Science Fiction & Fantasy
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Foul Lady Fortune
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.
It's 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.
Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging-and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.
Code name: Fortune.
But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind's mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind's new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.
To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion's cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.
It's 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.
Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging-and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption for her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.
Code name: Fortune.
But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind's mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind's new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.
To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion's cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.
Editorial Reviews
"An electrifying, swashbuckling tale of intrigue and assassins, romance and betrayal." -- Cassandra Clare, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Last Hours series
"Amazing, show-stopping, spectacular. Chloe Gong does it again with her fantastical take on the classic Chinese genre of Minguo-era spy thrillers, where no loyalties are certain and no one can be trusted in the shadowy political battle between the Nationalists, communists, and imperialists. A enthralling mystery that is sure to stun as it unravels." -- Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of IRON WIDOW
"This book is a dark delight. I found myself transported to a different place and time, which is exactly what I look for in my favorite books. Gong's writing is evocative, and her dialogue crackles. Mesmerizing and mysterious in equal turns, Foul Lady Fortune is a captivating read, and I look forward to the next installment in the series." -- Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Beautiful Quartet
"Equal parts intoxicating and dazzling, Gong's newest duology is enchanting and unmissable. Each page is a finely honed blade that goes straight to the heart." -- Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of THE GILDED WOLVES
"Foul Lady Fortune had my heart pounding from the first chapter. With brilliant pacing and utterly dynamic characters, Gong transports us to 1930s Shanghai-into a high stakes game of war, love, and espionage-and conquers every page with cinematic precision." -- Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES
"Chloe Gong's Foul Lady Fortune is an electric, action-packed jewel of a story, brimming with vivid prose, exhilarating twists and turns, and incredible characters who will steal your heart. This book dazzles." -- Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn
"Foul Lady Fortune is a thrilling historical fantasy packed with action, intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance. I will read anything Chloe Gong writes." -- June Hur, bestselling author of THE RED PALACE
"With tense, lush storytelling, a complicated heroine and her swoon worthy foil, Foul Lady Fortune invites you into a dark chapter of twentieth century China where intrigue lies behind every corner. Intoxicating!" -- Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL
"A glamorous spy thriller that will leave you breathless. Chloe Gong masterfully blends romance, political drama, and Black Widow<...
"Amazing, show-stopping, spectacular. Chloe Gong does it again with her fantastical take on the classic Chinese genre of Minguo-era spy thrillers, where no loyalties are certain and no one can be trusted in the shadowy political battle between the Nationalists, communists, and imperialists. A enthralling mystery that is sure to stun as it unravels." -- Xiran Jay Zhao, #1 New York Times bestselling author of IRON WIDOW
"This book is a dark delight. I found myself transported to a different place and time, which is exactly what I look for in my favorite books. Gong's writing is evocative, and her dialogue crackles. Mesmerizing and mysterious in equal turns, Foul Lady Fortune is a captivating read, and I look forward to the next installment in the series." -- Renée Ahdieh, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Beautiful Quartet
"Equal parts intoxicating and dazzling, Gong's newest duology is enchanting and unmissable. Each page is a finely honed blade that goes straight to the heart." -- Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of THE GILDED WOLVES
"Foul Lady Fortune had my heart pounding from the first chapter. With brilliant pacing and utterly dynamic characters, Gong transports us to 1930s Shanghai-into a high stakes game of war, love, and espionage-and conquers every page with cinematic precision." -- Elizabeth Lim, New York Times bestselling author of SIX CRIMSON CRANES
"Chloe Gong's Foul Lady Fortune is an electric, action-packed jewel of a story, brimming with vivid prose, exhilarating twists and turns, and incredible characters who will steal your heart. This book dazzles." -- Claire Legrand, New York Times bestselling author of Furyborn
"Foul Lady Fortune is a thrilling historical fantasy packed with action, intrigue, and swoon-worthy romance. I will read anything Chloe Gong writes." -- June Hur, bestselling author of THE RED PALACE
"With tense, lush storytelling, a complicated heroine and her swoon worthy foil, Foul Lady Fortune invites you into a dark chapter of twentieth century China where intrigue lies behind every corner. Intoxicating!" -- Stacey Lee, New York Times bestselling author of THE DOWNSTAIRS GIRL
"A glamorous spy thriller that will leave you breathless. Chloe Gong masterfully blends romance, political drama, and Black Widow<...
Readers Top Reviews
Kindle
Same old tripe. Time to think of something original.
Erin Remen
I will start by saying that I have not read anything by this author before so I went into this blind and was pleasantly suprised. Full of intrigue and set in 1930's China amidst the threat of Japan invading Shanghai this story follows Rosalind as she is tasked a new mission very different than her usual. Orion will be her partner though I don't think either of them truly know what they are in for! It took a little longer than usual for me to get into this but I pushed through and find I truly enjoyed it and am ready for more!
tpolen
After reading the These Violent Delights series by this author, it was a no-brainer to request her next book. I didn’t even need to read the description. Main character Rosalind is a character from These Violent Delights, but let’s just say she wasn’t my favorite and leave it at that. This story is set four years after the end of that series. And she completely changed my mind about her. As an assassin for her country, Rosalind is trying to atone for her betrayal four years ago and find some kind of peace. After being brought back from the brink of death by unusual means, she’s not entirely human. She doesn’t sleep or age and can heal from any wound – a definite perk considering her line of work. Her new assignment places her in a fake marriage, and her “husband” may be more trouble than she expected. 1930s Shanghai is the perfect setting for this novel. It really gave me the whole cloak and dagger spy vibe. Complex politics, hidden motives, and double and triple spies just add to the atmosphere. Fake husband Orion might grate on Rosalind’s nerves, but with his humorous quips and the banter between them, I was instantly a fan of his. Shout out to his sister Phoebe, a wonderful supporting character. His protective big brother stance doesn’t work – she’s strong-willed and has a mind of her own. This novel clocks in at over five hundred pages, but it sure didn’t feel like it. I plowed through it in a couple days and was delighted by the explosive plot twists toward the end. With its complex plot, it’s easily a crossover, and I guarantee this author will have a long line of readers waiting for the next book in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Kindle
Chloe Gong has such an incredible writing style! She seamlessly blends mystery, romance, humor, politics and relatable characters to create a world I never want to leave. This was a book I have waited all year for and it was even better than expected. Can't wait for the next!
Short Excerpt Teaser
Chapter 1 1 SEPTEMBER 1931
The train corridor was quiet except for the rumbling underfoot. Dusk had already fallen, but the windows flashed every three seconds-a pulse of illumination from the lights installed along the tracks and then gone, swallowed by the speed of the train. Elsewhere, the narrow compartments were crowded with light and noise: the soft golden chandeliers and the rattling of silverware against the food trolleys, the clink of a spoon tapping against a teacup and the glowing crystal lamps.
But here in the passageway into first class, there was only the sudden whoosh of the door as Rosalind Lang pushed it open, stepping into the semi-darkness with her heels clicking.
The paintings on the walls stared as she walked by, their beady eyes aglow in the dark. Rosalind clutched the box in her arms, careful to keep her leather gloves delicate around its edges, her elbows held out to either side of her. When she came to a stop outside the third door, she knocked with her shoe, tapping delicately at its base.
A beat passed. For a moment, only the chugging of the train could be heard. Then the softest shuffling came from the other side, and the door swung back, flooding the hallway with new light.
"Good evening," Rosalind said politely. "Is this a good time?"
Mr. Kuznetsov stared at her, his brow furrowing as he made sense of the scene before him. Rosalind had been trying to secure an audience with the Russian merchant for days. She had bunkered down in Harbin and suffered the frigid temperatures without success, then followed him to Changchun, a city farther south. There, his people had failed to respond to her requests too, and it had almost seemed like a lost cause-that she would have to go about everything the rough way-until she caught wind of his plans to travel by train with a booking in first class, where the compartment rooms were large and the ceilings were low, where hardly anyone was around and sound was muffled by the thick, thick walls.
"I will call my guard-"
"Oh, don't be foolish."
Rosalind entered without invitation. The private first-class rooms were wide enough that she could have easily forgotten she was aboard a train… if it weren't for the quivering walls, its papered floral pattern trembling each time the tracks grew rough. She looked around a while longer, eyeing the hatch that went up to the top of the train and the window to the far side of the room, its blinds drawn to block out the rapidly moving night. To the left of the four-poster bed, there was another set of doors that either gave way to a closet or a toilet.
A firm thud summoned Rosalind's attention back to the merchant as he closed the main compartment door. When he turned around, his eyes darted along her person and then to the box in her hands, but he was not examining her qipao, nor the red flowers clipped onto the fur throw around her shoulders. Though Mr. Kuznetsov tried to be subtle about it, he was concerned about the box in her hands and whether she had brought in a weapon.
Rosalind was already gingerly lifting the lid from the box, presenting the contents inside with a flourish.
"A gift, Mr. Kuznetsov," she said pleasantly. "From the Scarlet Gang, who have sent me here to make your acquaintance. Might we chat?"
She pushed the box forward with a flourish. It was a small Chinese vase, blue and white porcelain lying upon a bed of red silk. Adequately expensive. Not expensive enough to verge onto the point of outrage.
Rosalind held her breath until Mr. Kuznetsov reached in and picked it up. He examined the vase by the lights dangling from the ceiling, turning its neck this way and that, admiring the characters carved along the side. After a long while, he grunted what sounded like approval, walked over to a coffee table between two large seats, and set the vase down. There were already two teacups upon the table. An ashtray lay nearby, dusted with a smattering of black.
"The Scarlet Gang," Mr. Kuznetsov muttered beneath his breath. He folded into one of the chairs, his back stiff against the upholstery. "I have not heard that name for some time now. Please, take a seat."
Rosalind walked to the other chair, fixing the lid back onto her box and setting the box beside the chair. When she dropped into the seat, she only perched upon its edge, casting a glance once more at the closet doors to her left. The floor jolted.
"I assume you are the same girl who has been harassing my staff." Mr. Kuznetsov switched from Russian to English. "Janie Mead, yes?"
It had been four years, but Rosalind was still unaccustomed to her alias. Sooner or later she was going to get in trouble for that split-second delay, that blank look in her ...
The train corridor was quiet except for the rumbling underfoot. Dusk had already fallen, but the windows flashed every three seconds-a pulse of illumination from the lights installed along the tracks and then gone, swallowed by the speed of the train. Elsewhere, the narrow compartments were crowded with light and noise: the soft golden chandeliers and the rattling of silverware against the food trolleys, the clink of a spoon tapping against a teacup and the glowing crystal lamps.
But here in the passageway into first class, there was only the sudden whoosh of the door as Rosalind Lang pushed it open, stepping into the semi-darkness with her heels clicking.
The paintings on the walls stared as she walked by, their beady eyes aglow in the dark. Rosalind clutched the box in her arms, careful to keep her leather gloves delicate around its edges, her elbows held out to either side of her. When she came to a stop outside the third door, she knocked with her shoe, tapping delicately at its base.
A beat passed. For a moment, only the chugging of the train could be heard. Then the softest shuffling came from the other side, and the door swung back, flooding the hallway with new light.
"Good evening," Rosalind said politely. "Is this a good time?"
Mr. Kuznetsov stared at her, his brow furrowing as he made sense of the scene before him. Rosalind had been trying to secure an audience with the Russian merchant for days. She had bunkered down in Harbin and suffered the frigid temperatures without success, then followed him to Changchun, a city farther south. There, his people had failed to respond to her requests too, and it had almost seemed like a lost cause-that she would have to go about everything the rough way-until she caught wind of his plans to travel by train with a booking in first class, where the compartment rooms were large and the ceilings were low, where hardly anyone was around and sound was muffled by the thick, thick walls.
"I will call my guard-"
"Oh, don't be foolish."
Rosalind entered without invitation. The private first-class rooms were wide enough that she could have easily forgotten she was aboard a train… if it weren't for the quivering walls, its papered floral pattern trembling each time the tracks grew rough. She looked around a while longer, eyeing the hatch that went up to the top of the train and the window to the far side of the room, its blinds drawn to block out the rapidly moving night. To the left of the four-poster bed, there was another set of doors that either gave way to a closet or a toilet.
A firm thud summoned Rosalind's attention back to the merchant as he closed the main compartment door. When he turned around, his eyes darted along her person and then to the box in her hands, but he was not examining her qipao, nor the red flowers clipped onto the fur throw around her shoulders. Though Mr. Kuznetsov tried to be subtle about it, he was concerned about the box in her hands and whether she had brought in a weapon.
Rosalind was already gingerly lifting the lid from the box, presenting the contents inside with a flourish.
"A gift, Mr. Kuznetsov," she said pleasantly. "From the Scarlet Gang, who have sent me here to make your acquaintance. Might we chat?"
She pushed the box forward with a flourish. It was a small Chinese vase, blue and white porcelain lying upon a bed of red silk. Adequately expensive. Not expensive enough to verge onto the point of outrage.
Rosalind held her breath until Mr. Kuznetsov reached in and picked it up. He examined the vase by the lights dangling from the ceiling, turning its neck this way and that, admiring the characters carved along the side. After a long while, he grunted what sounded like approval, walked over to a coffee table between two large seats, and set the vase down. There were already two teacups upon the table. An ashtray lay nearby, dusted with a smattering of black.
"The Scarlet Gang," Mr. Kuznetsov muttered beneath his breath. He folded into one of the chairs, his back stiff against the upholstery. "I have not heard that name for some time now. Please, take a seat."
Rosalind walked to the other chair, fixing the lid back onto her box and setting the box beside the chair. When she dropped into the seat, she only perched upon its edge, casting a glance once more at the closet doors to her left. The floor jolted.
"I assume you are the same girl who has been harassing my staff." Mr. Kuznetsov switched from Russian to English. "Janie Mead, yes?"
It had been four years, but Rosalind was still unaccustomed to her alias. Sooner or later she was going to get in trouble for that split-second delay, that blank look in her ...
