Skeleton Women by Mingmei Yip

From Amazon - Once upon a time in China, the most beautiful and gifted women were known as "skeleton women" - the ultimate femme fatales who could bring a man to his knees, or to his doom...When Camilla, a young orphan girl in Shanghai, is adopted and brought to live in luxury, it seems like a stroke of luck. But as Camilla grows to womanhood, she realizes that her "rescue" was part of gang leader Big Brother Wang's scheme. Camilla is trained in singing, dancing, knife-throwing and contortion - all to attract the attention of Wang's enemy, the ruthless Master Lung. Forced to become Master Lung's mistress, Camilla meets two other intriguing women. Shadow is a magician and rival for Master Lung's affections, while Rainbow Chang dresses like a man and wields power through her incendiary gossip column. Both pose risks to Camilla's safety and status. But an even greater danger comes in the form of Master Lung's eldest son, Jinying, who despises his father's violent lifestyle - but loves Camilla. Only by plotting to eliminate Lung can she make her escape, but at what cost?

First, I want to gush about the cover of Mingmei's newest release.  It's sexy, sophisticated and secretive.  I absolutely love it!

Skeleton Women is what femme fatale's are addressed as in China.  This is about three such women, Camilla, Rainbow and Miss Shadow.  Camilla is the main character, an orphan who was adopted by organized crime and trained for one goal only - to kill Master Lung. She yearns for someone to love and to reciprocate but knows to get out of the gangster family, she either needs to do what she was raised for, or die trying.

Rainbow Chang is a gossip columnist who can make or break a person just with the stroke of her pen.  Shadow is a magician who wants Master Lung for herself and doesn't care who is in her way.  Camilla doesn't love Master Lung, she is there to do a job, but to break from her covert operation would be suicide.  Not to mention that Master Lung's son is home from Harvard and he stirs something deep within her heart.  Camilla must walk on eggshells around the other two Skeleton Women to complete her mission, but at what cost?

Stocked with action, suspense, romance, plot twists and vivid attention to details of Shanghai in the Nineteen Thirties, Skeleton Women is a feather in Mingmei's cap! I read Song of the Silk Road when it came out, and it was excellent, but Skeleton Women is incredible and on a different level.  I really empathized with Camilla and was firmly in her corner, hoping she would find happiness in such a desolate situation.  A spellbinding novel that is sure to be a best-seller, don't miss this beautifully written novel!!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.