Inspector Chen series of mystery novels

[mikeymark]

I want to recommend an awesome series of detective novels that I have been addicted to since beginning my China adventure. This author, Qui Xialong writes detective stories whose main character is Inspector Chen. Qui Xialong is a university professor here in the United States and these stories take place in Shanghai and contain rich cultural references to China especially as their people adjust into the modern China culture. The Chinese government is now allowing some of his books to be translated into Chinese but they require the removal of areas they feel are to critical. I buy the Amazon Kindle version and read them on my Apple devices. I am not much of a reader but once I start I can't put these books down. I recommend at least reading the first couple books in order of release to get a good feel for the characters mentioned in later novels. The quote below will give you an idea of which are the first books in the series. I think there about 8 books so far and I just started reading his lastest release.

 

"Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai, China. He is the author of the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, Death of a Red Heroine (2000), A Loyal Character Dancer (2002), When Red Is Black (2004), A Case of Two Cities (2006), Red Mandarin Dress (2007), and The Mao Case (2009). He is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He currently lives in St. Louis with his wife and daughter."

 

I hope you find these book as enjoyable as I do!

Edited June 27, 2013 by mikeymark (see edit history)

[danb]

Mikeymark, Hello. I don't read all that much anymore and I am not up to date on the new digital readers apps like Kindle. I do have an Android tablet. These books might be a good way to pass the time on the airplane to China. I am guessing that I can join Kindle and download the book. Can you tell me if I can share that book between my tablet, and laptop or is it only gets loaded to one device? My tablet is small. a 7 inch Nexus. Will/ can those digital books "read" to me when I am in the car driving to work? I read the first two intro promos on the first two books, Death of a Red Heroine (2000), A Loyal Character Dancer (2002). Looks like the time period (1970's?-1980's?). It would be an interesting time period to read about. Perhaps it will give insight to the those times. Sorry about all those technical reader questions. Haven't used many apps. Thanks Danb

[mikeymark]

Mikeymark, Hello. I don't read all that much anymore and I am not up to date on the new digital readers apps like Kindle. I do have an Android tablet. These books might be a good way to pass the time on the airplane to China. I am guessing that I can join Kindle and download the book. Can you tell me if I can share that book between my tablet, and laptop or is it only gets loaded to one device? My tablet is small. a 7 inch Nexus. Will/ can those digital books "read" to me when I am in the car driving to work? I read the first two intro promos on the first two books, Death of a Red Heroine (2000), A Loyal Character Dancer (2002). Looks like the time period (1970's?-1980's?). It would be an interesting time period to read about. Perhaps it will give insight to the those times. Sorry about all those technical reader questions. Haven't used many apps. Thanks Danb

Hi Dan. Perfect book for the long flight to China. You will need to add the Kindle App to your Android and other devices. After that just purchase the Kindle version of the book on Amazon. Amazon lets you download the book to all your devices and it also syncs your last reading position to the other devices so you can continue where you left off on another device. (The page syncing requires acces to the internet so not possible in flight but the books are on your devices)

 

I usually read my books on my iPhone with no problem at all and my eyesight is not good. The Kindle app has many adjustments you can make including character size and background color. I'll never buy printed books again. However I do not think the books will read to you.

 

I got a lot of insight into "Socialism with Chinese Characteristics" from reading his books. It was fun on my short trip to Shanghai to see the Bund he writes about in his books. Great reading. Enjoy!

Edited June 30, 2013 by mikeymark (see edit history)

[dan1984]

Thanks for the recommendation! Will definitely check this out when I have time to start my next book.

[NickF]

Discovered his most recent Chen novel at the local library a couple of months back, and have almost reading the entire series. They combine my love of detective fiction and my interest in China.

 

Well worth reading!

[tsap seui]

Cool stuff guys. I read a lot, I'll have to print this thread and put these books on my list.

 

tsap seui

[NickF]

There is a series by another author, and I can't remember the name of the main characters or the author now. Driving me nuts. It's a series about a Beijing police officer and an American woman forensic pathologist living in Bejing. If somebody else remembers this series please post it.

[credzba]

I ordered the firs book from amazon for my kindle last night and was thinking (cheap) maybe someone else who uses kindle could lend me one book at a time via amazon lending program ?

 

Perhaps we could even start an electronic book exchange. Its free, and supported by amazon.

[dan1984]

Just bought a Kindle. Per this thread, also just bought the Kindle version of Death of a Red Heroine. Looking forward to it!

 

Assuming I like it, looks like I'll have a bit of decent reading material left in this series:

 

Detective Chen series

• Death of a Red Heroine (2000)
• A Loyal Character Dancer (2002)
• When Red Is Black (2004)
• A Case of Two Cities (2006)
• Red Mandarin Dress (2007)
• The Mao Case (2009)
• Don't Cry, Tai Lake (2012)
• Enigma of China (2013)
• Shanghai Redemption (2013)

Edited May 11, 2015 by dan1984 (see edit history)