Historical Fiction: Mystery & Suspense
City Of Lost Souls
It’s January 1932 and Shanghai is about to explode. Private detective Jack Ford doesn’t think things can get much worse, and then a young woman looking for a missing brother walks into his life. The search takes him from swank hotels and clubs through cabarets, back streets, and brothels, to the living hell of an urban battlefield. Rich and the poor, East and West, Chinese patriots and gangsters, Japanese militarists and thugs… A city of lost souls.
Takes readers on a reflective journey through the past, uncovering the lessons and joys that time often leaves behind. It tells a story of redemption and self-discovery, reminding us that our yesterdays, with all their imperfections, hold the keys to understanding our present and shaping our future.
Ebook Available
PDF, EPUB & MOBI
Discover the magic of Martin Petersen’s latest novel, now available in ebook format.
Set in the volatile, glamorous, and dangerous world of 1932 Shanghai, City of Lost Souls follows private detective Jack Ford as he’s drawn into a harrowing search for a missing young man. When Constance Baker-Kerr, a British woman desperate to find her brother Robin, walks into Jack’s life, her plea leads him deep into the city’s intricate web of power and corruption. From opulent hotels and vibrant cabarets to shadowy brothels and violent backstreets, Jack navigates a city teetering on the edge of chaos.
As Jack uncovers Robin’s ties to political intrigue, gangsters, and Japanese operatives, the case becomes a race against time. Shanghai itself takes center stage, portrayed as a character full of contradictions—a city of wealth and squalor, freedom and vice, beauty and brutality. Amidst escalating tensions between Chinese patriots and Japanese militarists, Jack must confront not only the dangers of his surroundings but also his own sense of morality and purpose.
Rich in historical detail and gripping suspense, City of Lost Souls is a story of survival, redemption, and self-discovery. Martin Petersen masterfully captures the essence of a city and an era, crafting a mystery that is as thrilling as it is poignant.
"If you want a classic PI story reminiscent of Sam Spade or Mickey Spillane—tough, no-nonsense private investigators set in the Far East with realistic characters, settings, and plot—then this is for you. The author's description of 1930s Shanghai, with its politics, social strata, and complex interplay and intrigue, is exceptionally insightful. The story and action sequences clearly reflect Petersen's in-depth knowledge of Chinese history, society, culture, and traditions, particularly those of Shanghai."
—Michael Fallon, retired senior CIA intelligence officer
Praise for City of Lost Souls
The Cipher Brief
★★★★★
“One of the best books of 2024“
“Petersen’s debut novel is a masterful addition to the genre of historical mysteries, offering a captivating exploration of pre-revolutionary Shanghai. With its detailed world-building, gripping plot, and nuanced characters, City of Lost Souls is both a thrilling mystery and a poignant reflection on the era’s cultural tensions and human stories.”
China Underground
★★★★★
“Martin Petersen’s City of Lost Souls vividly captures 1930s Shanghai, painting a rich and immersive portrait of the city’s vibrant history. With its intricate narrative and deeply human characters, the novel invites readers into a world of intrigue and cultural complexity, making it a must-read for fans of historical fiction.”
Amazon Reviews
★★★★★
Earnshaw Books
★★★★★
“We ended the year on a high. November saw the release of The Friendship Store, A Memoir of 1970s China by Andy Kirkpatrick, after which our very own former CIA senior executive CIA Martin Petersen presented his noir crime fiction and our BEST SELLER OF 2024 City of Lost Souls.”
Weina Dai Randel, WSJ bestselling author of The Last Rose of Shanghai
★★★★★
“Retired CIA executive Petersen has masterfully crafted a compelling work of fiction that brings the past to life. Set in 1932 Shanghai, City of Lost Souls follows the perilous life of an American detective—an orphan and a loner—who embarks on a new mission just as the Japanese military launches its first major attack on the city. A testament to the author’s extensive research, the novel is packed with authentic historical details and nonstop action and features many well-known figures who called Shanghai home during this turbulent era. Fast-paced, powerful, City of Lost Souls is for readers who enjoy both detective stories and historical fiction, especially those set in the vibrant, volatile world of old Shanghai”