Mai-ling Wah is the entertainment at the Golden Dragon Club and has been dubbed the Dragon’s Pearl. Men from all over Hong Kong come to see the slim beauty perform nightly in her seductive outfits, as well as Chinese and Western men. After a valued customer she cares deeply for is killed, she believes things are not how they appear.

Father Chang found Mai-ling when she was young and after hearing her sing, gave her a job as a nightclub singer. After he learns that his son is head of the opium trade in Hong Kong and has killed to get in that position, he decides to tell Mai-ling and leave her his fortune. He is unaware of the consequences of his generosity.

Mai-ling was a mere peasant before she was discovered by Father Chang, who treated her like a daughter. He educated her then brought her into a life she never imagined, as men from everywhere came to see her perform at a Hong Kong club. After Father Chang is killed, Mai-ling is devastated and only becomes more so when she learns that he left her his fortune along with proof that he was murdered. She takes a trip to San Francisco to perform in a sister club, only to find herself involved with assassins and gangs. More determined then ever to find Father Chang’s killer, she uses her skilled craftiness and nerve to outsmart the villains while protecting her close friends and riches.

The Dragon’s Pearl is an exhilarating story about a young woman dedicated in finding her friend's killer. The secondary characters are believable and sometimes sensitive in their actions. Mai-ling is a strong heroine who stops at nothing to find the evil criminals. Ms. Mueller instills a great read with an incredibly detailed history. Her writing is eloquent and gives the reader a feel of the whole surroundings. The Dragon’s Pearl is a story that spins a wonderful flight and leaves the reader looking for more journeys from Ms. Mueller.

Reviewed by: Linda L