1929: Borya is at the bottom ranks of Harbin's Special District police force. His meager salary is the only thing that keeps his widowed mother and sisters fed. When fate takes him from chasing pickpockets to pairing him with one of the force's premier detectives, his life changes forever. They are assigned to investigate the dismembered body of one the city's foreign businessmen uncovered in the nearby Japanese zone.
The trail takes them from the upscale boulevards of Harbin’s New Town, to the seediest neighborhoods of the lower city, and beyond to the frontiers of Manchuria. Slowly they are drawn into a potential war with the Soviet Union that could tear apart the whole balance of life as they know it…
Can Borya and Inspector Chinn stay alive long enough to solve the crime?
“Special District: Harbin, Drawing the Tiger’s Bones is an International Mystery & Crime/noir detective novel that keeps you on the edge of your seat. If you like fast-paced stories that keep you surprised with every turn of the page, then you will definitely love this book…”
A view into the politics and tensions presnt in 1929 Harbin China.
A look into the diverse cultures that made Harbin a unique cosmopolitan city in the 20th century.
Uncover the threat of the Red Terror of the Soviet Union as it encroaches upon this region of China, directly conflicting with the investigation of the detectives.
Download the first chapter of “Special District, Harbin: The Tigers of East Mountain" today!
I’ve been a lifelong student of history and hold a BA in History from the University of Washington. I found in writing historical fiction a way to share my love of history with others. It also allows one to become immersed into the past in ways that non-fiction cannot.
I have been particularly drawn to the region of Manchuria. In the Twentieth Century it was fought over by the Russians, Chinese, Japanese, and Western powers. The city of Harbin was a microcosm of that struggle where White Russian refugees and Soviet intrigues vied with rising Chinese nationalism for control. Reading stories of survival from those tumultuous and divisive times helped me to put our own current state of politics into perspective.
So naturally my first book of a murder mystery series takes place in 1929 in that crossroad city of Harbin. Because the historical aspect of my story-telling is important to me, I strive to be as accurate to the real past as possible. That includes research of available academic books and articles on Manchuria and Harbin, and even acquiring travel guides, magazines, and maps from the time period.