About the Book
Wun Wah Tower, Kwun Tong district, Hong Kong. When Siu-Man jumped from her window on the twenty-second floor, everyone assumed it was suicide. But Sui-Man’s sister, Nga-Yee, a quiet and unassuming librarian, is determined to prove it was murder. The police aren’t interested in re-opening a solved case so she contacts a man known only as N – a hacker, and an expert in cybersecurity and manipulating human behaviour.
What follows is a cat-and-mouse game through the vibrant city of Hong Kong. The pair’s investigation takes them from creepy commuter-train gropers to Siu-Man’s gossipy friends to the dark corners of the city’s digital underground – where online bullies, sexual predators and shady tech businesses stalk their prey…
Format: ebook (528 pages) Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: 18th February 2020 Genre: Crime, Thriller, Literature in Translation
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My Review
Second Sister is an incredibly clever high-tech thriller set in Hong Kong. If you are at all concerned about the invasiveness of technology, its potential for misuse or worry we are becoming a surveillence society then you may be alarmed at the extent to which the enigmatic N – part detective, part hacker – is able to insinuate himself into the lives of others. And bear in mind, the book was written in 2020 so technology has progressed (if that is the right word) since then. It may well make you want to move off-grid, grow your own food, communicate only by letter and adopt a disguise whenever you go out in public. Some of the tech stuff I’ll admit went over my head but I wasn’t alone there as Nga-Yee struggles with it too, much to N’s impatience. By the way, kudos to Jeremy Tiang for being able to translate all the tech stuff from Cantonese into something understandable by English-speaking readers.
The book definitely immerses the reader in the fast-paced environment of Hong Kong with its high-rise apartments, shopping malls, karaoke bars and noodle shops. For the more affluent Hongkongers it’s all about having the latest phone, looking the part and achieving your career aspirations. I think it would definitely be an advantage to have an idea of the geography of Hong Kong as the plot takes the reader to many different districts of the region, many of which have their own distinct economic and social characteristics.
The book exposes some of the darker features of modern day society including sexual harassment, online bullying and teenage suicide. It also explores the desire for revenge and whether this can ever be justified or even bring happiness if finally exacted.
My main criticism of the book is it’s about 150 pages too long and, at times, it does get bogged down in the technology stuff. Having said that, the increasingly frequent twists and reveals make it difficult to stop reading. It is incredibly well-plotted with the two main storylines coming together very cleverly in the final chapters.
I received a digital review copy courtesy of Head of Zeus via NetGalley.
In three words: Complex, ingenious, immersive
Try something similar: No Place To Hide by J. S. Monroe
About the Author
Chan Ho-Kei was born and raised in Hong Kong. He has won the Mystery Writers of Taiwan Award for his short stories, and In 2011 he won the Soji Shimada, the biggest mystery award in the Chinese world. He lives in Taiwan. (Photo: Goodreads author page)
Connect with Chan Ho-Kei
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