Well, at first I thought it started out a little slow, but it does pick up towards the end. The ending and entire story line is pretty cliche though. What I found the most interesting was the view into the lifestyles in Shanghai, China, in the early 1990s. I won't be reading any more of this author though, because I felt the story dragged and could easily have been completed in about half the number of pages. Although, that too, may have been deliberate to draw attention to the way things work in China.

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Mystery set in modern-day China. A compelling window into the culture as well as a good murder mystery.

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The mysteries in these books are secondary to the descriptions of Chinese culture, food and politics.The endings are reminiscent of John LeCarre. Justice is a incomplete idea and never fully realized. Political realities always take precedence.

Perhaps it says something about me but despite those endings Qiu is my favorite author .

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An interesting story on some fronts, but not as well written as I had expected. The story is too long and drawn out, repetitive and amateurish to some degree. It seems that the author had some important things to say, but was afraid of really asserting himself and exposing the massive corruption that permeates all aspects of Chinese bureaucracy.

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Excellent book, much better than I expected. Prose is clear and concise. Not only does the author hooks you with the murder investigation, but he also gives you a clear glimpse of what life was like in Shanghai during the early 90's. This is a book that will please not only murder/mystery fans but readers of good fiction in general.

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This book introduces us to Inspector Chen, a police officer in a China of 1990. China is changing, but the old cadres still have power. Chen must fulfill his desire to do the right thing within the law without antagonizing those in power. Chen is a very interesting character, a man who lives alone, has a widowed mother, and would have preferred to spend his life in academia. He is a poet who has become recognized and published a few times. The young woman whose death Chen must investigate has been a paragon, a national role-model worker. Who has killed her and why? The book is filled with political intrigue and fascinating characters; I enjoyed Death of a Red Heroine.

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