Thief of Souls

I really enjoyed this book. I haven't been a student of China for 40 year and haven't been there for even longer, but Klingbourg hits all the right notes in this exciting murder mystery set in modern Chinese society. While the case itself is fascinating, the glimpses we get into contemporary politics and lifestyle ring absolutely true.

An Asian academic and former resident of the region, Klingbourg shows us a society that is riven with corruption, influenced by political and monied interests, has a population more interested in soap operas (along with other fascinating facts, Klingbourg seamlessly informs us that… show more.

I love detective books that take place in other countries, especially when they mix in food. Not only do I get to learn about life in that country, but also what they eat! 

The series is about a policeman named Lu Fei who lives in rural China. He ends up with a rural posting after stepping on some powerful toes. The author does a fantastic job describing what it is like to work in that power system and how he has to navigate the realities of modern China. 

I like Lu Fei as he reminds me a bit of… show more.

This book really came as a surprise; the kind of surprise where you can’t turn the pages fast enough. For one thing, the setting is completely unique. It’s China, but not Beijing or another location that Western audiences would easily recognize. No, the first Inspector Lu Fei mystery takes us to Raven Valley, outside Harbin, China in a cold and unlovely part of the country.

Lu Fei is the deputy chief of the Public Security Bureau there, where a young woman’s murder upends the cycle of boredom and drinking. Both security and Communist Party officials from Beijing descend on Raven… show more.