Beautiful Ghosts is built on an elaborate series of puzzles and mysteries playing out in enigmatic Tibet. Art theft, political oppression, underground religious practices, corruption, and the relationship between a Chinese emperor and British colonel are expertly woven into a tale of murder and international intrigue.
In this fourth Inspector Shan book, author Eliot Pattison explores the ideas of trust, resilience and faith. Pattison adds to the texture of the book by taking the reader deep into the lives of the Tibetan people and their culture. The details give the reader confidence that Pattison knows Tibet well. The intricacy of the plot, the setting, and the characters can be a bit overwhelming, especially for those who are meeting Inspector Shan for the first time.
Plot Summary – Beautiful Ghosts by Eliot Pattison
The readers’ guide on this journey is disgraced, former Beijing Police Inspector, Shan Tao Yun. Shan was unofficially released from a Chinese work camp and lives with outlaw Tibetan monks in a secret retreat. Shan becomes entangled with his former captors and a corrupt Chinese museum director when they need his knowledge of Tibetan ways. Shan is unwilling to help until a reunion with his long lost son is dangled as bait.
Shan teams up with an FBI agent who is on the track of a Seattle murderer and solving a major US art theft and a Chinese Inspector who might end up in a work camp if he doesn’t deliver what the government wants to hear. In the meantime, more murder and intrigue force the team to work together. Nothing is what it first appears to be. Only trust and faith can find the path that leads to the answers.
Review – Tibetan Murder Mystery Beautiful Ghosts by Eliot Pattison
The reader gets a ‘twofer’ with this book – a solid mystery and a better understanding of Tibet, its culture and the political tensions between China and Tibet. The pacing may be a bit tedious for those looking for a non-stop, action thriller. The author’s cerebral approach may be better suited to long winter afternoons by the fire than an easy day at the beach. Those who love the challenge of intricate plot twists, who want characters to delve into their motivations and beliefs, and those who enjoy detailed descriptions of locations and traditions, will find Beautiful Ghosts satisfying.
Background 411 on Beautiful Ghosts and Eliot Pattison
The author’s website includes descriptions of all the books in the Inspector Shan murder mystery series. Eliot Pattison explains why he writes about Tibet and her tenacious people.
Check out Eliot Pattison's latest series, Bone Rattler.
Beautiful Ghosts is published by St. Martin’s Press.
Copyright: 2004
ISBN – 13: 978-0-312-33509-0
ISBN – 10: 0-312-33509-1
 |
 |
