The Shanghai Secret: A Gilded Age Mystery (The Tidewater Chronicles)
1888 Astoria, Oregon. The intrigue begins when seventeen-year-old Josephine Felch, the daughter of a salmon cannery magnate, is hired to assist Cecil Wisener, the Astoria Evening Gazette’s owner. Inspired by Nellie Bly, the famous newspaper reporter, Josephine pursues the story of the strange disappearance of Birdie Magress, a local woman with a shady past. While probing for evidence about the missing maid, an unknown assailant murders Wisener. Josephine is determined to find the culprits and expose their criminal activities. She meets and partners with Harland Price, a Pinkerton detective also investigating the disturbing events. After interviewing Jim Turpin, a corrupt industrialist-politician, and an array of potential suspects, Josephine confronts life-threatening incidents as she fearlessly seeks answers.
Present-day Astoria, Oregon. When Olivia Crawford, a New York editorial assistant, inherits Tidewater Books, her Great-Aunt Ingrid’s charming bookstore, she quits her job and moves to the quaint coastal town. To claim the property, Olivia must meet the unusual conditions in Ingrid’s will, including managing the bookstore for three years and finishing a secret, unpublished manuscript. When she meets Owen Marshall, a commercial real estate agent who entices her with lucrative investment possibilities, she is faced with a decision that could change her life. As dramatic, mysterious links from the past to the present unfold, Olivia makes many surprising discoveries as she attempts to resolve Josephine’s secrets and Astoria’s puzzling connections.
In Book I of The Tidewater Chronicles, Lind skillfully employs a dual timeline, focusing on Josephine’s sleuthing in 1888 and enhancing the enigmatic, coincidental events through Olivia’s present-day viewpoint. The well-crafted plot, a robust cast of colorful characters, and vibrant descriptions of Astorian life provide an entertaining and engaging read. The Shanghai Secret cleverly sets the stage for the next exciting adventure in the series.
