The Seer

Dr. Thomas Ling is a British-Chinese scientist who has thrown himself into the role of courier. Beatrix Patterson is a faux fortune teller with connections at the highest levels. The year is 1942, and as World War II grows more intense, the two of them will have to work together if they are to prevent a Nazi invasion of New Orleans.

That description ticked all my boxes. A World War II novel not focused on Europe? Yes. A person of color as a protagonist? Yes. A fake psychic? Double yes. I was eager to dive into the book and get reading.

Unfortunately, the book itself did not suit me as well as I had hoped. The beginning is full of suspense and is beautifully written, but all the prose seemed overdone. Beatrix alternately put me in mind of Sherlock Holmes and seemed too convenient a font of exposition. The ending very nearly worked, and I deeply wish it had, but everything was tied up too neatly for me to be satisfied with it. In the end, I can only give it three stars, for what it almost was.