Hangman's Point; A Novel [Hardcover]

Dean Barrett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1998

Set in Hong Kong in 1857, Hangman's Point takes place during one of the most exciting periods in the colony's often dramatic history. Its main character, Andrew Adams, is a ne'er-do-well American ex-seaman who manages a tavern called the Bee Hive in the racous Chinese section of the colony. He lives above a Chinese medicine shop with his American barmaid girlfriend. On the side, he is involved with various underground societies (Triads), clandestine gambling and the smuggling of weapons into China. Adams is framed for murder by a beautiful Englishwoman and, while on trial, will be forced to plan a prison escape. Many events in the novel are based on historical incidents such as the Chinese slave trade, an arsenic poisoning and the massacre of foreigners on board the postal steamer, Thistle. The novel also provides glimpses of "foreign devils" through the eyes of the Chinese.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

If Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey and Maturin ever got as far as Hong Kong in 1857 on their world travels, the aged sea dogs would feel right at home in China expert Dean Barrett's totally convincing novel of high adventure. Like O'Brian, Barrett mixes in just the right amount of arcane details on everything from ship handling to social customs, creating an accessible world despite the distances of time and miles.

Andrew Adams, who centers the story, is an interesting rogue with a social conscience. He's an American seaman, smuggler, and gambler who has settled down to running a buzzing bar called the Bee Hive Tavern in the Chinese section of Hong Kong--a long way in every respect from "the Peak," where the wealthy and powerful Europeans who control the island's destiny live. These people aren't above using Adams to do their dirty work, blackmailing him into tracking down pirates who have beheaded 11 foreign visitors. Barrett also uses several Chinese characters to give readers other points of view on a city that seems able to take on all the worst characteristics of those who exploit it.

As Adams and his cohorts chase pirates of various stripes and uncover a plot by Chinese bakers to poison all the Europeans, you'll find out things you never knew you could be interested in--such as why calling someone a turtle's egg was a serious insult and how the invention of the cage crinoline changed sexual habits. Like O'Brain, Barrett knows that the best way to impart information is to disguise it as fun. --Dick Adler

From Booklist

Setting is more than a backdrop in this fast-paced adventure story of mid-nineteenth-century British colonial Hong Kong. Characters, plot, and numerous subplots reflect the clash of cultures and class--both within and between the Chinese and foreign communities. A riveting, action-packed narrative tracks the adventures and misadventures of central character Andrew Adams, a bar manager, gambler, weapons smuggler, and American with friends and enemies in both the European and Chinese communities. In a period of just a few days following New Year's Eve, 1857, Adams finds himself investigating the beheading of Europeans on a mail steamer from Canton, doing battle with coolie slave traders accused of murdering an English tea merchant, and eventually defending Hong Kong against attack by pirates. Chinese scholar, linguist, and author of two previous books, Barrett draws on his vast knowledge of southern China during a time of enormous change and conflict, providing richly fascinating detail of the customs, fashions, ships, and weapons of the times. Grace Fill

Product Details

• Hardcover: 538 pages
• Publisher: Village East Books; 1st edition (September 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966189914
• ISBN-13: 978-0966189919
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,252,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dean Barrett first came to Asia as a Chinese linguist with the American Army Security Agency specializing in Intelligence Operations. He later did graduate work in Asian Studies at San Francisco State College and received his M.A. from the University of Hawaii.

Originally from Groton, Connecticut, Dean was a playwright in New York City for 14 years and a librettist/lyricist at BMI and a member of Dramatist Guild. Almost all of his books - fiction and nonfiction - are set in Asia or have a close connection with China or Thailand.

His detective series set in Bangkok includes Skytrain to Murder and Permanent Damage. His erotic novel set in China - A Love Story: The China Memoirs of Thomas Rowley - is available on Kindle.

His websites are: www.deanbarrettmystery.com and www.deanbarrettthailand.com.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=548784102

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Historical Entertainment, January 10, 2001

By 

A. Ross (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hangman's Point; A Novel (Hardcover)

This monster of a historical adventure takes 1857 Hong Kong as its venue, and places an American tavern-manager/adventurer at the center. Like George Fraser's rogue Flashman (from the series of the same name and set roughly the same era), Andrew Adams is prone to making unwise decisions, and usually has several women on the side. The story is a complicated one, involving a nefarious plot by an English pirate lord to try and take the port of Hong Kong while the bulk of the British force is away shelling Canton, and an unrelated, but simultaneous plot to poison the entire foreign population. There are load and loads of characters, from all classes and parts of society, and Barrett succeeds in making each indelible. The books flags at times, but Barrett is mostly successful in juggling all the plots and players while dishing out loads and loads of daily life detail on his setting. It's a quite impressive--if slightly old-fashioned--historical entertainment. One small annoyance is the fluctuating spelling of one of the main villain's names. A much greater annoyance is the lack of any kind of map!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A grand epic of a historical mystery, November 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Hangman's Point; A Novel (Hardcover)

In 1857 China, American Andrew Adams has held several legally questionable jobs and other tasks that clearly stepped beyond the south side of the law. In Hong Kong, the part-time smuggler manages a bar that has patrons that are some of the sleaziest individuals residing in the area. However, this time Andrew goes too far and to avoid prison, must search out the pirates who beheaded foreign sailors.

However, that is only the start of what is turning into a bad new year for Andrew. Soon, the beleaguered anti-hero is involuntarily battling slave traders, escaping from prison after being accused of murder, and ultimately is in a fight to the death with vicious pirates, who will stop at nothing to loot a city.

Anyone who reads this novel will have to have a passport because they will be immediately transferred to the mid-nineteenth century Orient. The story line is filled with Andrew's misadventures even as it provides a rich historical perspective of the era. The support cast feels so genuine as they move the plot forward. HANGMAN'S POINT is a great historical fiction that, if there is any justice, will enable Dean Barrett to become a household name.

Harriet Klausner 11/1/98

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Quite a read!, September 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Hangman's Point; A Novel (Hardcover)

A really well done mystery/thriller, obviously well researched, that takes you right into the period of history. The trial scene is superb and the psychology and humor match the wonderful scenes with violence. I very much look forward to the sequel, Thieves Hamlet.