Death of a Red Heroine (Inspector Chen Cao #1) in Around the World in 80 Books

Jan 20, 2019 Tony rated it it was amazing

Shelves: novels, crime, setting-asia

The first book in the Inspector Chen series (followed by A Loyal Character Dancer) is a spellbinding meld detective procedural and portrait of China in transition following the Tiananmen Square massacre. Set in Shanghai in the Spring of 1990, the story starts with the discovery of the body of a "national model worker." The case falls into the hands newly promoted Det. Inspector Chen Cao and his subordinate Detective Yu, who work under the watchful eyes of old Commissar Zhang and Party Secretary ...more

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Aug 06, 2012 Suzanne rated it really liked it

Shelves: mysteries

Okay, I admit it, I am a little vague sometimes about world / international politics. So, even though I had heard about the fall of Communism in China, I was quite enlightened as I read this book. The mystery was really good but I think the real strengths of the book were the cultural and political portrayal of Shangai during the 1990's and the character development of Chief Inspector Chen Cao. Chen is a wonderfully rich and complex character who I look forward to reading more about as the serie ...more

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May 11, 2025 Rachel N. rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery, read-in-2025, play-book-tag, china, compass-pbt, shanghai

The book begins with the body of a woman being found in a remote canal near Shanghai. Chief Inspector Chen and Detective Yu from the Special Case Squad are assigned the case. They soon find out the woman was Guan Hongying, a national model worker. The book is set in China a year or so after Tianamen Square. It was interesting to read about China during this time period. I don't know if there is still a housing shortage in Shanghai but the housing situation described in the book was pretty horrib ...more

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