Shadows in the Dragon’s Lair
A Nash & Harrelson Historical Mystery – Book 2
Espionage in a Nation on the Brink
Nash and Harrelson return in a sweeping tale of espionage, political upheaval, and danger in 1920s China.
The Great War has ended, but peace remains elusive. By 1920, the struggle for global influence has shifted eastward to China, where warlords, foreign governments, and revolutionary movements compete for control of a divided nation.
Dr. Francis Nash has returned to his position as a history professor at the University of Pittsburgh, but his quiet academic life continues to conceal his work for the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. After surviving his last mission in Europe, Nash longs to leave espionage behind and build a future with Peggy Harrelson, the quick-witted Baltimore newspaper reporter who has become both his trusted partner and something more.
Those hopes are interrupted when Japanese agents steal classified American military codes. Nash is sent across the Pacific to retrieve them before the information reaches dangerous hands. Meanwhile, Peggy accepts an assignment of her own: establishing contact with a powerful Chinese warlord seeking American military support.
Their separate missions converge within the turmoil of China’s Warlord Era. Japanese intelligence operatives, Russian Bolsheviks, ambitious military leaders, and foreign interests all maneuver for advantage. Alliances can change without warning, betrayal is commonplace, and neither Nash nor Peggy can be certain who is working against them.
As gunfire and political unrest close in, they must recover the stolen codes, survive enemies on every side, and confront a deeply personal question: Can their growing love endure a life built upon secrets?
