Reviewed By Michelle Stanley for Readers’ Favorite

The dragon head of Pearl River Triad, Huang Long Wei, makes his dying request. He wants Inspector Kwong kidnapped and publicly embarrassed. The Inspector has arrested many of the Triad’s members in his fight against crime. Tam, the new dragon head, accomplishes this feat with the help of Woo, his second in command. They strip and abuse the Inspector, taking a photo of him to send to the press. This photo is seen on Facebook and Tam realizes his plan has backfired, as other Triad members have personal motives for the kidnapping. Kwong’s assistant, Matson, and his colleagues apply pressure on the Triad, and Matson puts his love life on hold.

The River by Vic Warren is the second book in the Inspector Kwong Mysteries and is an enjoyable read. The story is well written and filled with humour, a nice touch of romance, murder, and a tempting selection of Chinese dishes. Although the story is quite a short one, Vic Warren penned a clever plot with interesting characters that made The River more entertaining for me. It is an original, light-hearted mystery that can be easily read in one sitting. Vic Warren took time to create his characters and setting so I was given a tour and information on Hong Kong and China. I was also impressed with the way the author incorporated the Asian traditional customs into the story. The book cover is also nicely done and complements the story.