CharlesMcCarryiswidelyconsideredoneofthegreatestespionagewritersoftheall-time,andinTHESHANGHAIFACTORhereturnstohisrootswithanabsorbingtaleofglobalskullduggerythatleavesthereaderguessingateveryturn.Ayoung,unnamedspyislivinginShanghaiinordertoobserveandabsorbthecultureandlanguagesoastoaidashadowyU.S.agencyknownonlyas'HQ'.HoweverwhenhemeetsasultryandmysteriouswomannamedMei,theybeginatorridaffairthatthreatenstoexposehimtoHQ'senemies.SoontheheadofHQ,LutherBurbank,givesthespyataskthatwillforcehimtoriskeverything:goundercoverastheAmericanambassadorforamassiveChinesemultinationalconglomerate,andlearnthesecretsoftheirpowerfulCEOChenQi,whomHQbelievestobeafrontmanforthenearlyuncrackableChineseIntelligence,knownastheGuoanbu.SoonthespyfindsthatHQisn'ttheonlyonetrackinghiseverymove,andthedeadlyGuoanbumaybeawareofhistrueidentity.Dangerliesaroundeverycorner,astheenigmaticMeiflitsinandoufofhislife,yeteverytimehethinkshe'sclosertothetruth,hefindshimselfdrawnfurtherintoadeadlycat-and-mousegamebetweenHQandtheGuoanbuthatmightnotonlyendhislife,butcouldupendtheEast/Westbalanceofpower.