A Calamitous Chinese Killing

Inspector Singh Investigates #6

by Shamini Flint

Inspector Singh is on a mission to China, against his better judgment. The son of a bigwig at the Singapore Embassy has been bludgeoned to death in a back alley in Beijing. The Chinese security insist that he was the victim of a robbery gone wrong, but the young man's mother demands that Singapore's finest (in his own opinion) rides to the rescue.

But solving a murder in a country that practices socialism 'with Chinese characteristics' is a dangerous business. And it soon becomes apparent that getting to the bottom of this calamitous killing will be his toughest case yet . . .

Genres: Mystery, Crime, China, Fiction, Asia, Murder Mystery, Detective

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 5, 2013

About the author

Shamini Flint lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. She began her career in law in Malaysia and also worked at an international law firm in Singapore. She travelled extensively around Asia for her work, before resigning to be a stay-at-home mum, writer, part-time lecturer and environmental activist, all in an effort to make up for her 'evil' past as a corporate lawyer!

Shamini writes children's books with cultural and environmental themes including Jungle Blues and Turtle takes a Trip as well as the 'Sasha' series of children's books. She also writes crime fiction featuring the rotund Singaporean policeman, Inspector Singh. Singh travels around Asia stumbling over corpses and sampling the food ...

Reviews

[carol. · Rating 2 out of 5]

A long time ago (2017, or BC, as I like to say Before Covid), I read most of the Inspector Singh series. The premise is a pudgy (much is made of this) detective, beleaguered by both supervisor and wife, is involved in various countries to solve a case. At the time, my library system did not have this book, so I was left unfulfilled, or so I thought. Efforts to find my mom a read brought up this series, so I checked for availability. The rest is history.

Hopefully, at least. Because this book worked only marginally for me. It could be the 2024 mentality, when I can no longer gloss over the constant references to Singh's 'bulk,' or his harridan wife. But mostly, it is that it no longer straddles the tone between thoughtful social commentary and mystery. Like a hammer, Flint is intent on showing the worst sides of the Chinese system. I'll admit that this approach could have been apparent in other books, and time has glossed over the memory. But I seem to remember them more as more gentle cultural commentaries.

Singh is pulled into it by a high-level diplomat seeking to find out who killed her son. Told from multiple points of view, almost everyone is complicit and receives authorial condemnation, excepting, perhaps, a young woman. It is told from a wide variety of viewpoints: a male graduate student, Singh, a factory worker from the provinces, the villain, a teacher and revolutionary, the daughter of a diplomat, a Chinese detective, etc. We switch from one to the next in real time, watching as Singh happens on the threads weaving around him. This wouldn't be terrible, except there is a lot of frank corruption, and lives are virtually meaningless here. Death spoiler: there's the first death that starts the case, then there are five more deaths the professor, the worker, the assassin, the husband, the other wife. In China, it appears, life is not precious (except as it is commodified), and Flint wants us to know it (I wonder what would happen if Flint came to America?). Unsurprisingly, this tips the balance between light murder mystery into heavy-handed commentary.

I didn't feel good finishing it. The mystery worked, more or less. As a book, decidedly less so; neither cosy nor Hamlet, I can't really recommend it.

[Julian Worker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable tale of a Singaporean policeman investigating the murder of a Singapore student in Beijing. The student was the son of an eminent diplomat at the Singapore embassy in the Chinese capital. This diplomat asks for Singh to investigate and so the larger-than-life inspector is thrust into a world he's not familiar with once again.

Luckily, Singh obtains a great local sidekick called Li Jun, a former policeman who is able to translate for Singh and explain the nuances of Chinese society.

No part of Chinese society remains untouched by this story, including the treatment of Falun Gong members who are re-educated and also become unwilling participants in the organ donor business. This part is described in quite graphic detail.

Most of the characters are either killed, arrested, or scarred for life by events in the book. But at least the bad guys get their comeuppance.

Inspector Singh is a good, well-written character, who has weaknesses as well as an iron determination to find out the truth and a fearless disregard for people in positions of power, even if those people can threaten him with an unsavoury end.

[Ram Kaushik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! Ms. Flint gets better and more confident with each novel. Her description of modern Chinese society walks a fascinating and line: a subtle indictment of its excesses, but simultaneously sympathetic without sounding judgmental. The inspector and the plot are incidental to the tour of China, sort of like Qiu Xialong Inspector Chen series. Recommended!

[Rehan Abd Jamil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many things to digest.. But still good..

[Dan Sihota · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the sixth installment I have read in the series following Inspector Singh's investigations, and I enjoyed it as much as the previous ones. And, similar to the previous installments, the plot isn't actually all that difficult to work out, so anyone after a book with lots of plot twists would probably not enjoy these books. However, what makes these books enjoyable to read is the main character, Inspector Singh, a highly unobservant and overweight Sikh who is difficult to take seriously; and the fact that each book is set in a different place with its own unique culture and history.

I highly recommend these books to anyone after an easy to read, detective, fiction.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, loved seeing Singh in China - as a Shanghai resident of 5 years, I totally agree with Flint's descriptions of the Chinese reactions to our portly, turbaned hero! And OF COURSE he would love Sichuan food! But it felt like Flint had done a lot of research on the dark side of modern China - corruption, nepotism, land grabs, princelings, forced organ donation, adultery, labor camps, media manipulation, poor migrants - and tried to jam everything into this slim book. Too much, and too much explaining about these issues, that at times overshadowed the characters and plot. Was easy enough to guess at who the villain was. Will commend Flint on how she ended the novel though - that a certain person became the public scapegoat felt like an accurate depiction of how things are handled in China.

[Jan Lehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always a good read

I love this series and the chubby little inspector. What I have enjoyed the most is learning about different cultures. The authors presents them in a,much different light than typically seen. The authors has an , undercurrent theme of exposing extremist and communism that have invade many of these countries,and the threat it brings to the native people and the world . As said in the book inspector Singh gets the most dangerous and vicious assignments.,but always succeeds.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms Flint writes very good mysteries but with the bonus of a social conscious

[Michael Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shamini Flint gets better with each book.

It helps that I have been to all the significant settings for this tale, meaning that I can visualise them clearly and in detail.

This plot is much darker than previously. The fate of Professor Luo was chilling and actually disturbed my sleep for a couple of nights.

[Thakshila Jayasinghe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a chilling book to read. Some of the atrocities are so "soulless ".

[Shirin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was 'mehhhh....'. I did not enjoy this one as much as i did with the Indian adventure. Someone in one of the earlier book review said that Ms Flint's books set in the far east i.e. indo china and beyond are not as fun to read. I agree. This one goes into the same bin as the Cambodian adventure. I am not sure what it is, I think Ms Flint's writing has improved and continues so with every new series. Perhaps, the grim background of these regions sets the tone for a rather dark adventure. When I sit down to read Inspector Singh's adventure I look forward to witty lines and clever anecdotes. I look forward to a fun adventure. I turn to Scandinavian thrillers such as those written by Jo Nesbo if I wanted dark...or Patricia Cornwell.

Anyway, Singh finds himself on a flight (not SQ444, thank goodness) to Beijing at the behest of the madam first secretary, Susan Tan, of Singapore to China, to investigate the death of her son, Justin, at one of the hutongs. The local police has swept the case aside concluding that it was a botched robbery job but madam first secretary was not so sure.

The hutong where Justin was killed has been earmarked to make way for a new development comprising of shining new malls to be developed by Singaporean developers.

On the side, Susan tan's house husband, Anthony Tan finds trouble when the deal he was putting together, involving bribery of the officials,for the singaporean developer went side ways and the money lenders are hot on his heels.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always loved the covers on these books but not being a mystery fan, I figured I'd never get around to reading them...until this past week when I got myself into a situation for class and ended picking this one up at the last minute. Could Shamini Flint turn me into a mystery reader? The jury's still out on that, but I will definitely be sure to read the other books in this series. I loved Inspector Singh's role as "the corpulent copper," who loves his curries, cold beer, and cigarettes (clearly more culturally a Sikh than religiously) nearly as much as he loves solving a tricky murder. I loved the sense of place Flint created here--the setting was so well-constructed, I was totally immersed, wandering through the streets, markets, and restaurants of Beijing as well. I loved the peculiarities of all the characters, with even the bad guys being so bad they were delightful. And even though grisly murders pepper the novel, it sustains a quaint level of humor throughout that it's just totally charming. My only regret is that, per the parameters of my RA class, I started with the latest installment in the series, not that it really seems to matter necessarily the order they're read, but it does bristle my OCD tendencies to read an author/series chronologically. Ah well, I'll be happily starting at square one with Singh and enjoy the ride.

********

Serendipitously counting for my "takes place in Asia" criteria for the Read Harder challenge.

[John Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very weird and rather worrying. For some reason, I had thought that this was a new book and I have just finished reading it (5th July 2018). It was as I was preparing to write my notes that I discovered that I had already read it. Although this was less than 3 years ago I have absolutely no recollection of the story and I had no feelings of deja vu during my reading of it.
It is rather pleasing to note that my feelings this time were much the same as the last.

This is my previous review.

Only one of this series has failed to come up to expectations and it wasnt this one. Painting a grim picture of life in China the authoress spins a tale of corruption and revenge at the top of Beijings Inner circle.
I enjoy reading about supposed exchanges with Mrs Singh although there seemed less in this one.
The Who-done-it element was a bit obvious with such a small 'cast'
Overall an enjoyable read but may be it could be time for the Inspector to return to his home soil before, who knows, maybe a Japanese Jape.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Singh is back on the job…and is promptly sent to China by his supervisor. The son of a Singaporean diplomat has been killed. Although the Chinese police investigation has been wrapped up, the diplomat is not convinced that her son's death was the result of a robbery gone wrong. Singh is called in to reinvestigate, unofficially. He is paired up with a former police officer, Li Jun, to help him navigate Chinese society and keep him out of the crosshairs of Chinese authorities. Various issues, such as land deals, corruption, and falun gong, are highlighted in this tale. And for the first time, a case is making the normally fearless police officer nervous because of the high stakes. Another enjoyable installment in this series -- I can't wait to find out where Inspector Singh travels next!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still trying to catch up with all of the books in this series, I continue to enjoy and search out those I have not yet read. This time Inspector Singh travels to mainland China after a Singaporean diplomat's son is killed. Never mind that the murder occurred several weeks prior and Singh is not always diplomatic in his investigations! The case is adroitly concluded and the reader learns much about the inscrutable Chinese as each page is swiftly turned. As always, Shamini Flint has done her homework and keeps her finger on the cultural pulse of her setting. Her tale is nuanced with an insider's understanding of Chinese culture and current issues. I hope by the time I finally catch up with previously released books in the series Flint publishes yet another Inspector Singh Investigates!

[EF · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Inspector Singh--he's like Columbo's long-lost brother. But beneath his appetite, and his gruff exterior, his little gray cells equal those of Poirot, or Miss Marple. These fish-out-of-water stories, where he's plunged into different cultures and survives through a combination of
his status as an outsider, his powers of analysis, and his ability to work with/around local police, are always enjoyable. In this one, though, I think the character-driven aspect of the series suffers a little from a plot that tries to use multiple layers of political corruption in China as the main machine for the story. Characters' will to power--whether due to their own venality, or to their roles in a political system trying to be both communism and capitalism--results in tragic consequences, but the body pileup begins to seem excessive. The story veers toward "morality tale" more than once, and the secondary characters are flawed in predictable ways. That said, the setting and the chase through hutongs of Beijing are beautifully done, and when I finish the series, I'm going to cry.

My favorite element of this story is the pairing of Inspector Singh with the fallen-from-grace Inspector Li Jun--a delightful, "Odd Couple" working relationship that is a total pleasure to follow through the story.

[John Hardy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read some of the earlier books in this series and enjoyed them. I didn't enjoy this book very much. There are the usual formulaic descriptions of Inspector Singh eating spicy food, drinking cold beer, smoking cigarettes, and complaining to himself about his wife.
As usual, his superiors have assigned him to an overseas investigation for a political reason, and because they don't like him, despite his ability to successfully close investigations.
But a sikh detective in China? Really? He risks life and limb in a country where he doesn't speak the language and has little knowledge of local customs. His translator risks even more, and apparently is not even being paid.
The investigation proceeds, and issues of corruption in the building industry, abuse of power, and even human organ harvesting are noted. This book seemed more like a platform to discuss those issues than a real mystery novel. Frankly, I think the author must have been getting desperate for a new plot. This one has a believability index of zero. It's a bit long at 300 pages paperback size. Some of the silly, repetitive dialogue could have been edited.
Inspector Singh gets his man, but there is still a feeling of dissatisfaction about the ending.
Rating 3.2.

[Izzati · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this more than the first book in the series (I've only read these two). This one did not have unnecessary legal-sounding words like in the first book. And Inspector Singh appeared slightly more central in this story than the other - I could see him acting ala Poirot/Sherlock/Roulatabille.

There were a lot more deaths in this book than I expected. I can't comment on whether or not the depiction of China, the mainland Chinese and its culture was accurate because I am not exposed to that, but they seem plausible.

I like how Shamini Flint brings Inspector Singh around Asia (and I believe there's one in Britain) because we get to somewhat experience different cultures for different cases. The series is definitely better than Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders... I'm interested to read more from the series, if I could get my hands on the rest of the series without spending too much.

That being said, I do still have some issues with the biases shown here that were also present in the first book - the fat-shaming and the jabs on Muslim cultures. I truly hope I don't have to bear those in her other books.

[cloudyskye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may be one of the best Inspector Singh cases so far, and a very disturbing one, too.

I once heard that in Capitalism the rich rule, in Communism it's the super-rich. Who also get away with murder. There are many sad yet believable storylines and victims, the girl from the provinces who does mind-numbing work in a factory 12 hours 7 days (shoes for Western brands), the violent oppression of different attitudes to life that are deemed dangerous to the party line (Falun Gong) and the professor/intellectual who ends up as a victim of a horrifying, totally unscrupulous and nightmarish organ harvesting scheme. Dr Mengele's descendants ...

Quite the body count in the end. Life seems very cheap.
I really liked Singh's Chinese helper, ex-policeman Li Jun.
And of course justice prevails in the end, our rotund inspector sees to that.

[Dave Watt · Rating 4 out of 5]

So nearly 5 stars. For me, this was a slightly more difficult read as the recent history of the China described here was pretty much unknown to me. So thanks to Inspector Singh for opening up another corner of this mysterious world! One of the things that I think draws me to Shamini's writing is her characterisations - I particularly liked Li Jun the retired policeman in this book. His approach and the way he interacts with Singh speaks much about the experience of ordinary people like him during and since the revolution. Loved the book, looking forward to the next!

[Gabriela Galescu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Singh, the Chinese background not so great

Those who like Inspector Singh will find a way to enjoy this book. However, the Chinese background is quite unfortunate. Too many societal failures are addressed at the same time: corruption, failed justice, poverty and the position of factory workers, sharp social stratification, displacement of the poor for the benefit or real estate tycoons etc. No wonder there is no depth to the Chinese characters: most of them are too busy acting in their assigned area of villainy.

[Vincent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always enjoy an Inspector Singh. The formula hasn't come even close to getting stale for me and I continue to enjoy the social conscience layered into the stories.

In this book, Singh once again works with a local partner and Flint sidesteps the issue of police corruption by having the partner be a disgraced, retired officer who was booted off the force in a scandal for being inflexibly honest.

[Marisa Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Inspector Singh novels so much. I've read steadily through the series enjoying the characters, not only the gruff and unconventional Singaporean Sikh lead detective but his nemesis in the force, Superintendent Chen, and his nemesis at home, Mrs. Singh. It's a compulsively fun read, a book to savor even as you tear through to the end, and a series that will keep you entertained to the end.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Similar to the other books in the series, this book is a light murder mystery, this time set in China. It's always slightly interesting to see the Singaporean inspector in a different foreign context. The style of writing is simple and slightly repetitive, but otherwise the book is an interesting foray into a different culture and its quirks.

[Goldenwattle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I selected this book for one of my holiday reads. Another Inspector Singh book I have enjoyed. This time set in China. The Inspector is called in when the Singaporean son of an embassy official is killed. Involves official corruption, greed and the embassy official's slimy husband. A good read.

[WF · Rating 4 out of 5]

Singapore's own Inspector Frost, Inspector Singh is unpopular with his superiors, makes serious mistakes, but ultimately has flashes of insights and solves the murder. An enjoyable Singaporean yet cosmopolitan read.

[Ravinder B Reddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably good book!

A reasonably good book. The plot is a wee bit far-fetched! However, the depiction of events are extraordinary! Ms Flint surely has a wonderful ways of prose, describing the various events, with a hint of humour!

[Meglie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another quick, easy and diverting read. Inspector Singh does not get old nor does teh formula for these mysteries. Nothing too tremendous in terms of writing or storyline but interesting settings and context on the host country for the story.

[Andrew Levine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live all of Shamini Flints Singh books, including this Chinese story. This one, however veers much more deeply into internal country politics. I am not sure if this is a new slant on her views and will continue in future stories, but just a note that the lightness of murder seems to have ended!

[Sandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple and satisfying. Haven't tired of the ample Punjabi inspector yet.