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The Mao Case
by Qiu Xiaolong
Reviewed by Nicholas Gordon
The Mao Case, the latest book in Qiu Xiaolong's series of crime novels, gives Inspector Chen, the poetry-quoting Shanghai detective, a new case to solve, involving capitalists, traditions and the meddling of the Communist Party. Once again, Qiu uses Chen's attempts to solve a case as an exploration of Chinese history and culture.
The case begins with a phone call from Beijing, tasking Chen with the investigation of a young woman's sudden fortune. The young lady is Jiao, the granddaughter of an actress rumored of having an affair with Chairman Mao. Fearing that Jiao has embarrassing material, Beijing asks the Chief Inspector to secretly investigate.
However, any investigation of Mao is dangerous, even in today's China. Chen, along with his comrades Inspector Yu and Old Hunter, need to tread carefully and avoid accidentally insulting the Chairman as they carry out the case. The plot thickens when someone is found murdered in the garden of a major person in the case. And, to make matters worse, Chen is forced to balance these developments with changes in his private life.
The Mao Case is set in a China moving from Communism to capitalism. Qiu, through Chen, continually notes how Chinese life has changed: for example, the outpouring of interest and nostalgia in the life and times of Chairman Mao. Chen investigates the life of Jiao with his usual wry comments about his own life and the lives of others, usually backed by a quotation or two from classical Chinese poetry. he author places the action in a Shanghai backdrop of tiny backstreets and small eateries, instead of the glistening skyscrapers of the city.
The Chinese setting and a poetry-quoting detective are not the only things making The Mao Case a somewhat atypical crime novel. The actual crime does not take place until late on in the novel and the plot is driven by character testimony, as opposed to actual investigation. The ending is not what one might have expected.
Qiu has successfully transplanted the serial crime novel, with its varied cases and its quirky protagonists to modern China. The Mao Case is not just a page-turner, but also a dissertation on China, its customs and recent history.
--
Nicholas Gordon is a Hong Kong secondary school student.
by Qiu Xiaolong
Reviewed by Nicholas Gordon
The Mao Case, the latest book in Qiu Xiaolong's series of crime novels, gives Inspector Chen, the poetry-quoting Shanghai detective, a new case to solve, involving capitalists, traditions and the meddling of the Communist Party. Once again, Qiu uses Chen's attempts to solve a case as an exploration of Chinese history and culture.
The case begins with a phone call from Beijing, tasking Chen with the investigation of a young woman's sudden fortune. The young lady is Jiao, the granddaughter of an actress rumored of having an affair with Chairman Mao. Fearing that Jiao has embarrassing material, Beijing asks the Chief Inspector to secretly investigate.
However, any investigation of Mao is dangerous, even in today's China. Chen, along with his comrades Inspector Yu and Old Hunter, need to tread carefully and avoid accidentally insulting the Chairman as they carry out the case. The plot thickens when someone is found murdered in the garden of a major person in the case. And, to make matters worse, Chen is forced to balance these developments with changes in his private life.
The Mao Case is set in a China moving from Communism to capitalism. Qiu, through Chen, continually notes how Chinese life has changed: for example, the outpouring of interest and nostalgia in the life and times of Chairman Mao. Chen investigates the life of Jiao with his usual wry comments about his own life and the lives of others, usually backed by a quotation or two from classical Chinese poetry. he author places the action in a Shanghai backdrop of tiny backstreets and small eateries, instead of the glistening skyscrapers of the city.
The Chinese setting and a poetry-quoting detective are not the only things making The Mao Case a somewhat atypical crime novel. The actual crime does not take place until late on in the novel and the plot is driven by character testimony, as opposed to actual investigation. The ending is not what one might have expected.
Qiu has successfully transplanted the serial crime novel, with its varied cases and its quirky protagonists to modern China. The Mao Case is not just a page-turner, but also a dissertation on China, its customs and recent history.
--
Nicholas Gordon is a Hong Kong secondary school student.
Available in Asia from Paddyfield.com
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