The Deadly Stingaree lies somewhere at the intersection of history and speculation, with an alluring plot that revolves around 14-year-old Johnny Cong, a Chinese orphan in San Diego, who ekes out his living collecting denizen’s laundry on his donkey cart. But when he meets and starts helping the mysterious Norwegian John Sigerson, Cong’s life escalates into a wild adventure. A plot to attack United States President Benjamin Harrison is underway, and Sigerson seems privy to it, even when local law enforcement is not, forcing Cong to decide whether he can trust Sigerson—or if he is being taken in by a duplicitous stranger. From the start, Fayman (author of The Rolly Waters Mysteries) declares the story’s hazy origins, teasing that its manuscript arrived at his San Diego doorstep unannounced and unverified. Declaring no knowledge of who left it, he reports it to be a combination of speculation layered over historical fact, though he asserts that several of his main characters—including Cong—are documented inhabitants of 19th and early 20th century San Diego. That said, Fayman’s interpretation of history makes for an enlivening read, brimming with plot twists and suspense. Its most beguiling part is the character of Cong himself, who draws readers in with his mixture of grit, innocence, and entrepreneurial savvy. Some moments find Fayman’s twists mired in complex historical and political background, but overall, he is a concise writer, able to ground the story’s events in real-life context while providing readers with seedy, sordid goings-on that feel believable and immersive for the novel’s time and place. The implied connection to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes—suggested here through Sigerson’s mysterious character—will please literary fans, and Fayman closes the story on a satisfying cliffhanger, leaving Cong’s ultimate outcome, and the true identity of his puzzling friend, “a man who solves impossible crimes through remarkable feats of deduction,” up for debate.

Notable Book If there is one thing most people cannot resist, it is a good mystery. There is something about the unknown which drives people wild, and the drive to find answers has always become the underlying force behind world-renowned investigators and amateur sleuths alike. While some mysteries are surely meant to remain a mystery, while some mysteries need to be solved without hesitation. Mysteries are what drive authors Correy Lynn Fayman and Jonathon Cong’s The Deadly Stingaree. The novel follows a young teen named Johnny Cong, an orphan who works hard to realize the American dream while traversing the streets of 1891 San Diego. When word arrives that President Benjamin Harrison is set to arrive in the city soon, a deadly plot by a group of citizens emerges, and Johnny soon finds himself embroiled in the plot as he must navigate the murky path between loyalty and treason. The rich character development found in this novel is immediately felt from the first chapter. The dialogue and tone of the conversations found between the characters perfectly articulated the era of history the story takes place in, and the powerful imagery in the author’s writing allowed readers to feel immersed in the city of San Diego in a unique time period rarely explored. The balance of world-building and action the story has while weaving these elements equally through the mystery building from the book’s beginning makes this story feel vibrant and alive. The dynamic which forms from the get-go between Johnny and Mr. Sigerson is so unique, and the sense of adventure and curiosity the action sparked feels like something readers would have witnessed in an old Hollywood film. For readers who enjoy historical fiction, especially those who enjoy historical fiction set in American history and the inclusion of western and suspense thriller elements, this is the perfect novel to immerse themselves in. The harrowing journey Johnny finds himself on is perfectly mirrored by the strong themes the novel delves into, especially the struggle many immigrants have faced in the United States to find their promise of the American Dream. This theme has never been more prevalent or important than it is nowadays, and Johnny’s experiences and his viewpoint of the world around him strikes an emotional chord which will resonate with many readers today.

Prolific crime novelist Corey Lynn Fayman offers a well-researched, captivating historical mystery revolving around President Benjamin Harrison’s 1891 visit to San Diego and featuring other real-life characters. The story’s narrator is an enterprising, English-educated 14-year-old Chinese orphan named Johnny Cong, who collects laundry with his mule and cart from prostitutes’ quarters in Chinatown’s Stingaree red-light district. He’s smart, observant, and writes in the late-19th century formal English of a Sherlock Holmes novel while speaking broken pidgin Chinese to people he doesn’t trust. At the tale’s start, Cong meets an enigmatic Norwegian explorer named John Sigerson who claims to be visiting San Diego for health reasons. Their respectful relationship is established immediately: “You are an admirable and intriguing young man, Master Cong,” Sigerson tells the narrator. Before long, Cong also meets famed gunslinger/lawman Wyatt Earp, who actually owned businesses in San Diego, including a bordello; the first woman attorney in California Clara Foltz, and other prominent San Diegans. Sigerson, Earp and others recruit Cong to help in their efforts to foil a conspiracy aimed at assassinating Harrison. As the plot unfolds, Cong runs afoul of various people entwined in the conspiracy, including a hairy thug called Bearly, and a mysterious British man dubbed the Colonel. Any fan of Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books will recognize Sigerson’s Sherlockian style, language and methods. References and other characters also evoke Conan Doyle’s books. There’s no Watson, but Cong serves as a foil for Sigerson. You’d almost expect to hear “It’s elementary, my dear Cong.” Instead, readers are teased with the familiar phrase “the game is afoot.” The action is fast and furious, especially towards the climax, and Fayman does a laudable job of writing in the voice of a young Chinese man of 130 years ago. The story is immensely fun to read and doesn’t require deep knowledge of the Holmes oeuvre. But for those familiar with the Holmes library, The Deadly Stingaree is all the better for it.