{"title":"Books by Ovidia Yu","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"9781408716984","title":"The Yellow Rambutan Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life' CATRIONA MCPHERSON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e 'Charming' RHYS BOWEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe next title in the Mystery Tree series, exploring Singapore after the Japanese retreat and in the aftermath of WWII.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003ci\u003e' \u003c\/i\u003eRhys Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' \u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me' Kara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43128720720050,"sku":"9781408716984","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781408716984.jpg?v=1786019797"},{"product_id":"9781408717004","title":"The Angsana Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSouth     China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought     richly to life'\u003c\/b\u003e CATRIONA MCPHERSON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     'Charming' \u003c\/b\u003eRHYS BOWEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe next book in the Mystery Tree series, exploring Singapore after     the Japanese retreat and in the aftermath of WWII.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSingapore 1949\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen all the angsana trees on the island bloom at the same time it's a glorious fragrant display that lasts only one day... and the next morning Su Lin comes across an old friend laughing hysterically while holding her dead lover on the thick carpet of yellow flowers by the quarry pool that was their childhood haunt. She instantly realises her friend could not be the killer as she could not have sliced so cleanly through the man's throat with no weapon in sight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs she tries to help her friend, Su Lin has to figure out where her own loyalties lie. Angsana blossoms aren't the only things disappearing overnight in post-war Singapore as the newly returned British-increasingly on edge because of anti-colonial uprisings in nearby Indonesia-rush to change laws and revoke permits and positions.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut more pressingly, Su Lin has to prove her friend's innocence and stop a calculating killer from murdering again...\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her     admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most     beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e Catriona     McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's     teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture     and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003ci\u003e' \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRhys     Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the     most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's     Must Read list' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand     Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against     a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the     mystery lover in me' \u003c\/b\u003eKara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner     to Singapore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44581246697650,"sku":"9781408717004","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781408717004_136ce73b-d3f4-4528-9554-81ac5bfe89a7.jpg?v=1786019798"},{"product_id":"9781408717028","title":"The Rose Apple Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'The sharpest exercise in decolonising fiction in Singapore's literary landscape. It is also, simply, really fun to read!'  \u003c\/b\u003e- Ong Sor Fern\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Til death do us part...\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSingapore, 1947. Newlyweds Su Lin and Le Froy are in the Cameron Highlands, an idyllic pocket of countryside on the tropical Malay Peninsula. But this is no honeymoon ... Le Froy is on a protection assignment for powerful businessman Max Moreno and his wife Elfrieda, whose associates have been brutally murdered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the hideaway cannot protect the Morenos from vicious threats and ghostly sightings, and when Elfrieda vanishes with a stash of precious emeralds, Su Lin and Le Froy fear the worst. The only clue to Elfrieda's disappearance is rotting fruit from a rose apple tree, piled outside her lodge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen monsoon floods make escape from the Highlands impossible, Su Lin is determined to find Elfrieda with time to spare to get to know her new husband. But when Max's body is discovered surrounded by rose apples, passion turns to policing: Su Lin and Le Froy must work together try to prevent further deaths, including their own.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e- The Scotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e' \u003c\/b\u003e- \u003c\/i\u003eRhys Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003c\/b\u003e-\u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me' \u003c\/b\u003e- Kara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55205898125685,"sku":"9781408717028","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781408717028.jpg?v=1786019800"},{"product_id":"9781472125248","title":"The Paper Bark Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e*SHORTLISTED FOR THE CWA SAPERE BOOKS HISTORICAL DAGGER\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003e*\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life'\u003c\/b\u003e CATRIONA MCPHERSON \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Charming' \u003c\/b\u003eRHYS BOWEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSu Lin is doing her dream job: assistant at Singapore's brand new detective agency. Until Bald Bernie decides a 'local girl' can't be trusted with private investigations, and replaces her with a new secretary - pretty, privileged, and white. So Su Lin's not the only person finding it hard to mourn Bernie after he's found dead in the filing room. And when her best friend's dad is accused, she gets up to some sleuthing work of her own in a bid to clear his name. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSu Lin finds out that Bernie may have been working undercover, trading stolen diamonds for explosives from enemy troops. Was he really the upright English citizen he claimed to be? \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMeanwhile, a famous assassin commits his worst crime yet, and disappears into thin air. Rumours spread that he may be dangerously close to home.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBeneath the stifling, cloudless Singaporean summer, earthquakes of chaos and political unrest are breaking out. When a tragic loss shakes Su Lin's personal world to its core, she becomes determined to find the truth. But in dark, hate-filled times, truth has a price - and Su Lin must decide how much she's willing to pay for it.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eHer slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003ci\u003e' \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRhys Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56300101206389,"sku":"9781472125248","price":9.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472125248_3919ae75-4710-4d57-b14d-64a456304518.jpg?v=1786020505"},{"product_id":"9781472125224","title":"The Betel Nut Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e'\u003cb\u003eGreat protagonist, great setting - this is a delightful book\u003c\/b\u003e' \u003ci\u003eMorning Star \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe second novel in Ovidia Yu's delightfully charming crime series set in 1930s Singapore, featuring amateur sleuth Su Lin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWhat we came to think of as the betel nut affair began in the middle of a tropical thunderstorm in December 1937 . . . \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSingapore is agog with the news of King Edward VIII's abdication to marry American heiress Wallis Simpson. Chen Su Lin, now Chief Inspector Le Froy's secretarial assistant in Singapore's newly formed detective unit, still dreams of becoming a journalist and hopes to cover the story when the Hon Victor Glossop announces he is marrying an American widow of his own, Mrs Nicole Covington, in the Colony. But things go horribly wrong when Victor Glossop is found dead, his body covered in bizarre symbols and soaked in betel nut juice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe beautiful, highly-strung Nicole claims it's her fault he's dead . . . just like the others. And when investigations into her past reveal a dead lover, as well as a husband, the case against her appears to be stacking up. Begrudgingly on Le Froy's part, Su Lin agrees to chaperon Nicole at the Farquhar Hotel, intending to get the truth out of her somehow. But as she uncovers secrets and further deaths occur, Su Lin realises she may not be able to save Nicole's life - or even her own.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. This book is exactly why I love historical novels'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eRhys Bowen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'I really enjoyed this wonderful gem of a book. The diversity and rich history portrayed in the book are what make The Frangipani Tree Mystery\u003c\/i\u003e\u003ci\u003e a brilliant read. The fact that it's a fusion of crime and historical fiction adds brownie points to the package!'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBookloves Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56300490359157,"sku":"9781472125224","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472125224_cbed05b5-3572-4c32-99a7-cb16eefa31d0.jpg?v=1786020504"},{"product_id":"9781472132024","title":"The Mimosa Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLONGLISTED FOR THE CWA HISTORICAL DAGGER\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life'\u003c\/b\u003e CATRIONA MCPHERSON \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Charming' \u003c\/b\u003eRHYS BOWEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMirza, a secretive neighbour of the Chens in Japanese Occupied Singapore, is a known collaborator and blackmailer. So when he is murdered in his garden, clutching a branch of mimosa, the suspects include local acquaintances, Japanese officials -- and his own daughters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSu Lin's Uncle Chen is among those rounded up by the Japanese as reprisal. Hideki Tagawa, a former spy expelled by police officer Le Froy and a power in the new regime, offers Su Lin her uncle's life in exchange for using her fluency in languages and knowledge of locals to find the real killer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSu Lin soon discovers Hideki has an ulterior motive. Friends, enemies and even the victim are not what they seem. There is more at stake here than one man's life. Su Lin must find out who killed Mirza and why, before Le Froy and other former colleagues detained or working with the resistance suffer the consequences of Mirza's last secret.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cb\u003eHer slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e'\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003ci\u003e' \u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eRhys Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56300995281269,"sku":"9781472132024","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472132024_f10d4228-2374-4496-8347-3998ae528ae0.jpg?v=1786020679"},{"product_id":"9781472132055","title":"The Mushroom Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors'\u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life' CATRIONA MCPHERSON\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Charming' RHYS BOWEN\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' \u003ci\u003eSCOTSMAN\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Allies have defeated Germany in Europe, but Japan refuses to surrender the East.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn Singapore, amid rumours the Japanese occupiers are preparing to wipe out the population of the island rather than surrender, a young aide is found murdered beneath the termite mushroom tree in Hideki Tagawa's garden and his plans for a massive poison gas bomb are missing.  To prevent any more destruction it falls to Su Lin to track down the real killer with the help of Hideki Tagawa's old nemesis, the charismatic shinto priest Yoshio Yoshimo.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Mushroom Tree Mystery\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Beautifully written. . . effortless storytelling and sensitive character development make this a must-read novel for 2022' \u003ci\u003eThe Courier \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003e Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'\u003c\/i\u003eCharming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels\u003ci\u003e' \u003c\/i\u003eRhys Bowen\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' \u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' \u003ci\u003eSCMP\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me' Kara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301084737909,"sku":"9781472132055","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472132055_1ffd602d-cdb6-486d-bbf4-d19ba97db91e.jpg?v=1786020681"},{"product_id":"9781472125200","title":"The Frangipani Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFirst in a delightfully charming  crime series set in 1930s Singapore, introducing amateur sleuth Su Lin, a local girl stepping in as governess for the Acting Governor of Singapore.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1936 in the Crown Colony of Singapore, and the British abdication crisis and rising Japanese threat seem very far away. When the Irish nanny looking after Acting Governor Palin's daughter dies suddenly - and in mysterious circumstances - mission school-educated local girl Su Lin - an aspiring journalist trying to escape an arranged marriage - is invited to take her place. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut then another murder at the residence occurs and it seems very likely that a killer is stalking the corridors of Government House.  It now  takes all Su Lin's traditional skills and intelligence to help British-born Chief Inspector Thomas LeFroy solve the murders - and escape with her own life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'S\u003ci\u003eimply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life, without ever getting in the way of a classic puzzle plot. But what's a setting without a jewel? Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while.'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eCatriona McPherson\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels.'\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eRhys Bowen\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56301086638453,"sku":"9781472125200","price":10.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472125200_69869388-5c33-4c34-b95c-8c4cbe8a6a00.jpg?v=1786020503"},{"product_id":"9781472132031","title":"The Cannonball Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors' South China Morning Post'Simply glorious. Every nook and cranny of 1930s Singapore is brought richly to life' CATRIONA MCPHERSON'Charming' RHYS BOWEN'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' SCOTSMAN\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHas Su Lin summoned a tree demon who is now killing on her behalf?The overpoweringly fragrant flowers, snakelike vines and deadly fruit of the cannonball tree are enough to keep most people away.  But when a piece of expensive photographic equipment is found nearby, on closer inspection Su Lin discovers the body of Mimi, her horrible relative who has been trying to blackmail her.   Su Lin is not the only one to realise how much easier this death makes things for her in the new normal of life in Syonan (Japanese Occupied Singapore). And then more fortuitious deaths follow.  But is someone really killing people on her account?  As Su Lin contends with the fear and rancour of those around her, the resentment of former friends and a whistling demon, can she hope not only to survive but untangle the cannonball tree's secrets to prevent further deaths... and possibly turn the tide of the war?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePraise for Ovidia Yu:'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while' Catriona McPherson'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels' Rhys Bowen'A wonderful detective novel . . . a book that introduces one of the most likeable heroines in modern literature and should be on everyone's Must Read list' Scotsman'Unassuming, brilliantly observant' SCMP'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore. The story and Chen Su Lin's initiative and tenacity, set against a backdrop of wartime Singapore, intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me'  Kara Owens CMG CVO, British High Commissioner to Singapore\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56312429805941,"sku":"9781472132031","price":8.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9781472132031_d14b37f0-763c-4277-81b0-a81548812f89.jpg?v=1786020680"},{"product_id":"9780349000671","title":"The Tembusu Tree Mystery","description":"\u003cp\u003e'A wonderful series . . . Ovidia Yu skilfully creates the Singapore of pre- and post-World War II, and Su Lin is the best part - a smart, logical heroine who perseveres despite obstacles and solves mysteries' - reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe tenth instalment of Ovidia Yu's beloved series of Singapore-set historical mysteries featuring tenacious amateur sleuth Su Lin.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt's 1947 in Singapore, and Su Lin is rolling out the red carpet for a new chapter in her life. Now happily settled in her marriage to Chief Inspector Le Froy, and having stepped away from her formidable grandmother Ah Ma's thriving business, she is the proud manager of the new Imperial Cinema.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the grand opening isn't going as planned . . . the cinema has an unhappy history as a site for Japanese propaganda during the Occupation, and there are protesters who would rather see it demolished, than refurbished. The cinema's financier John Wong is acting \u003ci\u003every \u003c\/i\u003estrangely, local businesswoman Madam Leong is issuing outrageous demands, and Tony Khoo, the young, fun and handsome son of the VIP guests, has gone missing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWhen a body is found draped on a tyre swing and it looks like the death is connected to the redevelopment, Su Lin switches her attention from movies, to murder. And when her beloved Ah Ma's health begins to fail, she throws herself into the distracting business of crime solving, despite Le Froy's protestations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut the more she uncovers, the greater her fear grows, that her cinema project has been hiding some seriously criminal activity. Faced with the abrupt ending of her new career, and the heartbreaking ending of her grandmother's life, Su Lin can only do what she does best . . . ask questions, find answers, and get justice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut can she do so, before it's all too late?\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eReaders and reviewers love the Su Lin series!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'What can I say? While eviscerating English and Japanese colonialism, she has fun with Chinese culture and has created a handful of unforgettable characters . . . A joy!' - reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I adore Ovidia Yu. Such an amazing sense of place, and a fascinating period in history brought alive with a great cast of characters' - reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'A classic in the making' - reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'I feel like I personally know and definitely love these characters. Throughout these books my love of Singapore grows with joy' - reader review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of Singapore's finest living authors' - \u003ci\u003eSouth China Morning Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'One of the most likeable heroines in modern literature' - \u003ci\u003eThe\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eScotsman\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Ovidia Yu's writing helped me peel back the layers to understand Singapore . . . and intrigued both the historian and the mystery lover in me' - Kara Owens CMG CVO, former British High Commissioner to Singapore\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'The sharpest exercise in decolonising fiction in Singapore's literary landscape. It is also, simply, really fun to read!' - Ong Sor Fern\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Chen Su Lin is a true gem. Her slyly witty voice and her admirable, sometimes heartbreaking, practicality make her the most beguiling narrator heroine I've met in a long while' - Catriona McPherson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e'Charming and fascinating with great authentic feel. Ovidia Yu's teenage Chinese sleuth gives us an insight into a very different culture and time. This book is exactly why I love historical novels' - Rhys Bowen\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gardners","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56367971205493,"sku":"9780349000671","price":12.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0612\/7193\/3106\/files\/9780349000671_e0c901cb-063d-4f56-9969-44e36f6593c6.jpg?v=1786013942"}],"url":"https:\/\/backstory.london\/collections\/author-ovidia-yu.oembed","provider":"Backstory","version":"1.0","type":"link"}