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Lydia Chin and Bill Smith narrate and star in the series of mystery and thriller books; the pair alternate narrating the books, Lydia does the odd numbered ones and Bill tells the even numbered ones. The books are set in New York, like some of Rozan’s other fiction work. Bill and Lydia are a decade a part in age, with Bill in his forties and Lydia in her thirties when the series starts. Lydia is independent but is still able to be dutiful as a Chinese daughter. Bill is an Army brat and works as a private investigator. He also has a liking for classical music and plays piano, but just for himself.
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Order of Lydia Chin & Bill Smith Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China Trade | 1994 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Concourse | 1995 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Mandarin Plaid | 1996 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | No Colder Place | 1997 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | A Bitter Feast | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Stone Quarry / Bad Blood | 1999 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Reflecting the Sky / Blood Rites | 2001 | Description / Buy | |
| 8 | Winter and Night / Blood Ties | 2002 | Description / Buy | |
| 9 | The Shanghai Moon / Trail of Blood | 2009 | Description / Buy | |
| 10 | On the Line / Out for Blood | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 11 | Ghost Hero | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 12 | Paper Son | 2019 | Description / Buy | |
| 13 | The Art of Violence | 2020 | Description / Buy | |
| 14 | Family Business | 2021 | Description / Buy | |
| 15 | The Mayors of New York | 2023 | Description / Buy |
Order of Lydia Chin & Bill Smith Short Stories/Novellas
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Body English (Short Story) | 1992 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | A Tale About a Tiger (Short Story) | 1998 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Birds of Paradise (Short Story) | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Chin Yong-Yun Takes a Case (Short Story) | 2011 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Heartbreak (Short Story) | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Prosperity Restaurant (Short Story) | 2012 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Double-Crossing Delancey (Short Story) | 2013 | Description / Buy |
“China Trade” started off the series when it was published in the year 1994. The author has said that Lydia is how she used to be and Bill represents how she is now on her bad days. Lydia thinks that things can turn around, is full of optimism and energy; Bill on the other hand, sees the kinds of things that can be fixed and those that cannot.
LYDIA CHIN AND BILL SMITH AWARDS:
This series has won quite a few awards since it started up. “Concourse” was given a Shamus for best private investigator novel in 1996, and “No Colder Plaid” was awarded best novel about two years later. Shamus gave her another award in the year 2002. “Winter Night” alone took four awards home, a best novel Edgar, Nero, Macavity Award, and won a Falcon Award from Japan for best hard boiled novel. “Ghost Hero” was given a Dilys Award.
BEST LYDIA CHIN AND BILL SMITH BOOKS:
For those readers looking to get into the “Lydia Chin and Bill Smith” series by S. J. Rozan, this section will help with that. It will go over the novels “No Colder Place”, “A Bitter Feast”, and “Reflecting the Sky”.
No Colder PlaceA Bitter Feast: This is the fifth novel in the “Lydia Chin and Bill Smith” series and was released in the year 1999. Lydia is looking into a case that involves the threatening shifting power structure in Chinatown. A union organizer, as well as three other restaurant workers go missing, and the lawyer for the union tasks Lydia with the job of finding them.
The Chinese Restaurant Workers’ Union base of operations is blown up, and it kills one of the men that were missing and the lawyer winds up injured. Lydia is called in by a powerful man in Chinatown, who also happens to be the prime suspect, with a job for her. He wants her to work for him and keep the search going, on his dime.
Bill backs her up and she works as a dim sum waitress and slings dumplings. She dodges all kinds of conflict that could get her killed from the new and old orders. She keeps the search going for the missing waiters, not to mention their deadly secret. All before they get their final dinner.
Reflecting the Sky: This is the sixth novel in the “Lydia Chin and Bill Smith” series and was released in the year 2001. Bill Smith is in his cabin in the woodsy part of upstate New York, which is faraway from the mean streets in the city. It allows him to play Mozart on his piano and let nature heal him and make him better.
Eve Colgate (who is a painter and a farmer that lives not too faraway from Bill’s place) wants him to find some stolen items. These items are six paintings, that hide her secret that she has been keeping for decades. He agrees to do so.
Lydia, once again, helps him out. It is just a simple case for them, that is until a big time politician’s daughter and a local hoodlum getting murdered changes things. There is corruption stinking up the place, they find and they search all over for the truth.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY LIKE
You will definitely enjoy the classic “V. I. Warshawski” series by Sara Paretsky. Victoria Iphigenia Warshawski (her friends call her Vic) stars in this series of detective novels and short stories and works as a private investigator in Chicago. The first book in the series was published in the year 1982.
Another great series is the “Commissario Brunetti” series by Donna Leon. The star of this series is Guido Brunetti, who works for the police force in Venice, Italy as a Commissario.
What Is The Next Book in The Lydia Chin & Bill Smith Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Lydia Chin & Bill Smith Series. The newest book is The Mayors of New York and was released on December, 5th 2023.