‘Bursting with personality’ Xiran Jay Zhao

Half vampire. Half fox-spirit. All trouble.

Half vampire, half fox-spirit, and all trouble, Lady Jing has never belonged anywhere. As the King of Hell’s ward, she has spent the past ninety years dodging taunts from vicious courtiers and trying – and failing – to control her temper.

So when she overhears the courtiers plotting to steal a priceless pearl, she seizes her chance to expose them.

With the help of gentle mortal Tony Lee, Jing embarks on a chase for intel, through Hell and into jazz-age Shanghai. But when her hijinks put Tony in danger, she must decide which is more important: avenging her loss of face, or a chance for tenderness – and maybe even love . . .

This richly told adult fantasy debut teems with Chinese deities and demons cavorting in jazz age Shanghai.