I have to say I always considered it a cop-out (pun semi-intended) in the Inspector Yuan novels how everyone chatters away at the inspector whenever he and Constable Zhang come around inquiring about the latest mysterious death. It’s a lazy way to get important bits of information to the detective and the reader: have someone tell them about the turbulent relationship the victim had with his youngest son, or about the overheard muttering between the couple by the lake on how best to drown someone. But now I’m thinking maybe people really do just want to talk about death. How close it got to
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