{"id":4916,"date":"2025-11-24T10:33:46","date_gmt":"2025-11-24T10:33:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=4916"},"modified":"2025-11-24T10:33:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T10:33:46","slug":"book-review-eastern-shadows-by-peter-nordgren","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/?p=4916","title":{"rendered":"Book Review: Eastern Shadows by Peter Nordgren"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-background\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-4b2eccd6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-text-color has-large-font-size\"><strong><em>Eastern Shadows<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-regular-font-size\">by Peter Nordgren<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Genre:<\/strong> Mystery, Thriller &amp; Suspense<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>ISBN: <\/strong>9798999917416<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Print Length:<\/strong> 394 pages<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"align-button-center ub-buttons orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47HLqF6\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Amazon<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/5423\/9798999917416\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Bookshop<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Reviewed by Tessa Wegert<\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"ub_advanced_heading wp-block-ub-advanced-heading\"><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><strong>Welcome to a world of neon, ancient temples, and exhaust, where a city with a dark side hides a missing girl\u2014and possibly a killer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Southeast Asia is the setting for this richly-drawn mystery with the heart of a P.I. novel. Featuring a former investigative journalist, Peter Nordgren\u2019s debut, <em>Eastern Shadows<\/em>, is a no-holds-barred journey through a criminal underworld led by a protagonist readers will be eager to see in a sequel.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u201cNeon signs glowed in all directions. Shane took to the middle of the narrow asphalt road. Once again, he found himself navigating the mean streets of Thailand. But now he would face them alone.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When nineteen-year-old Ploy, Thai-born but raised in America, goes back to her homeland, she discovers that it\u2019s fraught with secrecy and danger. Back in the states, her mother Sumali worries about Ploy\u2019s safety after noticing something\u2019s off about her social media posts.<\/p>\n<p><span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Enter Shane Morris, a freelance writer and frequent customer at Sumali\u2019s restaurant. In between jobs and eager to return to Thailand, where he once lived and worked as an investigative journalist, Shane agrees to fly back and launch a search to find the missing girl. Shane is haunted by a crime he failed to solve when he was last in Thailand, and he\u2019s determined to do right by Sumali.<\/p>\n<p>Sumali believes that Ploy may be looking to reconnect with her estranged father, a real estate mogul with a shady reputation. Shane calls on his old local pal, Hall, to help him locate the friends Ploy made while on her trip and navigate Bangkok\u2019s dark underbelly. Shane thinks he knows the landscape and culture from his working days, but this visit reveals another side of the city where corruption, sex trafficking, and drug deals abound. Reconnecting with a girlfriend from his past puts Shane on a ruthless criminal\u2019s radar, and soon, his investigation draws the attention of Ploy\u2019s father with surprising results.<\/p>\n<p>Between the ticking clock and a number of credible red herrings, Shane\u2019s search for Ploy feels urgent and authentic. Despite multiple points of view, a technique that may have readers wanting more time with Shane, it\u2019s the intrepid journalist who serves as the guiding light in this story. He\u2019s a relatable sleuth who isn\u2019t immune to the city\u2019s temptations and who looks for allies in dangerous places while tackling criminal elements. In his friend Hall, Shane finds an unflinching foil adept at ferreting out clue after clue even when the inquiries lead to violence. The deeper Shane travels into Bangkok\u2019s shadows, the closer he gets to a killer. The stakes couldn\u2019t be much higher.<\/p>\n<p>This atmospheric mystery doesn\u2019t skimp on action and well-timed twists. Unpredictable storytelling coupled with solid characterization make <em>Eastern Shadows<\/em> a satisfying, sharply executed thriller.<\/p>\n<div class=\"align-button-center ub-buttons orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/47HLqF6\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Amazon<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/bookshop.org\/a\/5423\/9798999917416\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Bookshop<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thank you for reading Tessa Wegert\u2019s book review of<em> Eastern Shadows <\/em>by Peter Nordgren! If you liked what you read, please spend some more time with us at the links below.<\/p>\n<div class=\"align-button-center ub-buttons orientation-button-row ub-flex-wrap wp-block-ub-button\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/category\/book-review\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Book Reviews<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/category\/blog\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">IBR Blog<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"ub-button-container\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/writers-only\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"ub-button-block-main   ub-button-flex\" rel=\"noopener\">\n<div class=\"ub-button-content-holder\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"ub-button-icon-holder\">\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/span><span class=\"ub-button-block-btn\">Resources for Writers<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t<\/p><\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/2025\/11\/24\/book-review-eastern-shadows-by-peter-nordgren\/\">Book Review: Eastern Shadows by Peter Nordgren<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/independentbookreview.com\/\">Independent Book Review<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Eastern Shadows by Peter Nordgren Genre: Mystery, Thriller &amp; Suspense ISBN: 9798999917416 Print Length: 394 pages Amazon Bookshop Reviewed by Tessa Wegert Welcome to a world of neon, ancient temples, and exhaust, where a city with a dark side hides a missing girl\u2014and possibly a killer Southeast Asia is the setting for this richly-drawn mystery [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":4917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bookreviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4916"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bookloves.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}