Shou — Deborah Shlian

HIGH PRAISE FOR SHOU

"SHOU is a gripping story of love, destiny and international intrigue that will remain in every reader's heart and mind, and certainly one of the best mystery/suspense novels I've read. The lovely setting and the soul of China make the entire plot rich and compelling. It never overpowers the story - it only supports everything else that makes up this exceptional book. Masterful storytellers, Deborah and Joel Shlian write beautifully and smoothly, taking the reader on an enthralling journey inside the mind of Lili Quan - and inside the mystery and suspense of SHOU. Whatever you read this year, don't miss SHOU. Highly recommended.

Synopsis

In May of 1949, Mao and his People's Liberation Army are poised to enter Shanghai and change China forever. For most, Communism brings new hope. For Dr. Ni-Fu Cheng, it is neither better nor worse than other systems. Only modern science will enable the Chinese people to truly compete with the outside world. This belief, coupled with his passionate love for his country, forces him to remain in China even as he sends his daughter and only living relative to America. On the verge of a stupendous scientific discovery, he never fears for his own safety. He will soon have the ultimate solution to unlocking the secret of longevity, the ability to increase man's lifespan beyond the allotted three score and ten: Shou.

Forty years later, Dr. Lili Quan reluctantly sets out for China to fulfill her mother's dying wish to "return home." As greedy and ambitious men vie for the most earth shattering discovery since the atom bomb, Lili, a passionate idealist, meets and falls in love with Chi-Wen Zhou, victim of the Cultural Revolution and romantic Taoist. Their deep and passionate relationship flowers, as Lili becomes a pawn in a deadly international game. Along the way, she discovers her grandfather, her past, love and finally, hope.