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beastreader's review against another edition
4.0
The year is 1940 in San Francisco.
Private investigator Miranda Corbie is attending the Rice Bowl in Chinatown. It is an event that celebrates the Chinese New Year. While attending, Miranda stumbles upon a body. The victim is identified as Eddie Takahashi. He was no good. The cops don’t really have an interest in the case and close it. Miranda is the only one, who is out to seek the truth about Eddie’s murder. Miranda better watch her back as the police may not be interested but someone is and they don’t like Miranda sticking her nose in places where it doesn’t belong.
City of Dragons is a really good book. I started this book right before bed, which was a bad idea as I couldn’t stop reading it. Miranda is a hard core, nose to the grind, blood hound, who doesn’t give up till the case is solved. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the mystery fan in my happy. All of the characters that Miranda encountered were intriguing as well as engaging. You could tell how much research and hard work the author did on Chinatown and what the place looked like back in the forties. It was like I could see everything through Miranda’s eyes from…the vivid colors of the buildings to the smell of rotten beer and cigarettes. I only have one last comment to make and that is…I want more Kelli Stanley.
Private investigator Miranda Corbie is attending the Rice Bowl in Chinatown. It is an event that celebrates the Chinese New Year. While attending, Miranda stumbles upon a body. The victim is identified as Eddie Takahashi. He was no good. The cops don’t really have an interest in the case and close it. Miranda is the only one, who is out to seek the truth about Eddie’s murder. Miranda better watch her back as the police may not be interested but someone is and they don’t like Miranda sticking her nose in places where it doesn’t belong.
City of Dragons is a really good book. I started this book right before bed, which was a bad idea as I couldn’t stop reading it. Miranda is a hard core, nose to the grind, blood hound, who doesn’t give up till the case is solved. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep the mystery fan in my happy. All of the characters that Miranda encountered were intriguing as well as engaging. You could tell how much research and hard work the author did on Chinatown and what the place looked like back in the forties. It was like I could see everything through Miranda’s eyes from…the vivid colors of the buildings to the smell of rotten beer and cigarettes. I only have one last comment to make and that is…I want more Kelli Stanley.
ampersand148d8's review against another edition
A lady Sam Spade set in 1930s San Francisco. Enjoyed the historical references. Author said she even used an old phone book to get the phone exchanges correct. Lots of action -- fish out of water - ahead of her times detective.
marlynb's review against another edition
4.0
Miranda Corbie is a private investigator in San Francisco, 1940.
It's Chinese New Year, and in celebration, the city is having a three-night-long "Rice Bowl Party" to raise money for war relief in China.
In the midst of the festivities, Miranda watches as a young Japanese numbers runner named Eddie Takahashi is killed in front of her. Certain that it's a murder rather than accidental, she informs the police, who don't believe her.
She decides to find Eddie's killer on her own, since she is qualified after all! The next day, she's offered a real, paying case: find a missing young woman for her stepmother.
These two cases intersect, and Miranda soon finds herself being followed by sinister men and dark automobiles, one of which runs her down. Stubbornly, and despite being thwarted by the police, the Italian AND Japanese syndicates, and many of those she thought were her friends, she persists in the quest that leads her through much of San Francisco and its Chinatown.
Stanley's novel is a love letter to San Francisco, with rich and well-researched historical descriptions. The book is also an ode to classic noir mysteries, and is a pleasure to read. I was almost happy that it was a busy week and I was forced to read in short bursts, so that the book took longer than usual to finish.
Miranda will be back in another San Francisco mystery, which I await eagerly.
It's Chinese New Year, and in celebration, the city is having a three-night-long "Rice Bowl Party" to raise money for war relief in China.
In the midst of the festivities, Miranda watches as a young Japanese numbers runner named Eddie Takahashi is killed in front of her. Certain that it's a murder rather than accidental, she informs the police, who don't believe her.
She decides to find Eddie's killer on her own, since she is qualified after all! The next day, she's offered a real, paying case: find a missing young woman for her stepmother.
These two cases intersect, and Miranda soon finds herself being followed by sinister men and dark automobiles, one of which runs her down. Stubbornly, and despite being thwarted by the police, the Italian AND Japanese syndicates, and many of those she thought were her friends, she persists in the quest that leads her through much of San Francisco and its Chinatown.
Stanley's novel is a love letter to San Francisco, with rich and well-researched historical descriptions. The book is also an ode to classic noir mysteries, and is a pleasure to read. I was almost happy that it was a busy week and I was forced to read in short bursts, so that the book took longer than usual to finish.
Miranda will be back in another San Francisco mystery, which I await eagerly.
git_r_read's review against another edition
5.0
It took me a bit to get into this mystery. I had an issue with the pacing in the beginning. I don't know if it was the narrator's interpretation or just the way the story started. I had it on trusted authority that it was a good book so I kept going. Glad I trusted as the story did indeed get much better.
The setting is San Francisco in 1940. Chinese New Year is underway and the main character, Miranda Corbie, is investigating the death of a young Japanese numbers runner. Miranda is a private investigator but no one has hired her to find who killed the young man. She just feels compelled to find the answers.
The atmosphere is definitely felt in the way the story is written. Racism, sexism, Miranda faces it all headlong. She has contacts everywhere. She is a former escort, so has her finger on the less-than-savory pulse of the crime-ridden underworld. She is tough, gritty, smokes like a freight train but has a warm gruff heart.
I look forward to the rest of the series and anything else Kelli Stanley writes.
Definite recommend.
The setting is San Francisco in 1940. Chinese New Year is underway and the main character, Miranda Corbie, is investigating the death of a young Japanese numbers runner. Miranda is a private investigator but no one has hired her to find who killed the young man. She just feels compelled to find the answers.
The atmosphere is definitely felt in the way the story is written. Racism, sexism, Miranda faces it all headlong. She has contacts everywhere. She is a former escort, so has her finger on the less-than-savory pulse of the crime-ridden underworld. She is tough, gritty, smokes like a freight train but has a warm gruff heart.
I look forward to the rest of the series and anything else Kelli Stanley writes.
Definite recommend.
megmcardle's review against another edition
4.0
It's always great to get some SF noir in the reading pile, and this title only missed by a little. Miranda Corbie is a female PI in 1940 San Francisco, which in and of itself is a stretch for the imagination. She stumbles on a body in Chinatown during a local celebration which draws her into a complicated investigation involving local gangs of all ethnicities: Chinese, Japanese, and even some Italians for fun. The local color and setting is fantastic, but the author gives mannerisms in place of character development. At one point I wanted to laugh at the number of times she describes Miranda lighting a cigarette or drinking a bourbon: we get it - she's badass. The character's backstory is also interesting, but so much is alluded to rather than explained that perhaps a future series installment will give us more of Miranda. I'd give the author another try, as she's definitely one to watch.
ampersand148d8's review against another edition
A lady Sam Spade set in 1930s San Francisco. Enjoyed the historical references. Author said she even used an old phone book to get the phone exchanges correct. Lots of action -- fish out of water - ahead of her times detective.
gawronma's review against another edition
3.0
I would have given this book four stars but I found the over use of swearing distracting. Despite this one issue, this book is written very much in the vein of Dashell Hammit. The only difference is the main character is a women. It was well done and exciting. The author really brought to life 1940 San Francisco.
mrs_merdle's review against another edition
3.0
I started out really liking this, but about halfway through, the hard-boiled style of the writing got way over-the-top, and ended up being kind of annoying. Also while I liked the main character (strong yet haunted former-escort-turned-private-detective) I was irritated by the many vague hints at earlier events in her life which were rarely fleshed out at all and so irritated rather than illuminated! Very atmospheric picture of San Francisco during WW2. Fairly enjoyable.
cindiorr's review against another edition
5.0
This is an intelligent, gripping read from start to finish. The main character Miranda is layered and sassy, with entertaining quips and revealing flashbacks. The history is incredibly vivid and you feel as though you have been transported back in time to 1930's San Francisco. The musings by the main character are poetic and dark at times, keeping the mystery of the plot tied in. Loved this book for it's beautiful tone and gritty female detective. Can't wait for the sequel.