White Ginger

Robinson’s uneven first novel introduces Bai Jiang, a souxun (or people finder) in San Francisco’s Chinatown. When 15-year-old Yu Ma comes to Bai and begs her to find her missing friend Jia Yan (who is also 15), Bai takes on the case. Her search for Jia leads her out of her neighborhood, with its gangs, killers, and sex traffickers, to Vancouver, Canada. While Bai is equally adept at inserting herself into risky situations as she is finding people, the reader has no sense that Bai could ever fail. Bai’s emotional dilemma over the conflict between her Buddhism and use of violence comes across as far-fetched as she chooses force at almost every juncture. In addition, her penchant for going after the villains before thinking things through wears the plot thin in places, while her philosophic insights can come across as sophomoric in the face of the despicable crimes she confronts. Agent: Kimberley Cameron, Kimberley Cameron & Associates. (Oct.)