Southern Dreams

Famous contemporary writer Nan Meng holds a book signing for her new novel, The Pear of the World, in the town of Yi. She chose this place for Xu Rousheng, the one who had made her miss her chance. From across a little river, she could see the man she loved teaching, but Rousheng's heart had long been taken by a woman in red. They could only see each other every day, while she could do nothing about her longing. She thought everything had already been decided, but then her friend Shili was suddenly murdered. This beloved older sister, family member, and friend was suddenly gone, leaving Nan Meng heartbroken. She absolutely refused to believe that Shili had killed herself. At the funeral, the arrival of an ugly man named Nuo revealed the secret of the suspended world, and from then on Nan Meng was swept into a chain of events she could not stop.

The Buddha spoke of the eight sufferings: birth, aging, illness, death, not getting what one desires, separation from loved ones, meeting those one resents, and the burning suffering of the five aggregates. Most people experience only a few in their lifetime, but Nan Meng is cursed by an inexplicable male voice and must undergo eight lifetimes of reincarnation to uncover the truth behind Shili's murder. The pear-blossom brooch on her chest is the heavenly sign guiding her forward. Each time she solves one mystery, one of the stamens at the flower's center disappears. Resolved to die, she breaks through the Gate of Death and arrives at Nuo's pawnshop. After pawning her love, she heads to the suspended world, only to find that events are unfolding far beyond her control.

This is the first installment of The Suspended World Trilogy. Who really murdered Shili? Who was the one who set everything in motion? The answers lie within the story.