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Kristen Loesch

The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch

The Hong Kong Widow by Kristen Loesch

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Hong Kong, 1953: In a remote mansion, witnesses insist a massacre took place. The police see nothing but pristine rooms and declare it a collective hallucination. Until decades later, when one witness returns…from the Edgar®-nominated author of The Last Russian Doll.

In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse.

Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life.

It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge.

Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

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Editorial Reviews

Praise forThe Hong Kong Widow

The Hong Kong Widow is a tour de force: tense, emotional, poetic, and utterly unputdownable…. Kristen Loesch is a major talent, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!”—Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author ofThe Alice Network

“This book had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish! The Hong Kong Widowis gripping, suspenseful, terrifying, filled with shocking twists and turns. But it’s also exquisitely written and heartbreaking—a masterful, immersive work about mothers and daughters, trauma and healing, longing and vengeance. Unforgettable.”—Amy Chua, New York Times bestselling author ofBattle Hymn of the Tiger Mother


“A stunning, addictive, genre-bending book that will sink its claws into you from the very first page. I was utterly spellbound by this tale of a haunted house séance contest (!) that interweaves historical narratives of a child medium and a mother returning to her haunted past. I don’t know how Kristen Loesch does it but she has a new super-fan in me.”—C. J. Cooke, bestselling author of The Lighthouse Witches

The Hong Kong Widowis a delightfully creepy shapeshifter of a novel. No one is who they seem in this braided narrative that’s part ghost story, horror tale, and gothic thriller set against a fascinating period of history. I dare you to read this before going to bed!”—Elise Hooper, author ofThe Library of Lost Dollhouses

“This is more than just a historical thriller; it’s a powerful testament to the enduring strength of women and the indomitable spirit of those who refuse to be broken by history. This is a beautifully crafted novel, unlike anything I have ever read.”—Amita Parikh, international bestselling author ofThe Circus Train

The Hong Kong Widowis at once an eerie haunted house gothic and a deeply profound meditation on mothers and daughters, the mysteries we end up keeping from each other, and the healing power of empathy and togetherness as a way of confronting — and laying to rest — the ghosts of a painful past. Stunning prose, impeccable historical research, and page turning suspense. I absolutely devoured this book.”—Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author ofThe Haunting of Moscow House

“A riveting tale where evidence confounds and emotions run high. From the first sentence to the last,The Hong Kong Widowensnares you in plot twists and tensions between mother and daughter.”Janie Chang, bestselling author ofThe Porcelain Moon

“I lovedThe Hong Kong Widow! The writing is superb, the historical detail fascinating, and the timelines skillfully woven to create a truly compelling story.”—Jacquie Bloese, author ofThe Secret Photographs

“I am utterly enamored with this beautifully written and profoundly moving tale about the search for meaning amongst the ruins of loss.…At the heart of this chilling story, Mei is navigating her path through a life devastated by war, proving that at the end of the day, it is love and survival that triumph. Masterfully told, this mesmerizing read should be on everyone’s to read list.”—Rebecca Netley, author ofThe Whistling Praise forThe Last Russian Doll

“This preternaturally absorbing intergenerational saga seamlessly weaves between two narratives set during peaks of modern Russian history… And in between, a lifetime’s worth of haunting mysteries shrouded in love, betrayal, secrets, danger, and lies.”—Buzzfeed

“…[A] masterly, unique, gripping novel.”—New York Journal of Books

“A masterful debut.”—Ellen Alpsten, author of Tsarina“…[E]motionally rich…. Loesch moves seamlessly between the expansive dual timelines, slowly establishing the connections between Rosie’s quest to solve the mystery of her family’s murders and Tonya’s efforts to survive the Bolshevik Revolution. Historical fiction fans will love this.”—Publishers Weekly

“…[P]owerfully affecting tale.”—Booklist

About the Author

Kristen Loesch grew up in San Francisco. She holds a BA in History, as well as a Master’s degree in Slavonic Studies from the University of Cambridge. Her first novel,The Last Russian Doll, was a finalist for the Edgar Award and has been published in twelve territories. She lives with her family in Switzerland.

  • Publication

    Berkeley

  • Genre

    Gothic Horror
    Historical Fiction

  • Author

    Kristen Loesch

  • Language

    English

    Lexile:

  • Pages

    368

  • ISBN-13

    9780593548011

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