Taiwan during the Qing dynasty was deeply patriarchal. Women were disregarded from birth, their only purpose was to find a good marriage. But once married, the pressure was on to provide sons. This gave rise to various folk practices which claimed to ensure male offspring. Chieh-Niang watches as her sister-in-law, obsessed with giving birth to a son, gives in to these superstitions. And she herself is under pressure to marry – can she ever break free?

Walking by the river one day, she comes across the body of a woman. A priestess is summoned to ensure the woman's spirit passes peacefully and does not haunt the town. The priestess, with her mysterious ways, does seem able to communicate with the spirit world, and Chieh-Niang, seeing a glimmer of hope, enrolls as her apprentice. But soon after, small handprints start appearing on her legs as she sleeps, while more women go missing or are found dead. What will Chieh-Niang do, and will she find the life she wants?

Tan-Tsiu-Niu was selected as a recommended book by the former Minister of Culture and was recommended as a must-read book for the 2020 World Book Day by the National Museum of Taiwan Literature.