If you are having difficulty navigating this website please contact us at member.services@bookofthemonth.com or 1-877-236-8540.

Get your first hardcover or audiobook for just $5.

Join now.
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Young adult

Foul Lady Fortune

Repeat author

Chloe Gong is back at Book of the Month – other BOTMs include Immortal Longings and These Violent Delights.

by Chloe Gong

Quick take

Stay alert! The first imperative in this shadowy 1930s Shanghai tale of spycraft and hijinks where death is ever near.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_Romance

    Romance

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_400

    400+ pages

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_LGBTQ

    LGBTQ+ themes

  • Illustrated icon, Icon_War

    War

Synopsis

It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.

Read less

Free sample

Get an early look from the first pages of Foul Lady Fortune.

Why I love it

It’s hard to pin down or describe Foul Lady Fortune, but the attempt gives me a rather violent delight. I am a writer after all. So in a word, Foul Lady Fortune is thrilling. At every turn, Chloe Gong keeps us on our toes, blending equal parts action and mystery in an epic tale of loyalty, honor, and betrayal. Make sure you have a comfortable chair before you start reading.

Foul Lady Fortune is a spinoff of the These Violent Delights duology set in 1930’s Shanghai, a time when "foreign devils" were exploiting China, while civil war brewed. Rosalind Lang is an assassin with a need to atone for her past failings. After being injected with an experimental serum that gives her the ability to heal from any wound, albeit painfully, she becomes the nationalist party’s top choice to investigate a series of murders that have terrorized the population. In order to reduce suspicion, she and another spy, the handsome and infuriatingly cavalier playboy Orion Hong, are embedded as newlyweds. Each of them hold secrets which threaten to undermine their mission.

As the book progresses, allegiances are questioned at every turn, setting sister against sister, and husband against wife. The experience will have you up late flipping pages furiously. I dare you not to be enthralled.

Read less

Member ratings (3,439)

  • Lauren L.

    Birmingham , AL

    Okay….wow. Just finished and I am speechless. The ending had twist and turns that I honestly didn’t see coming. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a good spy novel! I cannot wait for the next book

  • Rhiannon M.

    Frederick, MD

    I love a strong female lead. I was beginning to worry when it slowed down so early in the book, but it definitely made up for that. It’s definitely not your typical story about an immortal character.

  • Courtney S.

    New York , NY

    This was a bit slow at first, but when it picked up, it really picked up. I loved the characters and I loved the action. There were several twists I wasn't expecting and I really loved the direction.

  • Alli M.

    Minneapolis, MN

    I regret not finishing the first duology before diving into this one, but still love the Shanghai that Chloe Gong has built. Selfishly, I wish there was more "fake" love between Rosalind and Orion.

  • Emmaline E.

    Atlanta, GA

    Foul Lady Fortune is amazing. From the intricate weave of the spies lives to the blooming romance in all of the characters I couldn't put this book down. I cannot wait to read what happens next.