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Pirate Queen: The Curse by R. Allen Downey Booksurge
book review by Laura Miller Edwards
"'Do you believe she's a ghost?' Rick countered. 'As you know from history, and I'm sure our history expert... JD... can back this up, most legends have some basis in fact. I'm just saying the possibility exists that there is some truth in this ghost business.'"
A historical novel with elements of the supernatural, Pirate Queen: The Curse explores what might have happened to the infamous pirate Lai Choi San said to have "her hand on the throat of China" from the 1920s until 1939, when she mysteriously disappeared. When the curiously resurrected Lai hijacks a Chinese Nationalist yacht carrying six million dollars in gold and an encoded microfilm, British intelligence in Hong Kong hire paranormal agents Loo Tao-hua and Rick Reilly to track her down and recover the film. Along with trusted friends who also possess supernatural gifts, the two hatch a plan to lure the pirate queen to them. This dangerous ruse results in a bloody and horrific battle between the forces of living and those long dead.
This supernatural thriller will appeal to a wide range of readers, combining the elements of a ghost story with historical fiction. It is a mystery at its heart. Downey has done the background work to ensure that the tale is told with accurate detail to the history of Asia and the outlandish pirate Lai Choi San. Downey's use of detailed description will engross the reader, bringing him right into the story to fight alongside Reilly and Loo to its surprising conclusion.