The Pearl of the Orient

Set amid the ill-fated metropolis of Saigon during the year before its infamous fall in 1975, "The Pearl of the Orient" reveals the surprising splendor of Vietnamese culture as witnessed by an aloof Canadian diplomat, Xavier Richmont, who is struggling to overcome his own private tragedy.

But his growing attraction to a feisty Eurasian fashion designer, Tissa, sets Xavier on a collision course with his conservative political views when the US-backed regime uses despicable tactics in an effort to capture Tissa's brother, a known radical.

Xavier enlists the help of his old friend, a French journalist, and together the two search diligently for clues that will help Tissa find her missing family members. However, their inquiries inadvertently lead them to uncover a secret plot between the United States and the Soviet Union to let North Vietnam overtake Saigon, ending the war once and for all. If Graham Greene's " The Quiet American " alluded to the beginning of our involvement in Vietnam, " The Pearl of the Orient" shows us how we rid ourselves of it.

Inspired by appallingly true facts, author and former diplomat Bahram Ameli's political thriller sifts through the smokescreen of the 1970s to tell a stirring story that brings history and the human spirit to life in vibrant detail.