The Gold Buddha

A Johnny Falco mystery ...

A thief stalks the Straits Settlements, stealing artifacts from local Buddhist temples. When a life-size gold statue goes missing, colonial investigator Eustace Butler summons a friend for help. But Johnny Falco barely arrives when Butler is murdered. To get the full-story, the Governor tasks him with recovering the priceless Buddha.
As Falco begins his search, sinners and saints join the suspect list: A nun who offers his first clue; a questionable merchant in an awful hurry to reach Hong Kong by steamship; and the merchant's traveling companion, a shady businessman's widow.
The trail leads Falco from Hong Kong to Shanghai to Nanking. But he won't give up. When his mind is set on revenge, the gold Buddha is just a consolation prize.