mysteries first and foremost, so I did wonder if a book set in modern China would tick enough of my boxes. I also knew The Willow Woman would be a police procedural at heart, and in recent times I’ve got fairly bored with this genre, feeling I’ve ‘been there, done that’ to a great extent. Even the main characters in them c Having read this author’s other book, ‘The Balance of Heaven and Earth’, and really enjoyed it, I thought I’d give the first book in this new series a go. I do love historical mysteries first and foremost, so I did wonder if a book set in modern China would tick enough of my boxes. I also knew The Willow Woman would be a police procedural at heart, and in recent times I’ve got fairly bored with this genre, feeling I’ve ‘been there, done that’ to a great extent. Even the main characters in them can be two-dimensional and leave you wanting much, much more – especially if the book is over far too soon for my liking.

Happily I can say that The Willow Woman is unusual for many good reasons! The characters are everything to this author; you can tell that he lives and breathes them, and to me – just like in Magistrate Zhu’s world – they are so real that you happily travel along with them and can’t get enough of their lives. Fortunately for me this is also a wonderfully long book and one that I found incredibly immersive. However, it is not for someone who needs plots to race along at lightning speed with no time to stop and think and explore the lives of the people involved. The story is told steadily and seamlessly from the point of view of each of the main characters, and has humour, the beginnings of a fascinating romance, supernatural goings-on and political intrigue, as well as the murders underpinning the main story line.
This is a far more detailed world than that of Magistrate Zhu; modern-day China is handled with clarity and also gentle care, revealing the challenges but also the beating heart of the people. There is much to enjoy here, and although, as I said, it is not a typical police procedural – focusing much more than usual on the history of the characters and the recent history of the challenging country around them – as far as I am concerned its unique nature sets it apart from so many books in the crime genre today. All in all, The Willow Woman ticked so many boxes for me that I am greatly looking forward to the next one in this series too!
...more

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Apr 22, 2019 Mani rated it really liked it

Shelves: 4-star-reads, books-read-in-2019

Firstly, I would like to thank the author for reaching out to me and sending me a copy of this book. As soon as I read the description of this book I knew it would be something I would enjoy.

I was hooked from chapter one and just wanted to keep reading. The novel is 440 pages long but I sailed through it fairly quickly when I actually found time to pick it up. If I hadn’t had other commitments I think this would have been one of the books that I had finished in a couple of days.

This book is base ...more

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Nov 24, 2019 Alex Jones rated it it was amazing

From page 1, I was given a sense this wasnt going to be a fast read, Standing at 440 pages, the book may not seem huge in length, but the pages are dense and thick, laden with Laurence Westwood's stunning words.

This breathtaking story, adventure and crime thriller, firmly takes its reader, deeply and profoundly into the world of Homicide Detective Philip Ye, and modern China, and all its rich and intricate laws, myths and traditions.

Philip Ye, is half English, half chinese, and comes from what i From page 1, I was given a sense this wasnt going to be a fast read, Standing at 440 pages, the book may not seem huge in length, but the pages are dense and thick, laden with Laurence Westwood's stunning words.

This breathtaking story, adventure and crime thriller, firmly takes its reader, deeply and profoundly into the world of Homicide Detective Philip Ye, and modern China, and all its rich and intricate laws, myths and traditions.

Philip Ye, is half English, half chinese, and comes from what is almost the royal family equivalent in Chengdu, China, his family history so deeply rooted into the city itself, he is almost famous, and revered by colleagues and citizens alike, but he carries some darkness with him, and leads, at times a much haunted existence.

When Philip is drawn into the search for a missing boy, little does he know what he is about to step into, a story full of murder, and corruption, conspiracy and a cult, with a sinister feel, Ye is dragged into the investigation alongside prosecutor Xu Ya, a brilliant young mind, hungry for justice, though troubled herself, and Fatty Deng, her indomitable assistant, and the veritable dog with a bone and a man with a point to prove. And last but by no means least, the misunderstood but wondeful creation that is the giant of a woman, Constable Ma.

Already in this review I have used the words, deep, rich and profound. This book is all of these and all the superlatives and more.

This is not your common crime thriller, it's a story of so much more, of human nature, of unexpected alliances and friendships, and also it is an absolute cracker of a crime tale.

Each character is written with such depth, that even though Ye is the protagonist, I found myself just as involved in Fatty Deng or Constable Ma, as each of them have their own history and story to tell, Laurence Westwood could have 3 or 4 characters strong enough to carry their own series.

As is clear to see, I was blown away with this book , and I truly hope Laurence Westwood is currently penning a Philip Ye 2.

I have several book of the year candidates, im pretty sure I wont be able to bring it down to 1, but The Willow Woman is definitely going to be amongst the favourites.

Resplendent, Elegant, Compelling, Superb.

My Highest of Recommendations

5 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 ...more

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Dec 17, 2019 Jo Masters rated it it was amazing

This is the first in a planned series of books featuring Philip Ye, a Chinese homicide detective. The protagonist has a chequered past; he is a widower, half English and half Chinese, and his father is the disgraced ex-Mayor of Chengdu. Willow Woman focuses on a missing vulnerable boy and a body found in a back alley; two mysteries Ye tries to unravel against a highly political backdrop.

It is beautifully written, highly evocative of modern china and pulls no punches in exploring the cultural, ...more

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Jun 18, 2020 M.J. Mallon rated it really liked it

My rating: 4.5 stars
This isn't my usual genre but when I read the cover and synopsis I knew The Willow Woman would be for me. I was lucky to win a copy, (this in no way influences my review - all opinions are my own,) and I wasn't disappointed.

What a great novel. The Willow Woman is well written, engaging, and thoroughly researched too. There are masses of characters in the novel, but don't let this put you off. The author kindly gives us a detailed list, so we don't get confused who is who! Wi ...more

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Sep 17, 2019 Jessica Belmont rated it it was amazing

It did not take me very long to realize The Willow Woman is compelling novel that was going to have me reading late into the night to finish. The beginning is super intriguing and the suspense builds through the entire novel. I could not put this one down.

The novel is set in China, and there are quite a few characters. As the story progresses, we get to know every single one of them well. I love the backstories and the commonalities of tragic past times. Every character was deeply well-rounded a ...more

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Mar 10, 2019 Jenny Hutton rated it it was amazing

Just finished reading this book. What an intelligent, witty and charming book full of funny, interesting characters. Well worth a read. Full of intrigue and twists and turns. Characters pull you in...so much so that they really become real. A book worthy of reading over and over again and can't wait for the next one!!
What a clever, intelligent and witty book. The characters come alive, and I found myself totally absorbed in the book. Full of unpredictable twists and turns and we'll worth a secon ...more

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Oct 08, 2019 Joyce rated it liked it

Good read.

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About Laurence Westwood

Laurence Westwood

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After a (probably ill-advised) degree in Theoretical Physics, Laurence commenced upon a varied career in law enforcement and information security consultancy.

He regularly lectures at the University of Warwick on computer law and IP enforcement.

He has had a long-standing fascination with the political, military, social and legal history of China.

He lives just outside of Stratford-upon-Avon, Englan ...more