The Fox Wife

Bookseller recommendation

“Folklore, mystery, and romance result in a beguiling tale of foxes and humans. An aging detective with a talent for discerning the truth is hired to find the identity of a young woman found dead. His journey leads him in many unexpected directions and to meetings with a multitude of fascinating and sometimes quite mysterious people. Yangsze has created a magical tale with some of the most intriguing and unforgettable characters I have ever encountered. You don’t want to miss this one! ”

— Nancy • Raven Book Store

Bookseller recommendation

“I'm not sure that any description of this book would have prepared me for how well Choo blends Chinese lore, murder mystery, family saga and character examination. Told from the perspectives of Snow, a fox woman and Bao a private investigator, this book is a genre- bending, engrossing read. I'm positively floored that it was read so convincingly by the author! ”

— Destinee • East City Bookshop

Bookseller recommendation

“The stories of two characters slowly converge in this tale set in early 1900’s China. Bao has been fascinated by fox spirits and deities since his childhood, though he doesn’t quite commit to believing in them himself. Now an aging widower, he solves problems for other people - and can’t help but keep digging when foxes keep coming up in his cases. Snow is a mother whose child was killed by a hunter; when she hears a rumor that the killer may have faked his death to escape creditors, she sets out on a path towards revenge that may cost her her long-worked-for enlightened immortality, a path few foxes have successfully navigated. Yangsze Choo plays with fox mythology from multiple traditions to create something uniquely hers, the era in Manchuria (and Japan) in which the book is set is fascinating, and the unfolding dual storylines pull readers along at a quick pace. Another great read by the author of The Ghost Bride.”

— Ginger • Quail Ridge Books

Bookseller recommendation

“I just finished The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo last night and it was AMAZING. It's fiction, but also has a detective element with Chinese folklore focusing on foxes. I haven't read a book in so long where the two main characters stories (who don't know one another) are moving toward one another, and the tension just BUILDS! This one really checked all the boxes: poetic, well written, depth of characters and their motives, themes of love, loss, revenge, AUGH. SO GOOD. The narration on Libro.fm was so good! End rant. ”

— Morgan • Bookmarks

Bookseller recommendation

“This slow burn of a novel is part mystery, part fable, all character. The novel alternates between the stories of Snow, a fox woman seeking revenge, and Bao, a private investigator who can hear lies, until their stories inevitably intertwine.”

— Fisher Nash • Carmichael's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“Are you ready to cozy up and savor a story with a bit of mystery, romance, and mysticism with an ending that made me sit in my garage listening until completion? Yangsze Choo seamlessly blends magic into historical fiction in The Fox Wife. The story is told through the eyes of Snow – a fox in woman form, seeking revenge for her daughter – and Bao – an investigator with a talent for discerning lies, seeking justice for the mysterious death of an unknown woman. This is a beautifully written book with language transporting you into the story, to the point where you are feeling the crunch of leaves underfoot, the rocking of a train, the dampening of noise in a city under snow. Choo’s descriptions are a work of art, creating a compelling cast of characters who you cannot help but feel for.”

— Emma • Content

Bookseller recommendation

“The Fox Wife by Yangsze Choo is a lovely story brilliantly uses the folk legend of fox who can present as human and live long lives, if they avoid misadventure. Snow is hunting the killer of her child, a photographer of low character who coveted a snow-white fox kit and left it piteously injured to die. Snow will follow him from 1908 Manchuria to Japan, seeking revenge for her child. Along the way, the beautiful woman with flashing eyes bewitches all she meets.”

— Deon • Sunriver Books & Music

Bookseller recommendation

“A moving, deeply emotional story about a woman seeking vengeance for the death of her daughter. Snow is a Fox spirit, an almost immortal being who feeds off qi and are both revered and feared, especially in early 20th century China, at the end of the Qing dynasty. As she seeks her daughter's murderer, a detective with a mysterious tie to foxes is hired to hunt her, and we see in alternating perspectives as their stories follow, parallel, and eventually intersect. Surprisingly funny, very sweet, and full of nostalgia in a way only fantastical beings can be, this is a fairy tale that left my heart hurting in the best way. ”

— Amy • Bookbug

Bookseller recommendation

“Yangsze Choo grew up exposed to Chinese, Japanese and Korean folk tales, all of which she weaves expertly into this mystery with romantic touches and a smidgen of magical realism. The heroes of those ancient tales were always men, but not in The Fox Wife. It's such an engaging reading experience, so hard to put down, that you could call it a binge read. If you're into audiobooks, the author reads this novel herself and does it as well as any professional reader could. ”

— Bob • Changing Hands

Bookseller recommendation

“Enchanting and impossible to put down. A perfect blend of history, myth, mystery, and romance. Beautifully read by the author. ”

— Kristine • Buttonwood Books and Toys

Bookseller recommendation

“Author Yangsze Choo reads her magical novel as no one else could. In her tale of foxes, spirits and Chinese folklore, mystery and magical realism intertwine, and Choo's performance includes all of the subtlety, humor and enunciation that guarantees a rich experience. I listened to fox-woman Snow tell her story of love and revenge to follow her journey, but also just to savor the author's beautiful voice. ”

— Cheryl • Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza