Flower Net by Lisa See - 3 stars

[Joy D]

Flower Net by Lisa See - 3* - My Review

Lisa See’s first novel, published in 1997, is a murder mystery set in Beijing and Los Angeles. A female police detective in China, Liu Hulan, and an American attorney, David Stark, must work together to solve two related murders. The victims are the son of the American Ambassador to China and the son of a wealthy Chinese businessman. Hulan and David were previously in a relationship when she lived in the US for her legal education.

I enjoyed the cultural and historical elements, particularly the way Americans miss some of the subtleties of Chinese social interactions. Except for Hulan, the characters are somewhat wooden. The romance seems superfluous. Much of the dialogue is created to inform the reader (many lines begin with “as you know…”). There are a few parts that are particularly gruesome. It is a decent mystery, but I much prefer the author’s later works of historical fiction.

This is just barely 3 stars for me. I am not a big fan of "twists and turns," but I know they appeal to others.

[Olivermagnus]

We have been reading so many of the same books! I liked it a little better than you, but agree her historical fiction is much better.

[Joy D]

I know! We were reading this at the same time. I gave it a boost because it was her debut. She has definitely improved as an author.