BookBrowse Reviews The Golden Gate by Amy Chua

BookBrowse:

Amy Chua introduces made-for-TV characters that are both comfortably familiar and surprisingly fresh in her debut historical mystery The Golden Gate.

The Golden Gate is a highly entertaining page-turner that falls neatly into, but in some ways subverts, the classic murder mystery noir detective genre. As Detective Al Sullivan tries to solve the murder of aspiring politician Walter Wilkinson in 1940s San Francisco, he finds a web of connections. This web spans the global, represented by Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, the First Lady of the Republic of China, and the local, represented by Iris Stafford, a girl from one of the wealthiest families in the city, murdered a decade earlier. The scenes unfold as if on a TV screen, and one can imagine the sequels to be generated, with Detective Sullivan and his niece Miriam taking on new mysteries in each episode.

At the same time, it's far from formulaic. While Sullivan initially comes off as the stereotypically cynical and grizzled detective, we see greater complexity and sensitivity informed by his mixed-race heritage and socioeconomic background. His self-reflective insight, along with contextual information, provides greater understanding of his character and the ways society affected his upbringing. Miriam is the classic counterpart to Detective Sullivan — a young tomboy who will eventually reveal the protagonist's heart of gold. Author Amy Chua adds another level of depth by exploring the different ways that race, gender, and age affect Miriam; for example, she falls victim to predatory child labor schemes that were common at the time.

The backdrop of San Francisco in the '40s also adds a layer of richness and intellectual fodder missing from typical crime novels. Chua makes Detective Sullivan a history buff, and his asides about the early history of the Bay Area and its settlement enhance the unfolding plot, without ever feeling forced. She seamlessly weaves fiction with real events, and it's clear that she has done her research. The historical references — for instance, the colonization of what is now the Bay Area and how its racial and socioeconomic impact has reverberated through time — provide deeper background and context for the criminal investigation. The novel makes global references and commentary, bringing larger-than-life historical personages like Madame Chiang Kai-Shek into personal dramas. The juxtaposition of international politics with scenes from an intimate world allows us to recognize and feel the impact that these politics have on all individuals, even if they appear to be far removed.

At the same time, Chua relies upon some familiar stereotypes in order to conform to established precedents in typical detective series. This undermines some of the more radical themes she introduces through a mixed-race main character who passes as white and through directly addressing historical racial and social injustices, such as Japanese internment. In this sense, Chua's characters are complex in their racial and socioeconomic identities, but still remain rather one-dimensional from a gender perspective. Isabella, Iris Stafford's sister, is portrayed throughout as a smoldering seductress, and many of the characters who display traditionally feminine characteristics are associated with danger and lunacy.

While much noir fiction sets out a formulaic murder mystery, The Golden Gate is layered with historical intricacies and social and racial commentary. It's also an entertaining and enjoyable read with extremely likable characters and an exciting plot with many twists and turns. It left me wanting more and wondering about the potential for future adventures with Detective Sullivan and Miriam.

This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in September 2023, and has been updated for the September 2024 edition. Click here to go to this issue.