The Book Nook

Frightening Topical Thriller   The timing of Chris Bohjalian’s latest book is as chilling as the plot and couldn’t be more relevant.  “The Red Lotus” was published in mid-March and the plot centers on a disease that’s frightfully contagious and fatal.  Readers who decide this subject is too close for comfort will miss a gripping, page-turner that provides a good diversion and reaffirms our connections with others. The story takes place over an 11-day period and focuses on Alexis Remnick, a Manhattan emergency room doctor who’s enjoying a well-earned vacation overseas.  She and her boyfriend Austin are on a group bicycling tour in Vietnam. While the travelers usually ride in groups, one day Austin insists on cycling alone, citing a very valid reason.  Alexis waits for him by killing time at the infinity pool.  When he fails to return or respond to texts and calls, she gets a bad feeling.  The police and local consulate are notified and a search is started.  When she’s asked to identify a victim of a nearby hit-and-run, her worst fears are confirmed. As an ER doctor, she’s seen all kinds of injuries and while identifying Austin’s body she notices a puzzling wound that can’t be explained to her satisfaction.   In the end, his death is ruled an accident and the investigation is considered closed by the local police.  The consulate assures Alexis they’ll conduct an independent investigation and contact her if there are further developments. After returning home, questions continue to haunt her.  Seeking closure, she contacts people Austin knew and learns that she was told a blatant lie that raises serious questions.  Was his death really an accident?  Was there a covert reason Austin wanted to visit Vietnam?  She hires a private investigator while still pursuing answers on her own, unaware that doing so puts her in danger and could trigger a catastrophic event affecting millions. The result is a contemporary thriller with realistic protagonists and lots of twists.  Bohjalian is known for complex plots that are also understandable.  “The Red Lotus” doesn’t stray from the author’s trademark of well-researched topics that force us to look at issues we may prefer to ignore.  In this case one of those topics is the legacy of the Vietnam war and another is self-harm. There’s an occasional anonymous voice giving us information on the history of rats and their role in spreading disease that tie the story together.  While not ideal dinner conversation, it was certainly informative, and you may be able to identify the voice before the ending is revealed. Many authors of thrillers grapple with the timing and amount of information they should give readers.  Details given too early rob readers of their sense of accomplishment at working things out on their own.  On the other hand, holding back crucial information until late in the game can be equally frustrating.  That’s not a problem in “The Red Lotus” and Bohjalian’s timing is solid. Readers are given incongruent information and changing viewpoints that may seem puzzling, but is nicely brought into focus.  There’s suspense from start to finish and a very chilling storyline. The author shows empathy for all of his characters, good and bad.  There’s squabbling between a mother and her daughter, but also signs of love between them.  Friendships are forged and kindnesses shown, even in the face of adversity.  One example is when Alexis is asked by a stranger if she’s OK.  While still grieving her loss, she recognizes that mustering a smile when answering is the right thing to do.  This echoes the many acts of compassion we’re receiving and hopefully giving others during these stressful times. Bohjalian’s heroes usually have a solid moral center, but are flawed and battling to cope with uncontrollable world issues.  One small complaint I have is that the number of villains with sociopathic tendencies was too high to be believed, but it didn’t dampen my enjoyment of the tale.  There were many positive factors, such as good character development and ramped-up pacing in the last three quarters of the tale. At the end, most of the bad are punished and the majority of good live to fight another day.  These small and large acts of kindness remind us that compassion never goes out of style.