Book reviews

The Jasmine Trade
Denise Hamilton Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Denise Hamilton Books
New book search
Denise Hamilton Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of The Jasmine Trade
"

Scribner, Jul 2001, 24.00, 304 pp.
ISBN: 074321269X

    Though still in high school, Marina Lu seems to have it all. She is engaged to Michael Ho with their wedding set for two weeks and has earned admission to Berkley. However, her idyllic life ends in a San Gabriel, California parking lot where she had just ordered ten designer dresses for her bridesmaids. The police think this homicide is a carjacking that turned ugly, but Los Angeles Times reporter Eve Diamond wonders why the Lexus and Marina's diamond ring were not stolen.

    Eve begins her investigation by talking with the counselor to teenage Asian expatriates Mark Furakama and follows that discussion with asking questions of students at Marina's school. She soon learns about a subculture involving “parachute kids” whose wealthy parents remain in Asia while the children live in America. Marina was one of the displaced children who was also responsible for her younger brother while her parents worked the Pacific Rim. The more Eve learns, the nastier the information turns as she uncovers an apparent slave whore trade, which places her life in danger.

    THE JASMINE TRADE is an exciting investigative tale that will shock the reader who will want to deny the truth of “parachute kids”. The story line is exciting and the cast seems real, which add to the terror of a subculture caught between two worlds and afloat on its own.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of The Jasmine Trade
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - 1980's-1999
Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 40%
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes
General Crime (including known murderer) Yes
Who's the criminal enemy here? - finding a known killer

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - journalist
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Main Adversary
Identity: - an organization
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - an average amount
Motive of antagonist - money/treasure
The antagonists are: - foreign organized crime

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - California

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more descript than dialog
Most similar books to The Jasmine Trade
The Foreigner by Meg Castaldo
Loose Ends by Neal Bowers
Listen To The Shadows by Danuta Reah
Shooter's Point by Gary Phillips
Murder In The Forecast by Valerie Wolzien


Click here for more information about this book


Denise Hamilton Resident Scholar Profiles

TOP SCHOLAR:
  
Harriet Klausner  

SCHOLARS:


Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Thriller/Action books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Big vehicle disaster?

Crime Thriller

Disaster, natural or nuclear

Exploring into the wild

Horror Story?

Legal Thriller

Medical Thriller

Religious overtones?

Spying/Terrorism Thriller

War Thriller

Water adventure

Western



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
George W. Bush 2:32:02 AM
Anonymous 2:03:39 AM
Erin Hunters 9:00:01 PM
Betty Mahmoody 6:00:22 PM
Judith McNaught 11:55:44 AM
Iris Johansen 9:03:43 PM
Norah Lofts 1:11:37 PM
Jane Rubino 9:32:45 AM
Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twersky 11:28:51 PM
Faye Kellerman 12:37:41 AM
LaVyrle Spencer 7:25:23 PM
Robert James Waller 8:30:15 PM
Suzanne Weyn 12:50:03 AM
Deric Longden 2:54:11 PM
Wilma Counts 1:23:32 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM

More message boards