The Shanghai Moon by Lisa See

Lisa See returns to her Lydia Chin/Bill Smith mystery series with The Shanghai Moon. It has been so long since the last Chin/Smith mystery that I have forgotten what exactly happened between these two characters. No matter - it is alluded to briefly in the beginning of the book, but then things pick up the pace and we get back on track solving mysteries. I really enjoy reading these books because I really like the main characters. Well, mostly Lydia. I love reading about her life going back and forth between Chinese culture and American culture. I like getting an inside peek at her apartment, which she shares with a very traditional mother. There is always some discussion of food, which I can almost smell as I'm reading the book. Although the plot isn't too complicated, I find that I don't mind because the crimes aren't too graphic or gorey. This particular story focuses on Jews that escaped Europe during World War II to find refuge in Shanghai. It's an interesting bit of history that the author includes in her story, which makes it all the more entertaining to read.