the last mandarin
My great and brilliant friend Mellissa Fung and I have written a political thriller.
here’s a description of what you are in for!
In a fast-paced, all-too-real thriller co-written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Louise Penny and award-winning journalist Mellissa Fung, global politics become personal for two unlikely heroines. Alice Li, a first-generation Chinese-American, is an erstwhile food blogger who has lived in the shadow of her mother, Vivien Li. A Chinese dissident who escaped China after Tiananmen Square, Vivien is now a globally recognized human rights activist and passionate advocate for a free and democratic China.
When alarms go off simultaneously all around the world, setting off a panic, the signal is traced back to China. As world leaders scramble to respond, Vivien and Alice are called to the White House in hopes Madame Li can decode the Chinese intentions.
After looking at the evidence, Vivien says that the only thing worse than the Chinese government being behind it, is if they are not. It would mean, she explains, that the President of China has lost control. And an unstable China cannot be good for anyone.
Or perhaps that’s exactly what the shrewd old politician wants everyone to think.
The estranged pair, who excel at misunderstanding each other, must figure out how to work together.
The increasingly frantic search for answers takes the women from the Oval Office to an office building in Akron, Ohio, from the noodle shops of Hong Kong to the necropolis of the first emperor. Along the way they must decode an old legend, and an old language invented by women, for women.
The Last Mandarin is an electrifying study of absolute power and voracious greed, political terror and personal conviction. But it is also an intimate examination of choice, of sacrifice, of memory and myths, both cultural and personal. It is the story of a mother and daughter, as well as a compelling international thriller about the precarious balance of power across the world, and within a family. And what happens when both break down.
The Last Mandarin is now out in the world and we could not be more grateful for its reception.
The Last Mandarin is a New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestseller, and recently reached the #1 Hardcover Fiction spot at McNally Robinson, Canada’s largest independent bookstore chain.
"A pageturning plunge into geopolitical intrigue and cutting-edge technology."
“A gripping political thriller… It’s a big story about forgiveness, trust, and the poison pill of revenge.”
"A cinematic standalone featuring Chinese culture, a powerful mother-daughter bond, and political intrigue, The Last Mandarin is a gripping thriller from start to finish.”
"This book is character-driven and nuanced, with as much attention paid to mother-daughter dynamics and the details of everyday life as is paid to action and intrigue... at once a fast-paced tale of power, greed, terror, and conviction and an introspective examination of the personal and cultural narratives that make people who they are... psychologically nuanced as [is] page-turning."
"While the strained relationship between Vivien and her daughter Alice forms the emotional core of the book, readers will be captivated by the race-against-time structure of the story... A treat for Penny’s fans, and a solid political thriller in its own right."
"[An] intelligent espionage thriller... Penny’s trademark humor mingles well with Fung’s political expertise. The result is an eerily plausible nail-biter."
"THE LAST MANDARIN is a gripping, high-octane rollercoaster ride as Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung keep the danger on the front burner with tension that doesn't abate until almost the last page.”
“A rare stand-alone novel and with no Inspector Gamache! The cowritten thriller centers on an estranged Chinese American mother (a Tiananmen Square activist) and daughter who are called upon by the U.S. government to assist during an international crisis apparently sparked by China.”
“Make no mistake about it, The Last Mandarin is a proper political thriller with all the tension, machinations, and intrigue genre devotees demand, but it’s also—at its core—an intimate story of a mother and daughter navigating the challenging dynamics such a relationship develops over time.”
“The tight plotting, recognizable world and complex character relationships make this thriller chillingly relevant and wholly engrossing.”
Crimereads listed The Last Mandarin in it's top ten New Books.
BookRiot listed The Last Mandarin in May’s Best New Mysteries, Thrillers, and Cozies
The Last Mandarin is a Loan Stars pick for May 2026.
Photo credit: Benjamin McAuley – The Last Mandarin Tour
Photo credit: TIFAL photography by Dahlia Katz – The Last Mandarin Tour
THE LAST MANDARIN is now available wherever books are sold. Mellissa and I are thrilled to finally share this story with readers.
Special thanks to our UK publishers (Hodder) for this fantastic trailer, unveiling the cover for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
