Hong Kong and southern China in 1857. An exotic world of crinolines and top hats; opium dens and clipper ships; betrayal and sudden death. Rich in detail, Hangman's Point brings to life a shocking murder, a sensational trial, a mass poisoning, a cruel slave trade and the desperate schemes of Chinese trying to the hated "foreign devils." The novel's main character, Andrew Adams, a ne'er-do-well American seaman, gambler and part-time smuggler, manages the Bee Hive tavern in the raucous Chinese section of Hong Kong. To avoid a long prison term, he will enter southern China in search of pirates who have beheaded eleven foreigners. To escape a hanging, he will attempt a daring prison escape and disguise himself as a Chinese. To rescue the woman he loves, he will risk everything.

"Setting is more than a backdrop in this fast paced adventure story of mid nineteenth century British colonial Hong Kong....A riveting, action packed narrative....Chinese scholar, linguist, and author of previous books, Barrett draws on his vast knowledge of southern China during a time of enormous change and conflict, providing richly fascinating detail of the customs, fashions, ships, and weapons of the times."

— ALA Booklist