The Ninja's Blade

August 17, 2020
In Eldridge’s riveting sequel to 2019’s The Ninja Daughter, Aleisha and Stan Reiner, who run Aleisha’s Refuge, a shelter for abused women, retain kick-ass L.A. ninja Lily Wong to find shelter resident Emma Hughes, who was forced into being a sex worker and was later abducted at gunpoint while visiting her parents. In looking for Emma, Lily uncovers a juvenile-sex-trafficking ring, and vows to find the man responsible and free the girls. Meanwhile, Lily becomes the target of Varrio Norwalk 66, a street gang, because they blame her for the death of one of its members. Further impeding her is her own judgmental mother who expects her to entertain her grandparents visiting from Hong Kong and PTSD-generated flashbacks of a killing she once witnessed. Also competing for Lily’s time is a new love interest. In her unconventional style, the indomitable Lily keeps all these balls in the air, resulting in an exciting mystery that takes a sobering look at the sexual exploitation of youth in Los Angeles. Readers will eagerly await Lily’s next outing. Agent: Cherry Weiner, Cherry Weiner Literary.

September 4, 2020

Female ninja Lily Wong makes her second appearance (after The Ninja Daughter). After her younger sister was raped and murdered, Lily dedicated her life to rescuing women and children who are being abused. Still reeling from the repercussions of her encounter with the assassin Tran, Lily deals with the emotional land mines of a visit from her controlling maternal grandparents and a deepening relationship with real estate mogul Daniel Kwok. Despite her resistance to dating the "perfect Chinese man," Lily is drawn to Daniel's intelligence, warmth and humor. Adding to this pressure are the challenges of her latest case, which is more complex and dangerous than she thought. Eldridge does a terrific job of turning a spotlight on the horrifying world of the sex trafficking of children--a problem that is more pervasive in our society than people want to admit. Her need to stand up for and to protect the vulnerable should be a rallying cry. VERDICT Lily and the secondary characters are rich and complicated, and details about martial arts and Chinese culture add depth to the story. While it isn't necessary to have read the previous book in the series to enjoy this one, readers won't understand the extent of Lily's emotional conflict without that context. This series continues to impress and should find a wide, appreciative audience.--Julie Ciccarelli, Tacoma P.L., WA

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