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mlafaive's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
archytas's review
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
The setting here - 1930s Shanghai - is wonderfully drawn here, and it made me want to go. Unfortunately, the plotting felt like it was retreading a few too many familiar paths and it started to drag a little. Rowly really needs a short break from being arrested, for starters.
vesper1931's review
3.0
Because of personal reasons Wilfred Sinclair is unable to travel to Shanghai in 1935 and broker a wool deal with the Japanese. So his brother Rowland is sent with the company of his three close friends. But trouble does seem to follow them and a female body is found in their hotel suite. While trying to stay out of prison they decide to investigate with the help of several new friends.
An entertaining enough cozy mystery but not really enough of a mystery, but thankfully less political than some previous stories.
A NetGalley Book
An entertaining enough cozy mystery but not really enough of a mystery, but thankfully less political than some previous stories.
A NetGalley Book
adrianab's review
4.0
This is a historical fiction set in Shanghai in 1935. I love the characters and the plot too, but I need to read all the books from this series.
Thank you Netgalley for this copy.
Thank you Netgalley for this copy.
annarella's review
4.0
I love this series and I liked this installment even if it's not the best in the series.
As usual I was involved and entertained by the cast of characters, the historical setting and the plot.
The mystery was ok, a bit slow at times, but it keep you guessing till the end.
The historical background is interesting and well researched as in the other books.
I look forward to reading other installment in this amazing series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Pantera Press and Netgalley for this ARC
As usual I was involved and entertained by the cast of characters, the historical setting and the plot.
The mystery was ok, a bit slow at times, but it keep you guessing till the end.
The historical background is interesting and well researched as in the other books.
I look forward to reading other installment in this amazing series.
Recommended!
Many thanks to Pantera Press and Netgalley for this ARC
brona's review
4.0
The anticipation I feel as I wait for the next Rowland Sinclair mystery is hard to describe. I love spending time with Rowland Sinclair and his three friends almost as much as I love spending time with my real life friends! It's a real treat to be a part of the humour, loyalty and kindness that they constantly display towards each other.
All the Tears in China picks up where we left off in book 8. Only a few days have gone by and Rowly is still paying for his involvement with Egon Kisch. To get him out of harm's way and to help the family fortune, brother Wilfred decides to send Rowland (and his friends) to Shanghai to broker a wool deal with the Japanese.
Naturally, from the moment they arrive in 1935 Shanghai, the level of danger and intrigue that Rowly seems to always attract only increases.
I love the blend of fact and fiction. Sulari Gentill has a lovely knack of allowing real life figures to rub along with our fictional favourites naturally. She also brings to life the bizarre, curious and precarious world of pre-WWII China.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/02/all-tears-in-china-by-sulari-gentill.html
All the Tears in China picks up where we left off in book 8. Only a few days have gone by and Rowly is still paying for his involvement with Egon Kisch. To get him out of harm's way and to help the family fortune, brother Wilfred decides to send Rowland (and his friends) to Shanghai to broker a wool deal with the Japanese.
Naturally, from the moment they arrive in 1935 Shanghai, the level of danger and intrigue that Rowly seems to always attract only increases.
I love the blend of fact and fiction. Sulari Gentill has a lovely knack of allowing real life figures to rub along with our fictional favourites naturally. She also brings to life the bizarre, curious and precarious world of pre-WWII China.
Full review here - http://bronasbooks.blogspot.com/2019/02/all-tears-in-china-by-sulari-gentill.html
helenh's review
3.0
All the Tears in China, the ninth books in the Rowland Sinclair series by Sulari Gentill, finds our hero and his friends on their way to Shanghai, China. It is 1935. A note for readers -- it is difficult to get into this story without reading the previous books, so be warned. Don’t start here. Bad idea, anyway, as you would be sorry to miss anything.
As readers of the series know, Rowland, Rowly to his friends, has made an enemy of Robert Menzies, the governor-general of Australia. Never a good idea. To keep his brother from being arrested, or worse, Wilfred Sinclair, the patriarch of the family asks him to go to Shanghai and look into the family’s interests over there. “But don’t touch anything,” is pretty much the edict. Wilfred tasks him to nod and smile and act important without saying anything important – and certainly not to commit to anything. Well, readers of these books will also know that’s pretty much impossible for our intrepid hero.
Soon, there’s a murder – a young Russian woman that Rowly has danced with is found murdered in his suite. Chief Inspector Rudolph is not at all amused. Rowly goes to work figuring out whodunnit while trying to keep himself and his friends safe. This he does, eventually, and, since everybody seems to “have it in” for Rowly, the culprit may or may not be a surprise.
The problem I have with the Rowland Sinclair books is that they are becoming formulaic – Rowly is beaten up about every twenty pages – indeed, he gets into a fight on the very first page! I can understand that what’s going on in the world is part and parcel of the plot – the actual mystery is generally secondary – but I could do with a lot less personal violence because there’s no mystery to it, anymore; you can see it coming from a mile away. Also, Rowly gets himself in deep, deep trouble in every book; in one especially gruesome portion of this one, you’ll despair for him, but of course he gets himself out of it, or there wouldn’t be more books, would there? So that’s generating emotions that feel false to me. And then, at the end, someone is got rid of in a way that seems too pat, after causing a lot of hate and consternation (I can’t say more without spoilers).
One can’t fault the characters, however. One hallmark of the series is the sharply defined people that populate the pages, especially the trio that make up Rowly’s friends; Clyde, Milton, the men, and Edna, near and yet so far Edna. Then, of course there are the others that we get to meet, among them Wing Zau, a Chinese valet who soon begins to help Rowly with his inquiries, Voronoff, a Russian who becomes quite enamored of Edna, Victor Sassoon, the rich businessman who owns the hotel and is not too happy when the body is found there. Emily “Mickey” Hahn – goodness, what a character! Then, there are the Chinese gangsters, suspects, red herrings, traitors and spies who populate the pages. You might need a scorecard. An epilog happily gives us further information. Surely Ms. Gentile is a master at creating individuals that will be remembered after the last page is turned.
Finally – war is coming. Rowly knows it. The author knows it. And boy, does the reader know it. Every page pretty much trumpets the fact. What will his place and his friend’s place be when the war he fears finally comes? It will be interesting to see how the author handles this, although she still has some time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy ahead of publication, in exchange for this review.
As readers of the series know, Rowland, Rowly to his friends, has made an enemy of Robert Menzies, the governor-general of Australia. Never a good idea. To keep his brother from being arrested, or worse, Wilfred Sinclair, the patriarch of the family asks him to go to Shanghai and look into the family’s interests over there. “But don’t touch anything,” is pretty much the edict. Wilfred tasks him to nod and smile and act important without saying anything important – and certainly not to commit to anything. Well, readers of these books will also know that’s pretty much impossible for our intrepid hero.
Soon, there’s a murder – a young Russian woman that Rowly has danced with is found murdered in his suite. Chief Inspector Rudolph is not at all amused. Rowly goes to work figuring out whodunnit while trying to keep himself and his friends safe. This he does, eventually, and, since everybody seems to “have it in” for Rowly, the culprit may or may not be a surprise.
The problem I have with the Rowland Sinclair books is that they are becoming formulaic – Rowly is beaten up about every twenty pages – indeed, he gets into a fight on the very first page! I can understand that what’s going on in the world is part and parcel of the plot – the actual mystery is generally secondary – but I could do with a lot less personal violence because there’s no mystery to it, anymore; you can see it coming from a mile away. Also, Rowly gets himself in deep, deep trouble in every book; in one especially gruesome portion of this one, you’ll despair for him, but of course he gets himself out of it, or there wouldn’t be more books, would there? So that’s generating emotions that feel false to me. And then, at the end, someone is got rid of in a way that seems too pat, after causing a lot of hate and consternation (I can’t say more without spoilers).
One can’t fault the characters, however. One hallmark of the series is the sharply defined people that populate the pages, especially the trio that make up Rowly’s friends; Clyde, Milton, the men, and Edna, near and yet so far Edna. Then, of course there are the others that we get to meet, among them Wing Zau, a Chinese valet who soon begins to help Rowly with his inquiries, Voronoff, a Russian who becomes quite enamored of Edna, Victor Sassoon, the rich businessman who owns the hotel and is not too happy when the body is found there. Emily “Mickey” Hahn – goodness, what a character! Then, there are the Chinese gangsters, suspects, red herrings, traitors and spies who populate the pages. You might need a scorecard. An epilog happily gives us further information. Surely Ms. Gentile is a master at creating individuals that will be remembered after the last page is turned.
Finally – war is coming. Rowly knows it. The author knows it. And boy, does the reader know it. Every page pretty much trumpets the fact. What will his place and his friend’s place be when the war he fears finally comes? It will be interesting to see how the author handles this, although she still has some time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a copy ahead of publication, in exchange for this review.
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