Rumors From Shanghai
By Amy Sommers
Tolt Gross is happy to join his friends in Shanghai when he disembarks the cruise boat from Seattle. He's arrived with his friend and business partner, and they have plans for a new business venture. Shanghai in the early years of World War II was a vibrant city filled with a diverse population enjoying all the benefits of living in a city of opportunities. Rumors From Shanghai brings historical fiction to life within readers' imagination, and it's a unique perspective on the time period at the beginning of World War II. Soon Tolt comes across secret information about a war plan, devastating for people in Pearl Harbor. Can Tolt find someone in authority to alert? If he does would he, a black business man living in Shanghai be believed? How much must he sacrifice in his own life, within his relationships with friends and family, in order to make his case, in the hopes of successfully expressing warnings to save lives?
Not only is Tolt enjoying time with his friends and the challenges of his business responsibilities, he's romantically drawn to the vivacious and charming Diana. Life is good for Tolt. By day he flexes his business skills and discovers his talents in those endeavors. By night he's enjoying the social activities all around Shanghai. When he's confronted with the shocking secret plans to attack Pearl Harbor, he must distinguish between rumor and credibility, then he must decide if he will act.
Author Amy Sommers has done incredible research on the history of both Shanghai and Seattle. Through the book, the author skillfully weaves threads of historical context of both cities and creates compelling contrasts and parallels between the two. Characters live within your heart as the events of war creep into lives around the world and threaten them in different ways as society changes. Those characters who harbor devious motives are credible and thought provoking, challenging the reader too. Although you're reading historical fiction, the action is written so effectively that the reader actively engages in the race to stop an attack on Pearl Harbor.
Author Amy Sommers is a lifelong history fan, with a strong interest in Chinese culture, language, history and people. As a fluent Mandarin-speaking China-focused lawyer, in 2004 she moved to Shanghai with her husband and two young sons. Living and working in Shanghai during a period of intense legal, economic, and social change, she became intrigued by the city's pre-World War II incarnation, one that served as both a mecca and a refuge for people from all over the world to reinvent themselves. Rumors From Shanghai is her debut novel. Check out the the website amysommers.net for more information about the author. Hear more from the author herself on the YouTube podcast A Novel Talk with Amy Sommers.
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