The Phoenix Pencil Company 9780008700881 Paperback

AbsorbingGUARDIANMagicalGOOD HOUSEKEEPINGSuspensefulMAIL ON SUNDAYWildly inventiveLIZ MOOREA REESE WITHERSPOON BOOK CLUB PICKIn this dazzling debut novel, a young reclusive coder unearths the story of a lost Shanghai pencil company and a legacy of magic, espionage and family secrets that will alter the path of her life forever.Monica Tsai spends most days on her computer coding for a program that seeks to connect strangers online. A self-confessed recluse, shes more comfortable navigating digital worlds than real-life friendships. The closest people in her life are her beloved grandparents who raised her.Her grandmother Yun rarely speaks about her past. Now, in her nineties, her memory is fading and with it, the answers to Monicas questions about their familys history about her grandmothers long-lost cousin, Meng, and the years they spent working together at a mysterious pencil company back in Shanghai.With the help of Louise, a young archivist, Monica decides to track down Meng and reconnect the cousins before it is too late. Her search unearths a legacy of magic, espionage and secrets that will alter the path of Monicas life forever.An intimate story of familial love and connection throughout the generations you’ll be grippedINDEPENDENTA suspenseful family epic fueled by love and espionageMAIL ON SUNDAYA reminder of how family ties shape usWOMAN & HOMEAllison King is a talent to watchLIZ MOORE, author ofThe God of the WoodsA beautiful ode to the warmth of family connectionRAY NAYLER, author ofThe Mountain in the SeaA stunning debut had me smiling through my tearsFONDA LEE, author ofThe Green Bone Saga