Bill Smith & Lyndia Chin Mysteries by S.J. Rozan

1. China Trade is set in New York's Chinatown Lydia is hired to find precious stolen porcelain. She follows a trail of clues from highbrow art dealers into a world of Chinese gangs. Suddenly, this case has become as complex as her community itself--and as deadly as a killer on the loose... Very fast paced and even though this is the first book you feel like the characters feel the history between the characters. I look forward to reading more by this author.

2. Concourse is from Bill's point of view and you get a lot of insight into his personality and his relationship with Lydia. A very complex world of real estate and community involvement in the Bronx. When a security guard is found beaten to death with a gunshot in his foot Bill is brought in by an old friend, Bobby Moran, who is the uncle of the murdered man and the head of the security company hired to guard the area. This form of killing if uniform of a gang killing bringing focus upon the local gang, the Cobras. When another security guard is killed will Bill discover if it is a simple as a gang killing or is something more sinister going on.

3. Mandarin Plaid is from Lydia's point of view. Her brother Andrew asks her to deliver the ransom for a set of stolen sketches that comprise the inaugural collection of fashion designer, Genna Jing. When Lydia is shot at in the park, her partner Bill is arrested and the money was stolen out from under her, Lydia starts digging to find out if everyone involved is really who they seem. Another well written addition to this excellent series. We find out more about Lydia's brother Andrew is hasn't come out to anyone in the family but her. Plus we see Bill & Lyndia's relationship grow and develope.

4. No Colder Place is back to Bill's point of view. Bill Smith is going undercover again as a favor to an old friend who wants him to investigate thievery on the 40-story Manhattan site of Crowell Construction's latest project. His bricklaying is a little rusty, but passable as he checks out the foreman who's under suspicion. A crane operator has disappeared--along with some heavy machinery. But when a well-orchestrated riot causes the foreman's “accidental” death, Smith plunges into a morass of bribery, blackmail and blood looking for answers.