Badgley paints a vivid milieu, with welcome attention to Mallory’s perspective as a chef (cooking, for her, is “part chemistry and part magic”) and the sociopolitical realities of Southeast Asia in 1990’s, where “eating certain kinds of food… is a political act.” The fast-paced saga unfolds like an unusually human thriller as Mallory faces one challenge and surprising choice after the next, keeping the pages turning as Mallory discovers what she’s capable of. The local characters are portrayed with empathy, and Badgley’s weaving of history and local traditions through lucid descriptions adds depth.

Mallory seems out of her element, of course—she muses that “there was no chapter in The Lonely Planet Guide” that covers the dark deeds she’s pushed to. But she’s full of surprises and has a way with a knife. Amid its crime narrative and a jaunt to Bangkok, The Worth of a Ruby digs into Mallory’s past, especially an impoverished upbringing marked by trauma and abuse. The ruby itself suggests sinister corruption within as the novel intricately explores the boundaries of morality. This engaging thriller will resonate with anyone interested in a fast-paced saga concerned with material as well as spiritual wealth.

Takeaway: A Seattle chef’s Burmese journey veers into surprising thriller territory.

Comparable Titles: Angela Savage’s The Half-Child, Praveen Herat’s Between this World and the Next.

Production grades
Cover: A-
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-