About the Book:
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Midwives and The Flight Attendant comes a twisting story of love and deceit: an American man vanishes on a rural road in Vietnam, and his girlfriend, an emergency room doctor trained to ask questions, follows a path that leads her home to the very hospital where they met.
The first time Alexis saw Austin, it was a Saturday night. Not in a bar, but in the emergency room where Alexis sutured a bullet wound in Austin’s arm. Six months later, on the brink of falling in love, they travel to Vietnam on a bike tour so that Austin can show her his passion for cycling and he can pay his respects to the place where his father and uncle fought in the war. But as Alexis sips white wine and waits at the hotel for him to return from his solo ride, two men emerge from the tall grass and Austin vanishes into thin air. The only clue he leaves behind is a bright yellow energy gel dropped on the road.
As Alexis grapples with this bewildering loss, and deals with the FBI, Austin’s prickly family, and her colleagues at the hospital, Alexis uncovers a series of strange lies that force her to wonder: Where did Austin go? Why did he really bring her to Vietnam? And how much danger has he left her in?
Set amidst the adrenaline-fueled world of the emergency room, The Red Lotus is a global thriller about those who dedicate their lives to saving people, and those who peddle death to the highest bidder.
My Review:
In-depth research and exquisite detail along with an incredibly timely plot made this one a winner for me! The audiobook was outstanding.
I absolutely loved ‘The Flight Attendant’ and was thrilled that this book was filled with the same painstaking detail and intelligence. Alexis was a well-rounded character and very believable, a young ER doctor who finds herself alone in Vietnam when her boyfriend disappears on a biking tripo.
The author describes Vietnam with great beauty and care and the country sounds magnificent. I switched between the ebook and the audiobook and i will say I really enjoyed hearing the lovely pronunciations of the various cities and locales. Bohjalian also gives context and history of the Vietnam War which was very illuminating.
How are all the differing characters and threads related? The author does a great job of connecting the dots between Alexis’s missing boyfriend Austin, the hospital where she works and the other main characters, who are all an integral part of the story. I am being vague because this book had a spectacular conclusion that was very intense! There are some really gruesome details in this book but I can’t think of a more timely book right now than one that deals with a pathogen and the rapid illnesses it can cause.
The reviews seem to be all over the place on this one but I found it to be enthralling and captivating. The edge-of-your-seat plot is thrilling! Bohjalian is one of the best suspense writers today and ‘The Red Lotus’ was an incredibly relevant and engaging book for me. Bonus: this is one of the few books that my husband and I can both enjoy!