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Return to Dust: A Rick Van Lam Mystery    by Andrew Lanh Amazon.com order for
Return to Dust
by Andrew Lanh
Order:  USA  Can
Poisoned Pen, 2015 (2015)
Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book
* *   Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth

In the first scene of Andrew Lanh's Return to Dust, the second of his Rick Van Lam series, Marta Kowalski's dead body has been found beneath the Farmington River Bridge. Police consider her another very sad suicide.

Marta had been a very popular cleaner in the town but had become depressed over the death of an old friend. But anyone questioned by the police stated that they had no idea she had been depressed enough to kill herself. She had gone many times to Atlantic City and the Indian casinos and played the party girl, coming onto men who ignored her. Police discovered that she had no enemies. But also no friends!

Her niece Karen is sure foul play caused her aunt's death and hires Amerasian PI Rick Van Lam to prove her right. Karen didn't like her aunt, but she was her aunt, after all. Rick is not welcome in the Vietnamese community because his oriental blood is tainted with an American father's. However, his very good friend Hank has brought Rick to his wholly Vietnamese household where Hank's grandmother with her Buddhist leanings champions Rick's visits.

Rick asks questions and discovers that all is not as it seems to be. The more he delves into the Vietnamese part of Farmington, the more he feels he is progressing toward solving the question of whether Marta committed suicide or was murdered.

Lanh is a breath of fresh air. His first novel, Caught Dead, was well received as I am sure this one will also be. Let's have more of Rick, Mr. Lanh.

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