“Foul Lady Fortune” by Chloe Gong (“These Violent Delights”) is a spinoff of her first duology, taking place four years later. It follows the character, Rosalind Lang, who has been turned immortal and is currently working as an assassin for the Nationalists. This book takes place during the Chinese Civil War in 1931. 

Rosalind is under an alias so no one will recognize her from her old life. She goes by the name Janie Mead, with the code name Fortune. She is paired up with a spy, Orion Hong, to investigate chemical murders going on throughout the city of Shanghai. Orion and Rosalind are forced to fake a marriage and work together to infiltrate Seagreen Press, which they suspect is a front for the chemical killings. Throughout their time there, they uncover secrets about the people they work with, as well as the people they truly work for.

“Foul Lady Fortune” is the perfect spinoff for Gong’s first duology, which includes the books “These Violent Delights” and “Our Violent Ends.” You do not have to read the first duology in order to understand everything happening in this book, however it would be beneficial. There are a lot of spoilers in “Foul Lady Fortune,” so if you do plan on reading her first books, read them first.

“Foul Lady Fortune” provides Rosalind a chance at redemption. Her character in Gong’s first two books makes a lot of mistakes that had catastrophic consequences. She has a lot of character growth and she becomes someone the readers will love.

Gong includes many characters readers have missed from the first duology, including Celia Lang and Alisa Montagova. She provides the reader with multiple points-of-view throughout the story so readers may always know what each character is doing. 

While the multiple points-of-view can be beneficial at times, it can also get confusing in certain parts if it is unclear Gong has switched perspectives. Sometimes she switches in the middle of the chapter, and while she does include a break in the story, it can catch the reader off guard at first.

However, sometimes the abrupt switch of characters helps build the anticipation in the story. There are a few times where she switches to the killer’s point-of-view and she manages to do this without giving away who it is. This helps add to the mystery.

Gong fills this book with plot twists and intense scenes which keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The way she builds up the suspense of who the killer is will have you rapidly turning the page to find out who it is. When she finally reveals it, the reader will be left shocked.

The epilogue of “Foul Lady Fortune” builds up anticipation for book two, which will be released in September 2023. The last line of the book will leave you reeling and wishing the next book was already out.

Gong has been teasing a novella titled “This Foul Murder” that includes more characters from the original duology. She will be releasing a novella in February of 2023 titled “Last Violent Call” which will include “This Foul Murder,” as well as a novella that takes place during the time of “These Violent Delights.”

Image from Chloe Gong via Goodreads