by Qiu Xiaolong
Published by Soho Crime (2001)
ISBN 978-1569472422
Description:
The discovery of the body of a beautiful young woman in a
canal 20 miles from Shanghai interrupts the housewarming party
of Chief Inspector Chen Cao, one of the lucky few to obtain
an apartment in the congested city. Cao is a food lover and
a poetry lover (he has published a translation of T. S. Eliot,
and he is reminded of bits of Chinese poetry even when investigating
homicides). Cao is also the head of the Shanghai Police Bureau's
Special Cases Squad, Homicide Division. Cao discovers that
the victim was a National Model Worker, a role model used
for propaganda purposes and recruitment by the Communist Party.
The case is politically sensitive, and Cao is urged to do
the impossible: solve the case without probing too deeply
into the victim's personal life, the details of which may
be embarrassing to the Party. The double bind facing the detective
is the perfect backdrop for an extended exploration of the
conflicts rooted in contemporary China. [ALA Booklist]
About the Author:
Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai. He was selected for membership
in the Chinese Writers' Association and published poetry,
translations and criticism in China. He has lived in the U.S.
since 1989 and has an M.A. and a Ph.D. in Comparative Literature
from Washington University, where he now teaches Chinese Literature.
He lives in St. Louis with his wife and daughter.
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