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Death of a Red Heroine (Inspector Chen Cao #1)

Qiu Xiaolong

Start date: February 3, 2009

Finish date: April 7, 2009

Discussion: Reviews 2009

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Reviews 2009

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Apr 09, 2009 LJ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, contemporary_post_1945, mysterybookclub, police_procedural, china, male_author

First Sentence: The body was found at 4:40 p.m., on May 11, 1990, in Baili Canal, an out-of-the-way canal, about twenty miles to the west of Shanghai.

Inspector Chen Cao is a poet, translator of Western literature, including mysteries, and newly assigned as head of the Special Case Squad. The naked body of a young woman has been found in a canal. The victim, Guan Hongying, had been recognized as a National Model Worker. As Chen and Detective Yu move forward in their investigation, their primary s First Sentence: The body was found at 4:40 p.m., on May 11, 1990, in Baili Canal, an out-of-the-way canal, about twenty miles to the west of Shanghai.

Inspector Chen Cao is a poet, translator of Western literature, including mysteries, and newly assigned as head of the Special Case Squad. The naked body of a young woman has been found in a canal. The victim, Guan Hongying, had been recognized as a National Model Worker. As Chen and Detective Yu move forward in their investigation, their primary suspect is the son of a High Cadre, one of the highest designations for the old faithful members. Chen is determined to pursue the murder case but hadn’t counted on the bureaucrats stepping in to declare it political.

This book worked for me for so many reasons. Set one year after Tiananmen Square, it is a fascinating look at a changing China caught between the old politics and the new interjecting information of China from ancient times to the time of the book’s setting.

There was an incredibly strong sense of place showing us the lives of people at every social stratum, mainly within the city of Shanghai. The details of everyday life brought both the story and the characters into being. .

The characters were so well developed, particularly Chen. Not having wanted to be a policeman there is the dichotomy of his wanting to do his job well but his love of poetry and pride when one of his poems is published. The inclusion of poetry throughout the story is so well done. But I also loved a scene where Chen went to buy a piece of jewelry for a girl friend using money he earned translating a Ruth Rendell mystery. He feels Rendell would have been pleased by his choice. The character is further enriched by the supporting characters of his partner, Yu, as you watch their relationship develop, and by others loyal to him.

If I had to say there was a weak point to the story, it would probably be the plot. At the same time, I felt there had to be all the information surrounding it or, as Western reader, none of it would have made as much sense.

For me, this debut book lays the foundation for the characters and the series. I will be very interested to see where Chen goes next. The book is on the longer side and a dense read but never was I tempted to put the book down. I highly recommend it.

DEATH OF A RED HEROINE (Pol. Proc-Insp. Chen Cao-Shanghai, China-Cont) – VG+
Xiaolong, Qiu – 1st in series
Soho Press, 2000, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9781569471937
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Mar 29, 2009 Linda added it

Shelves: mystery-book-club, couldnt-finish

This is too long and too slow for me. I rather like the detectives, but I don't like the relationship Chen has with Wang (journalist and love interest). There's a lot about contemporary Chinese society, which I want to be more interested in than I actually am. ...more

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