Shanghai

A Novel

By: Joseph Kanon

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Named a Best Mystery & Suspense Book of the Year by BookPage and CrimeReads

“A steamy, thrilling crime story” (The Washington Post) from New York Times bestselling author Joseph Kanon set in pre-World War II Shanghai, where glamour and squalor exist side by side and murder is just the cost of doing business.

After the violence of Kristallnacht (1938), European Jews, now desperate to emigrate, found the consular doors of the world closed to them. Only one port required no entry visa: Shanghai, a self-governing Western trading enclave in what was technically Chinese territory, a political anomaly that became an escape hatch—if you were lucky enough to afford a ticket on one of the great Lloyd liners sailing to the East and safety.

Daniel Lohr was one of the lucky ones—lucky enough to have escaped the Gestapo when his colleagues in the resistance were caught, lucky to have an uncle waiting in Shanghai, lucky to find a casual shipboard flirtation that turns unexpectedly passionate. But even lucky refugees have to confront the reality of Shanghai. With all their assets and passports confiscated by the Nazis, they arrive penniless and stateless in a tumultuous, nearly lawless city notorious for vice. When you can sink fast, how far are you willing to go to survive? What lines do you cross? As Daniel tries to navigate his way through his uncle’s world in Shanghai’s fabled nightlife, he finds himself increasingly ensnared in a maze where politics and crime are two sides of the same shiny coin. The trick, his uncle tells him, is to stay one step ahead. But how do you stay ahead of murder? How do you outrun your own past?

“A Casablanca-worthy setting for World War II-era intrigue” (Parade), Shanghai is the story of a political haven that becomes a minefield of conflicting loyalties—“one of [Kanon’s] most satisfying historical thrillers to date” (The Wall Street Journal).

Critic reviews

"Jonathan Davis digs deep into his narration toolbox in this atmospheric audiobook set in 1939. As the world prepares for war, displaced European Jews attempt a departure to parts unknown. Davis employs a stoic tone when describing Kristallnacht, the beatings, and the rounding up of family members. When the disparate citizens gather on a last-chance trip to Shanghai, Davis modulates the tempo and emotion throughout the remainder of the audiobook, ratcheting up the excitement for the final confrontation between the protagonist, Daniel, who is on the run from the Nazis, and Colonel Yamada, head of the Japanese Gestapo. Author Kanon is a master of plot coordination and mood, making this journey to Shanghai a satisfying listen."

Great story and narrator

Gripping story, excellent character development and talented narrator. Rich in what felt like authentic historical atmosphere. Reminiscent of Alan Furst.

interesting subject

interesting to learn Shanghai was safe haven for some refugees but story didn't amount to much. love all Kanon's other books... too weak. Reader is excellent.

History in digestible form

Joseph Kannon does not neglect his characters as he unspools his espionage novels. Narrator excellent.

Joseph Kanon’s masterful phrase making.

I’m a longtime fan of Joseph Kanon, but his move to Asia didn’t lead to the compelling plotting and atmospherics of his earlier novels, especially those set in postwar Germany. Nevertheless, still an enjoyable read.

No Safe Haven in Shanghai

The timeline and setting alone drew me in. Shanghai, late 1930s, trading entrepot controlled by weakening Western powers. The Japanese, having already taken over much of eastern China, loom as a threat. Shanghai was the Havana of the East. Gambling, shows, prostitution, drugs. Warlords. Gangs, the feared Kempetai, the Japanese version of the Gestapo. Shanghai was a dangerous place, yet a haven for European Jewish refugees who had nowhere else to go. Amidst all this, Joseph Kanon has crafted an intriguing story of using wits to survive, love, betrayal, and redemption.