Customer Reviews

The Chinese Alchemist (Archaeological Mysteries, No. 11)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Lara McClintoch is an antiques dealer who faces down an Asian gang called the Golden Lotus that is terrorizing a Canadian city's Chinatown. It seems Lara's significant other, Rob Luczka, a sergeant in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has angered the gang and they may be targeting Lara because of her relationship with Rob.

Lara travels to New York and attempts, on behalf of her friend, Dory Matthews, to bid on a rare Tang Dynasty silver box--a box that has added value because the lid is etched with a formula for immortality. It is also a box very similar to one Dory already has.

The box is mysteriously withdrawn from the New York auction and ten days later, Dory is dead. It is learned that the box will be auctioned in Beijing and Lara travels to China (per a request in Dory's will) to bid on the box. Her rival, Burton Haldimand, turns up dead and the race is on. Lara must find the box or she might join Haldimand in death.

The Chinese Alchemist by Lyn Hamilton is the first of her novels that I've read. It's a fun, fast and easy read. Lara McClintoch is interesting, the plot takes some wonderful twists and turns and the Chinese connection is fascinating.

Armchair Interviews says: The Chinese Alchemist is recommended. You might want to check out Lyn Hamilton's other titles.

Lyn Hamilton has graced readers with a series of stories featuring antiques dealer Lara McClintoch that take place in beguiling locales. The Chinese Alchemist is no exception. Lara's pursuit of a rare Chinese box takes her into the cities and byways of that exotic country whose elusive culture is only recently becoming known to Westerners. As always, the stakes go higher as intrepid Lara finds herself in a fight for survival.

Eleanor Sullivan, author of Assumed Dead.

Hamilton just gets better and better at bringing together an ancient mystery with a current day missing artifact.

There is also fascinating information on how art auctions work and how the Chinese are trying to prevent their heritage from being sold to foreign collectors.

However, this is not Hamilton's best book as it reads as if it was a longer and denser book and then was edited down, leaving some character development missing and some of the action confusing.

And, add in one too many coincidence.

One of the best of the Archaeological Mystery series. Unfortunate for all of us readers, Lyn Hamilton the author of this series has passed away. There will be no more books in this series. Lara McClintoch has promised a very good friend that she will go to New York to bid on/buy a small silver enscribed box from China. At the last minute in NY, the box is withdrawn from auction. Then it appears at an auction in China, so Lara heads for the orient and a great mysterious adventure as well. Very informational and fun book.

A fun read following the heroine around China. A fast moving plot and interesting characters. My first book by Ms. Hamilton, but not my last.

This was the first Lyn Hamilton book I have read, and I found it to be interesting and a quick read. I enjoyed the scenes and action taking place in China, but I thought the book could have been more detailed about China and the sites there. It was interesting to read how the Chinese are trying to retain their artifacts.

This mystery series takes readers on trips to famous ancient sites while the protagonist tries to fulfill purchase orders for her upmarket antique store in Toronto. The latest one involves spending time with protagonist in ancient Chinese sites. The sense of place is wonderful but I could have used even more description of the sites as I have never been to China.