Bai Jiang

Bai Jiang

Creator: Thatcher Robinson

Characters

Bai Jiang

Lee Li

Dan

Jai

Elizabeth

Jade Kwan

Jason Lum

Uncle Tommy Hu

Inspector Kelly

Bai Jiang (pronounced Bi Chang) is 30, a souxun - tracer of lost people. She is also equal to a Chinese triad princess, once the daughter of a Shan Chu, overlord of the Sun Yee On triad in San Francisco’s Chinatown. When her parents were killed, her uncle became the Shan Chu, and raised her. Bai usually wears a black leather jacket with a black tee, black jeans and black trainers. There is a sheath sewn into the sleeve of the jacket for her knife. On occasion she can be seen in fancy clubs, however. She is tall, agile, and beautiful. Wearing a short cocktail dress that showed off her long legs. A draped bodice left one shoulder bare; a black cashmere scarf was around her neck, and black Ferragamo stilettos completed the ensemble. A knife is sheathed on the inside of her thigh.

Lee Li is Bai’s partner in her office on Grant Street. He also acts as her bodyguard and martial arts instructor. He is tall, lean, and muscular, wears tan slacks and blue cashmere sweater; he’s also gay, tongzhi. He drives a 1965 Cadillac De Vile, red with white upholstery.

Inspector Kelly, the local policeman who often interacts with them is a grizzled, fat, and over fifty with hollowed eyes, a pale round face and veined nose resembling a baby squash. He commits suicide in the second novel.

Uncle Tommy Hu is the head of the Sun Yee On triad in Chinatown. He had moved into that position with the death of Bai’s father.  In fact, he was the only father she had ever known. But she also inherited power and money. She owns the building where the Son Yee On headquarters is, as well as other properties.

Jason Lum is Bai‘s ex husband, and the father of her daughter. Though divorced, they are still close, and he would kill for her. In fact, he is the Hung Kwan, the second in line for Shan Chu, after the Fu Shan Chu. He reached his high rank because he is deadly. Bai doesn’t like the ease with which he often kills.

Elizabeth is Jason’s mother, and Bai’s mother-in-law, and takes care of Bai’s daughter when she’s off on a case.

Jade Kwan is Elizabeth’s sister. She married into the Kwan Industries, which is worth in the neighborhood of thirty billion dollars. She wants Bai to marry her son, Howard, and manage the empire after her death.

Dan is Bai’s 13-year old daughter. She’s well trained in martial arts, but has little social training.

Jai is a 15-year old girl who was sold into slavery in the first story, and was Bai’s assignment to locate. Bai rescued her from a prostitution mob, and brought her to live with her and Dan. The two girls get along well, and are learning from each other.

The series is filled with fast-paced action, and deadly danger, as Bai enters mob and gang territory to rescue a missing person, or solve a mystery. There have been two novels so far from Seventh Street Books:

“White Ginger”

“Black Karma”