Yue-ying is the servant of Mingyu, the most sought after courtesan at the Lotus Palace. Yue-ying's face is marred by a bright red birthmark, therefore she cannot be a courtesan as well and before she became Mingyu's servant she suffered life as a prostitute. Bai Huang is the handsome ne'er-do-well visitor to the entertainment district who seems to only care about the pleasures life has to offer, but he's playing the fool. Yue-ying sees right through his act and that intrigues Huang.

Huilan is one of the Four Beauties of the North Hamlet along with Mingyu, serving patrons at the Hundred Songs. For unknown reasons Huilan fears for life and thus turns to Huang to help her out of the city. The day Huang provides the means for her escape she turns up dead. Youthful Magistrate Li Yen and his intimidating constable, Wu Kaifeng, point their fingers at Huang. Huang recruits the industrious and observant Yue-ying to help him find the real killer.

THE LOTUS PALACE by Jeannie Lin is a romance set in ancient China in the North Hamlet of Pingkang li. Lin uses a good old fashioned murder mystery to bring two disparate people together across class lines. THE LOTUS PALACE is a fascinating read. It is easy to delve into the world of the ancient Chinese pleasure district rebuilt by Lin. The descriptions of the culture and its inhabitants are vibrant. They are not bogged down with minutia, but instead the details are delicately sprinkled about the pages.

Every chapter unveils a new layer of depth for the two main characters. Huang always surprises me, in the first chapter I barely notice him because it is an introduction to Yue-ying, but the second chapter confirms that he is a major player in the book. And that Yue-ying is his love interest and he will pursue her as much as his station and the character he is playing will allow. They are well supported by a huge cast of supporting characters.

THE LOTUS PALACE is a delightful excursion away from typical historical romance. Read it and be transported to an exotic locale and experience a tale as old as time.