Set in lower Manhattan's Chinese enclave, Henry Chang's latest novel is a sequel following the exploits of NYPD detective Jack Yu, who made his debut in "Chinatown Beat" in 2006.
Resuming where the previous book left off — in which a kept woman's murder and robbery of her patron spurred a gang war — Chang's narrative depicts the travails and tribulations of the city's ethnic Chinese, who are made to appear less concerned with peer pressure and social acceptance than they are obsessed with material success.
"Year of the Dog" begins with Yu arriving at the scene of the carbon monoxide suicide-murder of an affluent Taiwanese couple and their two sons — the reasons for the deaths are never fully explained, but hint at economic losses so irreparable that the parents saw no recourse except suicide.