Product Details

• Published on: 1978-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 383 pages

Customer Reviews

Refreshing and quite 'infectious'!
This book is now somewhat dated (originally published in 1978) and Ross Thomas, the author, is no longer with us. Many of Thomas' books, however, are now being published again and a friend suggested this one would be a good start. And how right he was!

I must confess to being quite intimidated when I read the rear cover - I thought the references to a dead pelican and a man who is a pretender to the Imperial throne of China would make this more a tongue-in-cheek novel than a mystery. Although both do feature as plot elements, neither topic overwhelms what is basically a good story though.

It is difficult to isolate any one ingredient which made this book a stand-out for me - the two main characters are both unusual and very likeable - perhaps even pleasantly shady, if that's possible; the writing is good and contains some great lines, and the story is one which just drags you right in. The cores of the plot are the possibility that a large sum of money remains hidden in Vietnam and the disappearance of a famous singer. But there is a lot more too, all delivered in a very free-flowing and interesting manner.

This was a very good effort so I will chase more of Thomas' books - of that, I'm sure. 9/10

Enter Artie Wu, Pretender to the throne of China
A Congressman is killed, the apparent victim of a jealous wife who immediately commits suicide. The Congressman's girl friend is Silk Armitage, a famous singer. Silk goes into hiding in Pelican Bay disguised as a gypsy fortune-teller. Artie Wu and his partner Quincy Durant are hired to find her. This book introduces Artie Wu, Pretender to the throne of China. Wu claims to be the illegitimate son of the illigitimate daughter of the Boy-Emperor, who is also remembered as P'u Yi. Wu and Durant are always entertaining.