Year of the Tiger

An electrifying thriller debut set in modern China, in a world of artists, paranoid revolutionaries and government conspiracies…

First she tried to start over. Now she’s just trying to survive.

ON HER OWN

Ellie Cooper’s tour of duty in Iraq left her with a damaged leg, a faithless husband, and a desperate need to get away. In Beijing, she falls for charismatic Chinese artist Lao Zhang but, after the arrival of a mysterious guest, he disappears…

ON THE RUN

Her cheating husband, Trey, tracks her down to demand a divorce. But far more disturbing are the Chinese and American agents who begin to hound Ellie for Lao Zhang’s whereabouts.

AND A LONG WAY FROM HOME

When things suddenly turn threatening, Ellie turns fugitive, convinced there’s a hidden agenda – one that involves something she should never have seen in Iraq – something that could get her killed. Now she’s alone, in a country she barely knows, falling down a rabbit hole of conspiracies from which she can’t escape…

Reviews

‘A compelling debut that takes you deep into the dangerous, complicated heart of modern China, with a tough and appealing heroine in Ellie’ Jeff Abbott, author of FEAR

‘Lisa Brackman’s novel gets off to a fast start and never lets up…Ellie is a perfect spunky heroine…Be prepared for a wild ride’ New York Times Book Review

‘An electrifying debut … The China scenes are fast paced and strikingly atmospheric, and Ellie's backstory—her and Trey's return from combat is tough, sad, and endearing—is given in doses that perfectly complement the central action … The book's exotic setting and tough heroine will definitely appeal to fans of Stieg Larsson’ Publisher’s Weekly, Starred Review

‘A remarkable debut by Lisa Brackman’ Seattle Times

‘Lisa Brackman’s debut novel is as slick and smart as an alley cat … The result is a wildly original read … Even more remarkable is her enfant terrible protagonist: 26-year-old Ellie is tough, snarky and immensely likeable. Through her voice Brackman never falls into the trite and tired trap of so many foreigners who write about an ‘exotic’ China. Beijing in Year of the Tiger is as it is in real life’ Time Out: Beijing

‘A gripping ex-pat nightmare that unfolds with superb pacing … it makes you damned glad your life is boring’ Miami Herald

‘Brackman's experience in the motion picture industry is evident. A gritty and intriguing tale of terror that draws in the reader with each page; Brackman is a new writer to watch’ Library Journal

About the author

Lisa Brackman has worked as an executive at a major motion picture studio, an issues researcher in a presidential campaign, and as the singer-songwriter & bassist in an LA rock band. She's lived and travelled extensively in China. Brackman is a southern California native and lives in Venice, CA. YEAR OF THE TIGER is her first novel.