No. 10 Doyers Street: Talking Crime, Immigration, and NYC History with Author Radha Vatsal

Join us for a dynamic conversation about No. 10 Doyers Street and the historical inspiration for this riveting story.

“Radha Vatsal’s riveting story of early 1900s Chinatown will pin you to your seat. Her deft writing has rendered legendary gangster Mock Duck an empathetic character. Vatsal’s intrepid journalist narrator uses wit and pen to stride through prejudice and red tape, and pulls along the reader to find what we’re all looking for: The Truth.” — Ed Lin, author of Ghost Month and David Tung Can’t Have a Girlfriend Until He Gets Into an Ivy League College

We welcome author Radha Vatsal to our stage, in conversation with social impact strategist Chunyee Yip. Together, Radha and Chunyee will explore themes of crime, immigration, the Asian-American experience, NYC’s Chinatown, and, what it takes to weave this all together into a work of historical fiction. Come ready for a rich discussion and bring your own questions!

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

About Radha

Radha Vatsal is the author of the acclaimed Kitty Weeks mystery novels set in World War I-era New York: Murder Between the Lines and A Front Page Affair. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, and the Los Angeles Review of Books.

Born and raised in Mumbai, India, she earned her ph.D. in Film History from Duke University and has worked as a film curator, political speechwriter, and freelance journalist. She lives in New York City.

About No. 10 Doyers Street

Radha Vatsal’s historical crime novel, No. 10 Doyers Street, is set against the backdrop of New York City’s Chinatown in the early 1900s. When Archana Morley, a woman journalist form India, becomes embroiled in a case involving the infamous gangster Mock Duck and his young daughter, she soon realizes that the case could be tied to the mayor’s plan to raze Chinatown.

Vatsal offers an original pan-Asian exploration of Ne York City history, bringing to life the challenges immigrants faced as the city made way for the modern era. Inspired by real events, No. 10 Doyers Street is a gripping crime novel about New York City on the cusp of modernity, as seen through a unique immigrant perspective.

About Chunyee

Through her impact work in apparel (Ann Taylor, Global Brands Group), non-profit (U.S. Fund for UNICEF, Museum of the Chinese in Americas, Third Street Music Settlement), and the built environment (Lendlease), Chunyee has advanced environmental and social strategies across sectors. Currently, Chunyee serves as the Chief Impact Officer for Raise for Good, where she engages in capacity building for multiple clients.

Chun Yee was named a Sustainability Power Player in 2023 by Politics NY and selected Top 100 Responsible in 2022 by City and State New York. She was raised in and near Chinatown, NYC.