DigeeBooks

"The book China doesn't want you to read." (CNN)

A riveting insider's story of how the Party and big money work in China today, by a man who, with his wife, Whitney Duan, rose to the zenith of power and wealth - and then fell out of favor. She was disappeared four years ago. News of this book led to a phone call from Whitney, proof that she's alive.

As Desmond Shum was growing up impoverished in China, he vowed his life would be different.

Through hard work and sheer tenacity he earned an American college degree and returned to his native country to establish himself in business. There, he met his future wife, the highly intelligent and equally ambitious Whitney Duan who was determined to make her mark within China’s male-dominated society. Whitney and Desmond formed an effective team and, aided by relationships they formed with top members of China’s Communist Party, the so-called red aristocracy, he vaulted into China’s billionaire class. Soon they were developing the massive air cargo facility at Beijing International Airport, and they followed that feat with the creation of one of Beijing’s premier hotels. They were dazzlingly successful, traveling in private jets, funding multi-million-dollar buildings and endowments, and purchasing expensive homes, vehicles, and art.

But in 2017, their fates diverged irrevocably when Desmond, while residing overseas with his son, learned that his now ex-wife Whitney had vanished along with three coworkers.

This is both Desmond’s story and Whitney’s, because she has not been able to tell it herself.

Red Roulette: An Insider's Story of Wealth, Power, Corruption, and Vengeance in Today's China

In the heart of China's financial hub, Shanghai, Desmond Shum, a young investment banker, finds himself at the center of a world of unimaginable wealth, power, and corruption. As he navigates this treacherous landscape, he becomes embroiled in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the country's elite and a ruthless regime determined to maintain its grip on absolute control.

Shum's journey takes him from the glittering skyscrapers of Shanghai to the secretive corridors of power in Beijing, where he witnesses firsthand the inner workings of a system built on patronage, cronyism, and the ruthless pursuit of personal gain. He encounters an enigmatic cast of characters, from flamboyant billionaires to corrupt officials, each with their own hidden agenda and desire for dominance.

As Shum delves deeper into this shadowy world, he discovers that beneath the veneer of economic prosperity lies a deep-rooted culture of fear, repression, and inequality. He witnesses the systematic dismantling of civil liberties, the suppression of dissent, and the erosion of the rule of law. He comes to understand that the pursuit of wealth and power in China is a dangerous game, where the stakes are life and death.

But Shum is not one to back down. He uses his knowledge and expertise to expose the corruption and malfeasance that pervades every level of Chinese society. He becomes a target of the regime's wrath, facing threats, intimidation, and relentless surveillance. Yet, he refuses to be silenced, determined to shed light on the dark underbelly of China's economic miracle.

Red Rouletteis a gripping and deeply personal account of one man's journey through the treacherous labyrinth of power and corruption in China. It is a story of courage, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of those who dare to challenge the status quo. This book is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the true nature of China's economic and political system, and the human cost of its relentless pursuit of growth at all costs.