Review of China Girl

Hannah Hampton · Post by **Hannah Hampton** » 03 Mar 2023, 14:19

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "China Girl" by Douglas Owen.]

3 out of 5 stars

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China Girl by Douglas Owen is a fast-paced thriller about sex trafficking. A suspicious number of young girls around Canada have been going missing, and the police suspect their abductions may be linked. Additionally, illegal devices referred to as “China Girls” have reportedly been circulated, causing officers even more concern. As the investigation thickens, the force must carefully strategize its course of action to protect as many citizens as possible and put an end to the abductions for good.

When Officer Roberts is called to a crime scene, he has no idea how intricate the perpetrator’s scheme is. After noting a few drops of blood and a snapped-off stiletto heel, he does not have much evidence to draw conclusions from. Upon returning to the precinct, he meets Interpol Officer Mie Ling, a force to be reckoned with. Roberts’ captain assigns her to him as a partner, and they must overcome their differences to solve the case once and for all.

Readers should be advised that this novel contains graphic depictions of sexual assault, pedophilia, necrophilia, and extreme violence.

My favorite part of this book was the relationships Officer Roberts works hard to rebuild with his family. His wife and daughter mean the world to him, and Owen does a fantastic job of writing Roberts’ character as a complex man whose ultimate goal is to protect his loved ones. This adds an engaging and intriguing twist to his motivations and kept me turning the pages. I also really enjoyed reading about Mie’s character development. She is by far my favorite character, and Owen does a great job depicting an emotionally complicated and lovable character.

Something that I think could be improved is the way that characters react to their extremely traumatic situations. Often, characters will experience something violent or otherwise exceedingly disturbing, and they will recover emotionally nearly instantaneously. For example, a teenage character is abducted, abused, and held hostage, but shows no sign of being emotionally impacted at all a couple of days after she is recovered. She describes the event in a strangely nonchalant way, and she even begins spending time with friends and acting normally much sooner than I found to be realistic. Additionally, I found several grammatical issues that could be resolved with another round or two of editing.

For the above reasons, I rate China Girl a 3 out of 5 stars. This gritty thriller is perfect for crime junkies, or readers who appreciate a high-stakes mission.

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China Girl
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