It’s rare to find a book so finely imagined, particularly from a debut novelist. Foreign Seed takes us to China in 1918, where young American Vice-Consul Samuel Sokobin is sent inland to investigate the disappearance of fellow countryman Frank Meyer. What begins as a routine assignment becomes something far more personal, as Sokobin - accompanied by Mr Lin, a Chinese interpreter - finds himself pursuing issues of memory, grief, belief, and identity. Alsup’s poised, thoughtful prose lingers long after the final page.