Review: Last Violent Call (Secret Shanghai 3.5)
Available at Bookshop.org
4/5
For fans of: Chloe Gong, These Violent Delights, Foul Lady Fortune, Shanghai, 1930s, gangs, novellas
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? YA historical fiction, YA fiction
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? Roma is always swoon-worthy
Is it spicy? Some very sweet kisses, but no spice.
Is it violent or gory? Violent, yes. These are gangster we’re talking about it.
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? If you are a fan of Chloe Gong’s work, buy it!
“It didn’t matter that he had her forever and ever to kiss, past death and into whatever afterlife existed. He still couldn’t get enough of her.”
Synopsis: In A Foul Thing, Roma and Juliette have established themselves as the heads of an underground weapons ring in Zhouzhuang, making a living the way they do best while remaining anonymous in their peaceful, quiet life. But when they hear about several Russian girls showing up dead in nearby towns, they decide to investigate—and ultimately discover that this mystery is much closer to home than they ever imagined.
In This Foul Murder, Benedikt and Marshall have been summoned by Roma to find the elusive scientist, Lourens, and bring him to Zhouzhuang. Time is of the essence aboard the week-long Trans-Siberian Express, but when someone is murdered on board, Benedikt and Marshall convince the officer in charge not to stop the train so that they aren’t thrown off-schedule. Instead, they pretend that they are investigators and promise they can solve the murder, but as they dig deeper, they realize that the murder might having surprising ties to their own mission…
“Science could tell him that the ground was below his feet and the sky was above his head and the early light of day was upon his back. Roma wouldn’t listen. To him, Juliette was the sun.”
Review: If Foul Lady Fortune’s cliffhanger of an ending is still driving you mad, Last Violent Call is a sweet duology to tide you over until Foul Heart Huntsman arrives. Both novellas are rich in storytelling and catching up with our favourite couples as they go on their little adventures to help Rosalind. Stepping away from the bustling, humid streets of Shanghai in the eve of war, both stories give us some breathing room as tensions rise. Roma and Juliette are ADORABLE as a married couple running an illegal arms business and investigating murders in their new home town. Benedikt and Marshall are equally adorable in their Murder on the Orient Express-style trip across Russia. Both portray strong partnerships with solid foundations in their relationships, which is so needed to be seen in YA literature. While some healing is still going on from their time in Shanghai, these two couples have grown and matured in their still young lives and I can’t wait to see all of them back together one last time!