Amid the mountains of China, Anna falls in love with a Hui yak herder from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. At first, he appears to be a kindred soul and charismatic lover. But with treachery, traps, and fraud at every turn, their passionate romance is doomed from the start.

Not only does Alimu convince Anna to barter away her passport—rendering her ensnared in his embrace—but he convinces her that only his word can be trusted as those around him began furtively warning her about his past. Armed only with rumors from strangers, she is forced to piece together the truth.

As her suspicions grow, Alimu's threats intensify. Repeatedly abandoning her with a series of increasingly improbable excuses, he tests Anna's trust and loyalty—even as he betrays her in the worst ways a woman can imagine.

This engrossing memoir delves into the perils of abuse, deceit, infatuation, and misplaced trust while simultaneously illuminating the beauty of China's landscape, hospitality, and culture. With electrifying twists as the author confronts an impossible choice on her world travels, A Ghost in the Middle Kingdom is a true tale of love and loss like you've never heard.