If You Don't Go

Silver Medal Winner, Global Book AwardsA vanished Chinese CEO. A lost Bitcoin fortune. A past that refuses to be buried.Alice Zhu hasn't set foot in China since 1989 due to trauma-induced aerophobia. But when her childhood friend Deckard Shen, who is the CEO of her top client, suddenly ghosts her, leaving behind a hefty unpaid legal bill that threatens her career and her family's financial security, she is left with no choice but to return to China to confront him.In Shanghai, Alice finds that Deckard has vanished and his company is in turmoil. Rumors of government investigations and corporate and personal secrets suggest Alice may not truly know her lifelong friend. Desperate for answers, Alice teams up with Duan Lili, a sharp young woman who knows more than she lets on. Together, they embark on a cross-country hunt for a man who does not wish to be found, and soon realize the search is far more dangerous than they ever imagined.Interwoven with Alice's journey are Deckard's fractured recollections of their shared youth from 1980s China--political upheaval, teenage misadventure, and a past that still holds them captive. To break free, they have to do more than uncover the truth. They must change how they see themselves.Join Alice, Deckard, and Lili's adventure by getting your copy today. Because If You Don't Go, you'll never know how the story ends.What you'll love:a multi-faceted female leadvivid, atmospheric settingsa complex, ambitious plot with heartGreat vacation read:propulsive, smart, packed with surprising twistsescapist vibeBook-club friendly:timely questions about truth, censorship, and technologybook club guide includedStructure & voice:dual POVs and dual timelinesliterary, intelligent yet immensely readableContent:gentle thriller with no graphic violence, explicit sex, or strong languageBitcoin/ cryptocurrency subplot; a light, witty toneThemes:how experiences change minds; confronting long-buried truths; censorship and its cost; China--past and present; the value of money Perfect for fans of Qiu Xiaolong, Lisa See, Laura Dave, Liane Moriarty, and Lisa Brackmann, this novel blends:the emotional resonance of personal secretsthe pulse of a missing-person searchthe suspense of twisting plots with richly drawn characters, the vivid immediacy of life in modern China.