THE Last Mandarin
Authors: Louise Penny and Mellissa FUNG
Reviewed by Rod M. on Apr 29, 2026
I was lucky enough to read The Last Mandarin as a galley, and I finished it in a state of honest admiration about what Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung have pulled off together. This is the kind of book you clear your schedule for.
The story grabs you from the beginning: security and fire alarms go off simultaneously all over the world, the signal traced back to China, and two very different women … a legendary Tiananmen Square dissident and her food blogger daughter … get pulled into the eye of the storm. From that first page, the book keeps you moving.
What makes this more than just a fast thriller is the cultural depth woven through every chapter. Penny’s storytelling instincts and Fung’s career as an international journalist are a perfect match. The research is deep but never heavy. You feel like you’re learning something real about Chinese history, identity, and politics without ever feeling like you’re being lectured. There’s real humor in the dynamic between mother and daughter as well.
The story moves from the Oval Office to Hong Kong to the tomb of the first emperor, and it earns every mile. The mystery at its heart is layered just right. You’ll think you have it figured out more than once, and you’ll be wrong more than once. The ending is satisfying: earned, not rushed, with just enough left open to keep you guessing until the final page.
This book reads like it was already written with a camera in mind. I couldn’t stop picturing it on screen. Somebody needs to do this.
Highly, highly recommended.
- Reviewed on Net Galley by Rod M.
