Ball (Empires of Sand) explores the dark side of American adoption of Chinese babies in his compulsively readable thriller. When Allison Turk, who has traveled to Jiangsu province with her stepson, Tyler, to adopt the infant Wen Li, is told that she has been given the wrong baby, she decides to make a run for it rather than give up her beautiful daughter. Single mother Ruth Pollard along with Claire Cameron and Claire's husband, Nash, also choose to flee with their babies. Hoping to reach an American consulate, they become increasingly tangled in the Chinese heartland, as they trek across the country pursued by the forces of a bureaucratic government. The case attracts international attention, and Ruth's cousin, an American senator, begins to questions China's most favored nation status. A score of unforgettable characters provide portraits of both bravery and treachery: the selfless guide, Yu Ling, and her peasant family; the military men, led by implacable Colonel Quan and his subordinate Ma Lin, who finally ignores direct commands; and greedy peasants, petty thieves and murderers. Much of the novel's strength derives from the author's remarkable evocation of Chinese language and Chinese landscape, whether it's in mud and monsoon or a beautiful monastery with beatific monks. Before the last breathless page, readers will encounter panic, killings, a ship collision and a devastating revelation of the truth behind the government's action. Though the subject matter is delicate, this sweeping odyssey of action and sentiment set in exotic and gritty locales cries out for filming. Literary Guild, Mystery Guild and BOMC alternates.(Aug. 4)
