The Shadow Walker: Summary and book reviews of The Shadow Walker by Michael Walters, plus links to an excerpt from The Shadow Walker and a biography of Michael Walters.
The Shadow Walker
by Michael Walters
Paperback: Aug 2008,
352 pages.
As winter falls upon the streets of Ulan Bataar, Mongolia, a serial killer is just getting warmed up. When the mutilated body of a fourth victim is found in one of the city’s most expensive hotels, Nergui, the former head of the Serious Crimes squad, is no closer to catching the killer and will accept any help he can get.
Drew McLeish, a senior British CID officer and no stranger to the savage side of human nature, is sent out to lend his expertise to the investigation. From the abandoned factories of the city’s decaying suburbs to the icy expanse of the barren steppes, Nergui and McLeish follow a trail of the dead.
Crime novels are a dime a dozen, but The Shadow Walker stands apart for both its exotic setting in modern-day Mongolia and its intriguing investigator Nergui. Offering a fast-paced and dark setting, Walters, a management consultant, presents an exciting debut novel .... A few times clues emerge a tad bit too conveniently but overall the book successfully combines an unusual locale with plenty of thrills, and readers will eagerly look forward to reading the next two books in the series - Adversary and The Outcast (both published in the UK in 2008, USA publication date unknown). (Reviewed by Beth Hemke Shapiro).
VOYA
Although the plot itself is solid, there are a few moments where the story seems to stall because of a lack of action. Nevertheless the book is worth the time for readers who like crime fiction.
Kirkus Reviews
The mystery in Walters's debut lacks distinction, but his prose is sure and his vivid portrait of a largely unknown culture lays a solid groundwork for future installments.
Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. The evocative descriptions of modern Mongolia create a unique backdrop for a suspenseful mystery full of misdirection and terror.
Library Journal
Careful plotting and meticulously drawn characters make this a sure winner.
The Guardian (UK)
A previously uncharted crime destination.
The Sunday Telegraph (UK
An intriguing police procedural, with a formidable sleuth.
Mongolia (map)
is located in Northern Asia between China and Russia. It should not be
confused with the Mongol autonomous region of the People's Republic of China
(known as Inner Mongolia), which is located in the north of China, bordering
southern Mongolia.
The name 'Mongol' was first recorded by the Chinese during the Tang dynasty
(618-907 AD). Until the 12th century, the region consisted of loose
confederations of rival clans, then a 20-year-old Mongol named Temujin (better
known as Genghis Khan meaning "Universal King") united most of the tribes. By
the time of his death in 1227, the Mongol empire extended from Beijing to the
Caspian Sea. Genghis' grandson, Kublai Khan, completed the subjugation of China,
ending the Song dynasty (960-1279) and becoming emperor of China's Yuan dynasty
(1271-1368). At this, the height of the Mongols' glory: the empire
stretched from Korea to Hungary and as far south as Vietnam, making it the
largest contiguous empire the world has ever known.
The fourth book in the Inspector Chen series, this unusual and compelling crime novel blends character, poetry, insights into Chinese society and culture, and food with a compelling plot.
When the wife of a North Korean diplomat in Pakistan dies under suspicious circumstances, O is told to investigate, with a curious proviso: Don’t look too closely at the details, and stay away from the question of missiles. Soon, however, the Inspector discovers he is up to his ears in missiles - and somebody wants him dead.
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