Daughter of Calamity BY Rosalie M. Lin

In this dark and atmospheric reimagining of 1930s Shanghai, Jingwen navigates a perilous dual life. By night, she dazzles as a showgirl at the opulent Paramount, vying for the favor of wealthy patrons. By day, she reluctantly aids her grandmother, a surgeon to the city's most powerful gang, in clandestine operations.

As the city pulses with decadence and danger, a sinister threat emerges: dancers at the Paramount are targeted, their faces stolen with eerie precision. Jingwen, haunted by the possibility of becoming the next victim, delves into a shadowy world where appearances are everything. She discovers that the stolen faces are reappearing on foreign socialites, exposing the dark underbelly of Shanghai's façade of luxury.

Caught between loyalty to her family and the growing fear of losing her identity, Jingwen must unravel the mystery before she loses everything. The stakes escalate as she confronts the ruthless forces manipulating the city's elite, risking not only her safety but also the fragile equilibrium of Shanghai's glittering society.

With echoes of Nghi Vo's evocative storytelling and S. A. Chakraborty's richly detailed worlds, this novel immerses readers in a vividly imagined historical setting teeming with intrigue, betrayal, and the allure of forbidden secrets. Jingwen's journey through the complexities of power, identity, and sacrifice offers a gripping exploration of how far one will go to survive in a city where appearances conceal deadly truths.