Foreign Seed

74th National Jewish Book Awards Finalist - Goldberg Prize for Debut FictionI got completely and gratefully lost in its rich setting and memorable characters. You will, too. Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Somebodys FoolEqual parts mystery and epic novel inspired by historical events, Foreign Seed plunges readers into the search for a man who seems to vanish out of thin air.China, June 1918.When the explorer Frank Meyer suddenly disappears from a ferry on the Yangtze River, American Vice-Consul Samuel Sokobin is tasked with finding the missing man. By the time Sokobin receives the case, four days have passed since Meyer was last seen on the vast river. With no clues to guide his search and fearing failure in his new post as a man of rank, Sokobin heads upriver with Mr. Lin, a Chinese interpreter hes never met. The investigation soon turns deeply personal for Sokobin, who cant help but conflate Meyers fate with that of his own daring younger brothera fighter pilot gone MIA in the world war. As Sokobin continues to search for answers, this mental connection threatens to break him, and hes forced to contend with the biggest question of all: what do we do when the answers we most desperately seek are the very ones that elude us?A sweeping tale of loss and grief, Foreign Seed is a moving testament to friendship, faith, and the resilience of the human spirit. Allison Alsups exquisitely-researched debut novel will stay in readers hearts and minds long after theyve turned the last page.