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Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “The Red Lotus” by Chris Bohjalian, March 17, 2020
Chris Bohjalian, author of “The Red Lotus” has written an intense, edgy, captivating, and enthralling novel just perfect for our times. The Genres for this story are Mystery, Suspense, Global Thriller, Psychological Thriller, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. Some of the places that this story takes place are in laboratories, and an emergency room in a hospital in the United States, and travel to Vietnam. The author describes his dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. There are twists and turns, secrets, lies, threats, danger, and murder.
Alexis is a 33-year-old Emergency Room Doctor, who has seen life at its best and worse. She never would imagine meeting her boyfriend as a patient in the emergency room one evening, after he had been shot in the arm. Within the next 6 months, they travel to Vietnam, where Austin is on a bike tour.
Alexis doesn’t have the strength to negotiate the land the way Austin does, so he goes on by himself, and tells her that he wants to visit the places in Vietnam where his father and uncle were. As Alexis waits behind with other people, it gets later, and she gets worried.
The tour company goes with Alexis to the places Austin was. The only things that they find are packets of energy gel that he would use if he needed it. The Police and FBI become involved.
When Alexis returns home, she becomes obsessed with finding what happened to Austin, at any cost. As Alexis searches for clues to what had happened in Vietnam, she finds she is headed for more danger. So much more is involved than meets the eye.
I love Chris Bohjalian’s vivid descriptions of the characters, events and landscape, and his amazing storytelling. I would highly recommend this chilling and thrilling novel.
Linda's Book Obsession: 