Murder on Bamboo Lane

February 10, 2014
Edgar-winner Hirahara, author of Summer of the Big Bachi and four other Mas Arai mysteries, introduces Ellie Rush, a Japanese-American rookie LAPD bicycle cop, in this highly entertaining series debut. When Jenny Nguyen, a former classmate of Ellie’s at Pan Pacific West College, goes missing and later turns up dead in a Chinatown alley, Ellie’s ties to PPW and Jenny’s friends, including Ellie’s ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Choi, prove useful. Jenny’s boyfriend, controversial artist Tuan Le, is a prime suspect, and he asks Ellie for help. Her aunt, Cheryl Toma, the highest-ranking Asian in the LAPD, also wants Ellie on the case, but has a hidden agenda. Ellie finds herself navigating a personal and professional minefield when she’s assigned to work on the case with handsome Det. Cortez Williams. Readers will want to see more of Ellie, who provides a fresh perspective on L.A.’s rich ethnic mix. Agent: Allison Cohen, Gersh Agency.

April 1, 2014

Young LAPD bicycle cop Ellie Rush (who is half-white, half-Japanese American) aspires to be a detective; her aunt Cheryl, who is assistant police chief, is her professional idol. When a former college acquaintance, Jenny Nguyen, is murdered--and Ellie is one of the officers who find her in an alley--she is assigned to help investigate. While blame initially falls on Tuan Le, Jenny's former boyfriend, other aspects of Jenny's life come to the fore. Jenny was devastated by her mother's untimely death back in Vietnam, plus she was angry about something related to her work for the U.S. Census Bureau. (Apparently, she had dug up suspicious facts about local councilmen.) Ellie makes mistakes that almost let a killer get away, but the key word here is "almost." VERDICT Scoop this one up! Known for her "Mas Arai" series (Summer of the Big Bachi), Hirahara's new series debut strikes just the right tone, neatly tuned into the twentysomething set. Her multiethnic cast promises a fascinating future for a cozy series tangling with serious topics.

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