The Red Lotus by Chris BohjalianMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
March 17, 2020
Edelweiss, ARC, Fiction, mystery, suspense
Doubleday Book
400 pages (10/5/19)
2/23/20-3/3/20
Is life crazier than fiction? I’m not sure anymore. It’s scary that our worst fears might actually become reality. I think that’s why I could just read this book with my usual ease. The author is wonderfully talented and eloquent with his use of words. I know whenever I open one of his books I will be impressed by the extent of his research and imagination.
Alexis Remnick is an Emergency Room physician who is used to the fast paced environment and complexity of issues which roll through the doors. She never expected to make a connection with a patient, Austin Harper, who came in one night after being shot in a local bar. It seems he was playing darts and a random person waving a gun caused the chaos in the bar. While Alexis is treating his wound she discovers he works for the hospital in administration.
Although they both lead busy lives they manage to embark on a relationship. Alexis maintains a connection with her investment banker mother, Dina Remnick, who works in Manhattan. She learns that Austin’s parents live in Lenox, MA where his mother is a retired middle school principal and his father an injured Vietnam veteran. Feeling that their relationship is heading in a positive direction after months of dating Alexis agrees to accompany him on a cycling tour in Vietnam.
Austin is an extreme cyclist who often travels to experience their adventures. He had been to Vietnam before and this trip he intends to pay respects to his uncle and father who fought in Vietnam. He breaks off from the group to find the area of combat by himself. No one worried initially since he is an experienced cyclist who always travels with water and his Psyche gels for energy on long trips.
Fear spreads amongst the cycle tour group when Austin never returns. A search party is employed in hopes of locating him worried that he might have encountered danger along the way. Eventually, the US embassy becomes involved and the case becomes more complicated.
Alexis returns to the US with so many unanswered questions. When she discovers that Austin lies about his intention for going to Vietnam, Alexis begins to wonder how well she really knows this man. Her investigation leads her to many unexpected places where she uncovers confusing and dangerous information.
This is a wild adventure which is interjected with the comments of someone who seems to hold the answers and is willing to do anything to protect that information. Chris Bohjalian doesn’t disappoint with this novel.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment