Death of a Red Heroine: Inspector Chen 1

Stupendous . . . It does what detective fiction can do best: it captures the details, the grit of everyday life . . . A matchless pearl. - Fresh Air, National Public Radio, USAQiu Xiaolong has produced a remarkable novel . . . which portrays with skill the dangerous realities of a country on the brink of political change. Full of labyrinthine machinations, poetic interludes and reversals of fortune, DEATH OF A RED HEROINE is a complex and compelling mystery. - The Age'a gripping tale of political murder'. - MXBlends history, plenty of poetry and a compelling mystery: the murder of Guan Hongying, a former national role-model worker, a beautiful young woman who slipped from patriotic fame into loneliness and depravity . . . We get to see, smell, taste and hear an amazingly evocative portrait of a country. - Chicago TribuneChen is an irresistible protagonist, likable and determined to make the honourable choices, no matter how dangerous. Qiu's portrait of China in transition, a potential eye-opener for many of his Western readers, is an equally compelling attraction. - Kirkus Reviewsa refreshing change from the usual crime stories. - New Idea, AustraliaTaking us into a world seldom seen by foreigners, this is a superb crime novel...in a word: Brilliant - Herald Sun, AustraliaSuperb . . . brilliant - Newsday