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Inspector Chen Cao #12
Un dîner chez min
Le légendaire et dérangeant inspecteur Chen est sur la touche. Le Bureau de la réforme du système judiciaire, une voie de garage destinée à l’éloigner des enquêtes trop indiscrètes, pourrait le satisfaire en lui laissant le temps d’écrire un roman inspiré par le célèbre juge Ti. Mais on ne se refait pas, et la tentation d’aller fourrer son nez dans une affaire qui bruisse dans Shanghai–celle mettant en cause une belle courtisane qui ouvre sa table privée aux éminences et aux Gros-Sous de la ville–est plus forte que la sagesse. Tout en s’abritant derrière sa très efficace secrétaire, la jolie Jin, l’inspecteur finit par découvrir que le commerce des antiquités chinoises peut s’avérer extrêmement rentable mais parfois dangereux. Et qu’il vaut mieux ne pas se mettre à dos la Sécurité intérieure et les puissants princes rouges…
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 5, 2021
50 people are currently reading
193 people want to read
About the author
Qiu Xiaolong
72 books483 followersQiu Xiaolong (裘小龙) was born in Shanghai, China. He is the author of the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, Death of a Red Heroine (2000), A Loyal Character Dancer (2002), When Red Is Black (2004), A Case of Two Cities (2006), Red Mandarin Dress (2007), and The Mao Case (2009). He is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He currently lives in St. Louis with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
October 28, 2025
it's been 3 years since i first started this series. a lot of things have changed - inspector chen has been removed from his position of chief inspector and put on leave, but everything still starts the same way. there's a murder, chen calls in his connections, falls into poetic musings, and meets at least one pretty girl.
for a detective series, the atmosphere is calm and unhurried and meandering, and that's the uniqueness of this series. there isn't a hard time limit, so chen can ponder and carefully work through the tangled threads of the case.
what i think was lackluster (in comparison to previous books) was the lessened amount of poetic musings. the poems were a bit boring, but it added an interesting philosophical aspect to the book. i also missed characters like detective yu, and i also wish we saw more of gu than just a phone call. chen is definitely lonelier, which sucks.
for a detective series, the atmosphere is calm and unhurried and meandering, and that's the uniqueness of this series. there isn't a hard time limit, so chen can ponder and carefully work through the tangled threads of the case.
what i think was lackluster (in comparison to previous books) was the lessened amount of poetic musings. the poems were a bit boring, but it added an interesting philosophical aspect to the book. i also missed characters like detective yu, and i also wish we saw more of gu than just a phone call. chen is definitely lonelier, which sucks.
August 1, 2021
Chen has been given involuntary "convalescent leave" from his previous position, which he suspects is to prevent his "interference" in important cases. His friend Old Hunter who is working privately for a rich client, wants Chen to informally investigate the incarceration of Min, a well-known woman who was recently accused with the murder of her assistant. Chen sees a parallel between Min's situation and that of a woman in the Tang dynasty. Chen has been assigned a new secretary, Jin, who is proving helpful in this informal investigation. (I hope any future books will have Chen and Jin working as a team.) The descriptions of life in contemporary Shanghai are fascinating. I've enjoyed mysteries which are set in locations that are integral to the story--Gamache in Canada, Bruno in France, Brunetti in Venice-- and now, Inspector Chen in Shanghai. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
December 26, 2021
Xiaolong Qui's Inspector Chen mystery series has been around for a while, but it's new to me—and am I ever glad I discovered it! I don't know if this comparison will mean much to many people, but discovering Qui was like discovering a Chinese Leonardo Padura Fuentes. Qui who was born in China, chose to remain in the U.S., where he was working on a book about T.S. Eliot. after the government's violent response to the Tiananmen Square protests. For a period, he was an exile, but is now able to travel between the U.S. and China.
As a result, Qui is in an excellent position to write about life in contemporary China. He's chosen to do this through his creation of Inspector Chen Cao, an ethical policeman who is deeply uncomfortable with the "necessary compromises" made to keep socialism in the Chinese manner functioning on a day-to-day basis. You know that kind of thing—the diplomat whose pilfering of embassy funds is kept hidden because the government finds it more valuable to keep him in his position during crucial negotiations (note: this is a hypothetical example; The Private Kitchen Murder has noting to do with diplomats, embezzlement, or a potential international crisis). Chen is critical of malfeasance, but still embraces the goal of developing a socialist China that can offer a better life for its citizens. He's not naive; he's also not completely cynical.
Reading this novel was fascinating because I know so little about modern Chinese history—my reading has been limited to a few Cultural Revolution memoirs. The Cultural Revolution is long past in The Private Kitchen Murder, but still a significant part of the contemporary zeitgeist. Characters walk a very fine line, even with trusted friends, regarding what can and can't be said—and have to consider all possible interpretations and uses of an action before taking it. Qui's depiction of Chen working his way through this kind of puzzling existence while trying to marry ethics and realism puts the reader into a very productive (I think) sort of unease. Like Qui, readers have to play out events in the manner of a chess game, anticipating moves and moves in response to those moves and further moves into response to those moves.... Chen mourns the loss of aspects of the China of his past, despite its poverty, but also recognizes the kinds of economic growth (for some) that a gradual move toward semi-capitalism has allowed.
The Private Kitchen Murder is well-plotted, so it satisfies as a mystery as well as a cultural portrait. Chen also makes a fascinating central character, something along the lines of Steve Burrows' Domenic Jejeune or P.D. James' Adam Dalgleish. He's not just a successful investigator, he's also a translator of English/Chinese poetry, a poet in his own right, and a student of Chinese history. Chen can contextualize events not just in relation to the Cultural Revolution, but also in relation to internal politics of the Tang Dynasty. In other words, this is a book that will keep you thinking along multiple paths.
Depending on how one counts them, there are 10-12 additional novels in this series, The Private Kitchen Murder being the most recent. I'm going back to start with the first and work my way through the series. Soon. The time spent doing that reading will have been exceptionally well invested. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
As a result, Qui is in an excellent position to write about life in contemporary China. He's chosen to do this through his creation of Inspector Chen Cao, an ethical policeman who is deeply uncomfortable with the "necessary compromises" made to keep socialism in the Chinese manner functioning on a day-to-day basis. You know that kind of thing—the diplomat whose pilfering of embassy funds is kept hidden because the government finds it more valuable to keep him in his position during crucial negotiations (note: this is a hypothetical example; The Private Kitchen Murder has noting to do with diplomats, embezzlement, or a potential international crisis). Chen is critical of malfeasance, but still embraces the goal of developing a socialist China that can offer a better life for its citizens. He's not naive; he's also not completely cynical.
Reading this novel was fascinating because I know so little about modern Chinese history—my reading has been limited to a few Cultural Revolution memoirs. The Cultural Revolution is long past in The Private Kitchen Murder, but still a significant part of the contemporary zeitgeist. Characters walk a very fine line, even with trusted friends, regarding what can and can't be said—and have to consider all possible interpretations and uses of an action before taking it. Qui's depiction of Chen working his way through this kind of puzzling existence while trying to marry ethics and realism puts the reader into a very productive (I think) sort of unease. Like Qui, readers have to play out events in the manner of a chess game, anticipating moves and moves in response to those moves and further moves into response to those moves.... Chen mourns the loss of aspects of the China of his past, despite its poverty, but also recognizes the kinds of economic growth (for some) that a gradual move toward semi-capitalism has allowed.
The Private Kitchen Murder is well-plotted, so it satisfies as a mystery as well as a cultural portrait. Chen also makes a fascinating central character, something along the lines of Steve Burrows' Domenic Jejeune or P.D. James' Adam Dalgleish. He's not just a successful investigator, he's also a translator of English/Chinese poetry, a poet in his own right, and a student of Chinese history. Chen can contextualize events not just in relation to the Cultural Revolution, but also in relation to internal politics of the Tang Dynasty. In other words, this is a book that will keep you thinking along multiple paths.
Depending on how one counts them, there are 10-12 additional novels in this series, The Private Kitchen Murder being the most recent. I'm going back to start with the first and work my way through the series. Soon. The time spent doing that reading will have been exceptionally well invested. I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
February 7, 2022
I came in on the 12th book of this series, and my library only has three other books from the series for me to look forward to. This is very well written, good pace to the story, great characters with challenges and satisfying outcome to a very complicated murder investigation in Shanghai.
Reason I thought to try it? Olympics in China, of course. Why not try a Chinese chief inspector currently downgraded to being on a sort of furlough, so I do have to backtrack to discover how much trouble he caused the party leaders.
There is a good amount of literary reference I enjoyed as Chen is also a poet and writer.
Library Loan
Reason I thought to try it? Olympics in China, of course. Why not try a Chinese chief inspector currently downgraded to being on a sort of furlough, so I do have to backtrack to discover how much trouble he caused the party leaders.
There is a good amount of literary reference I enjoyed as Chen is also a poet and writer.
Library Loan
November 2, 2022
I loved it best of the Inspector Chen books I have read so far. Jin, the new assistant to Inspector Chen (who is temporarily suspended "in convalescence' as Director Chen) is a marvelous, exciting character, so I hope she stays around.
May 25, 2024
I read this book years ago, when I saw it was available in audiobook i wanted to hear it. This could be read as a standalone book, but that would cause you to miss much of the rich historical background.
This series is engaging and informative. The first book starts not long after Mao’s death, and goes through the political ups and downs of the decades since.
This series is engaging and informative. The first book starts not long after Mao’s death, and goes through the political ups and downs of the decades since.
October 11, 2020
Libro godibile. La pecca, dal mio punto di vista, è che la trama gialla (perno dei primi) passa in secondo piano rispetto all’analisi delle contesto e dei vari retroscena. Resta la bellezza del personaggio e dell’ambientazione. E mi basta per continuare a seguire l’autore.
October 7, 2021
A celebrity chef has seemingly killed her kitchen / personal assistant in a fit of jealous rage. The circumstances make no sense to seasoned Inspector Chen. He’s been sidelined into a make-work role, with no responsibility but a superficial sheen suitable for a police investigator of his standing. He can’t help asking questions in pertinent places, especially when another murder occurs – also linked to the chef’s final dinner party.
Chen moves in a complex world of tangled loyalties, where commercial interests, political power and bureaucratic corruption can obscure the truth – or reveal a killer. The story unfolds through suggestion and insinuation. Chen devotes as much time to his semi-retirement project – reinventing the Chinese historical mystery, no less – as he does to insightful interviews with unwilling witnesses.
His investigation involves the type of artful manipulation that might make Machiavelli blush. He has a new sidekick, a secretary who interprets her role with considerable latitude, and their oblique conversations are quietly delicious.
This is a true detective adventure, in which Chen makes considered deductions after observing the suspects and considering the consequences of each action. It’s also a considered commentary on contemporary Chinese society. And it’s a subtle love story, too.
Is this the right place to start a relationship with Inspector Chen? Definitely not. It’s oblique and challenging, even if you’re already acquainted with the characters through the previous 10 or so novels.
Is this a richly rewarding experience for long-time admirers of the series? Definitely yes. As ever, Qiu Xiaolong achieves a level of cross-cultural exchange found only in the very best literary fiction.
8/10
There's more info about this mystery, other books by the author and more world-crime over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
Chen moves in a complex world of tangled loyalties, where commercial interests, political power and bureaucratic corruption can obscure the truth – or reveal a killer. The story unfolds through suggestion and insinuation. Chen devotes as much time to his semi-retirement project – reinventing the Chinese historical mystery, no less – as he does to insightful interviews with unwilling witnesses.
His investigation involves the type of artful manipulation that might make Machiavelli blush. He has a new sidekick, a secretary who interprets her role with considerable latitude, and their oblique conversations are quietly delicious.
This is a true detective adventure, in which Chen makes considered deductions after observing the suspects and considering the consequences of each action. It’s also a considered commentary on contemporary Chinese society. And it’s a subtle love story, too.
Is this the right place to start a relationship with Inspector Chen? Definitely not. It’s oblique and challenging, even if you’re already acquainted with the characters through the previous 10 or so novels.
Is this a richly rewarding experience for long-time admirers of the series? Definitely yes. As ever, Qiu Xiaolong achieves a level of cross-cultural exchange found only in the very best literary fiction.
8/10
There's more info about this mystery, other books by the author and more world-crime over at http://www.murdermayhemandmore.net
April 30, 2022
I have been reading Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen series since 2004 when I read the first of the series, Death of a Red Heroine. This series is one I preorder and try to read as soon as it comes out. I am several months behind but did finish his latest Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder.
It has all the makings of what I love about the series, the food, the cooperation with various associates, the cerebral Inspector Chen and further understanding of inner workings of the Chinese government. In this one, he is no longer Inspector Chen, but is now promoted to Director of the Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office. This is a new office and not only is he promoted but also put on convalescent leave. He is deeply uncertain of his future and what direction he should go, but in the mean time he stumbles upon a case, that is intricate and confusing.
We are again treated to many meals with Inspector Chen:
The moment he seated himself opposite Huang, the waiter hurried over to open the menu for them with a proud grin. ‘The knife anchovy noodles here. Ours is the one and only restaurant in Shanghai that serves this celebrated special. And now is the very best season to have them with the fish swimming back into the Yangtze River.’ ‘Long-jaw anchovy, but people simply call it knife anchovy because of its knife-like shape,’ Huang said, an authentic authority on gourmet food, too. ‘My treat today. Two portions of knife anchovy noodles. Anything else?’
The mystery is on two levels, who was the murderer and what will ultimately happen with Inspector Chen. It seems we will have to wait for the next installment to find what direction his career takes.
It has all the makings of what I love about the series, the food, the cooperation with various associates, the cerebral Inspector Chen and further understanding of inner workings of the Chinese government. In this one, he is no longer Inspector Chen, but is now promoted to Director of the Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office. This is a new office and not only is he promoted but also put on convalescent leave. He is deeply uncertain of his future and what direction he should go, but in the mean time he stumbles upon a case, that is intricate and confusing.
We are again treated to many meals with Inspector Chen:
The moment he seated himself opposite Huang, the waiter hurried over to open the menu for them with a proud grin. ‘The knife anchovy noodles here. Ours is the one and only restaurant in Shanghai that serves this celebrated special. And now is the very best season to have them with the fish swimming back into the Yangtze River.’ ‘Long-jaw anchovy, but people simply call it knife anchovy because of its knife-like shape,’ Huang said, an authentic authority on gourmet food, too. ‘My treat today. Two portions of knife anchovy noodles. Anything else?’
The mystery is on two levels, who was the murderer and what will ultimately happen with Inspector Chen. It seems we will have to wait for the next installment to find what direction his career takes.
April 21, 2022
A bit of a return to form for the Inspector Chen series. One of the fun things is the intertextuality. On enforced sick leave from his new post, the now Director Chen tries out a strategem from a text from the Warring States era to solve a mystifying locked door killing of an ideologically unsound celebrity home chef. He pretends to be preparing for his legal reform role by studying a famous case of Dee Renjie. Aided by his young assistant, not only does Chen succeed in this endeavour, he also accepts an offer to write a novel about Judge Dee, considered politically acceptable by the Party. As the action proceeds, Chen is reading Robert van Gulik's Poets and Murder. As the novel closes in a mountain resort, Chen begins to write his own story of the case of the Courtesan Poetess Dee unravels in Van Gulik's tale.
A moody, poetic read but better constructed mystery than some of Chen's recent outings. It would be fun to read the Van Gulik book first!
A moody, poetic read but better constructed mystery than some of Chen's recent outings. It would be fun to read the Van Gulik book first!
October 3, 2021
A Chinese detective is placed on a medical leave, for political reasons, and while reading an English language version of a fictional historical, Tang Dynasty detective, is approached to conduct a secretive investigation of a murder that is remarkably similar to the book he is reading. There are layers upon layers of references and similarities in this book of murders and poetry that are intriguing and winsome but something gets lost in the translation. It may only be that this is the 12th in the series and the character development is better earlier in the series. I found some portions of the book fascinating and others a bit challenging. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 20, 2024
Qiu Xialong c'est mon best. Tout cas c'est mon best quand je suis encore en commotion.
February 3, 2022
Being a huge fan of my compatriot Robert van Gulik, I was curious to read this book, which refered strongly to van Gulik’s ‘Poets and murder’ of the Tang dynasty. I think it is an excellence choice to combine the modern murder and the ancient one, under pretext of writing a novel about judge Dee. Being subject to the negative aspects of the Chinese political system, this ‘concalescent’ inspector Chen navigates his way….
November 26, 2021
Chief Inspector Chen has been removed from his police role. He’s possibly one of the last honest ones. He was to find politics played a more devious role in Shanghai. On sick leave from his new job as Director of Judicial System Reform Office Chen is contacted by an old friend to look into a murder at a private party as an advisory. It soon becomes clear there are many interested parties who want the outcome to be their version of the truth.
A really involving story that draws you in to a world so different culture wise. It’s told in a way that never gets too heavy. You can really care about characters and really become involved in the outcome of the mystery.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A really involving story that draws you in to a world so different culture wise. It’s told in a way that never gets too heavy. You can really care about characters and really become involved in the outcome of the mystery.
I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2023
I would like to thank Netgalley and Severn House Publishers for an advance copy of Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen, the twelfth novel to feature Shanghai based Chief Inspector Chen.
Chen has been promoted to director of the newly created Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office and promptly put on convalescence leave in a bid to keep him out of investigations. He is contacted by a private detective agency and asked to consult on a case, so without seeming to, he looks into the case of Min, a connected woman who runs an exclusive dinner party business from her home, a so-called private kitchen, and who has been arrested for the murder of her kitchen assistant.
I enjoyed Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder, which, while being more literary than my usual fare of police procedurals and serial killers, I found strangely compulsive.
Chen finds himself in an invidious position, revered by the public for his integrity and determination and reviled by the establishment for those same qualities. As such he has to watch his step and his every word. This results in some seriously convoluted discussions with his new assistant, Jin, and some complicated subterfuge with his interviewees. May you live in interesting times, is the apt phrase here in all interpretations. At the same time he is reading a novel about Judge Dee, a famous ancient lawmaker, and finds uncanny parallels between the two cases. I must admit that, being unfamiliar with Judge Dee and his fictional cases I skimmed over this as not in my wheelhouse.
The murder enquiry itself, stripped of the literary allusions and poetry, is a real mystery and, as I said, quite compulsive. I couldn’t work out who had done it or why or why there were more victims. It’s quite a puzzle and it kept me fully occupied for much of the novel. The rest of the time I spent wondering at the machinations of the Party and its cadres. The freedom our system offers should be cherished.
Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder is a good read that I can recommend.
Chen has been promoted to director of the newly created Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office and promptly put on convalescence leave in a bid to keep him out of investigations. He is contacted by a private detective agency and asked to consult on a case, so without seeming to, he looks into the case of Min, a connected woman who runs an exclusive dinner party business from her home, a so-called private kitchen, and who has been arrested for the murder of her kitchen assistant.
I enjoyed Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder, which, while being more literary than my usual fare of police procedurals and serial killers, I found strangely compulsive.
Chen finds himself in an invidious position, revered by the public for his integrity and determination and reviled by the establishment for those same qualities. As such he has to watch his step and his every word. This results in some seriously convoluted discussions with his new assistant, Jin, and some complicated subterfuge with his interviewees. May you live in interesting times, is the apt phrase here in all interpretations. At the same time he is reading a novel about Judge Dee, a famous ancient lawmaker, and finds uncanny parallels between the two cases. I must admit that, being unfamiliar with Judge Dee and his fictional cases I skimmed over this as not in my wheelhouse.
The murder enquiry itself, stripped of the literary allusions and poetry, is a real mystery and, as I said, quite compulsive. I couldn’t work out who had done it or why or why there were more victims. It’s quite a puzzle and it kept me fully occupied for much of the novel. The rest of the time I spent wondering at the machinations of the Party and its cadres. The freedom our system offers should be cherished.
Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder is a good read that I can recommend.
June 27, 2021
Une nouvelle enquête du directeur Chen. J'aime bien être plongé dans le contexte de Shanghai, de son régime corrompu et des nouveaux riches. Mais j'ai l'impression de lire à chaque fois le même livre.
Je trouve que cela s’essouffle un peu.
Je trouve que cela s’essouffle un peu.
October 26, 2021
I'm conflicted with this one... I really like the character of Chen Cao, however the writing here was just not up to Qiu's usual quality. Left me scratching my head.
February 28, 2025
3.5 stars. Chen is now firmly on the shelf; now he's not considering leaving the force, but has had the force taken away from him. He's on "convalescent leave", the Party's way of telling him to get over himself before it's too late, which it probably already is. However, he can't help getting himself embroiled in not one case, but two!
Markedly better than the endless infodumping of Don't Cry, Tai Lake and Hold Your Breath, China, but this volume lacked the immediacy of the first novels in the series. Why is everything related second or third hand, instead of simply describing the discovery of the bodies, or the showing the private kitchen dinner as it happened? Chen is not present, but that's not required if an omniscient narrative voice is used, as is common in all genres of fiction. The bit where Chen Saves The Day was a bit TV series convenient, but hey.
There's a subplot that's a rather shameless plug for Qiu's own "Judge Dee" novels, which I have yet to read, and an examination of why they are so much better than Van Gulik's attempts, which I haven't read either. I had to wonder at Chen being swept away to the mountains on a compulsory "vacation"; we are to believe he was practically forced into a luxury car--without so much as a change of underwear for a projected stay of several days?
Once again I wondered where the proofreader was. Granted English is not the author's first language, but that alone should have encouraged someone to review the text before publishing it, since the target audience are English speakers. Unnecessary "the" litters the text at every turn, making the narration unnecessarily stilted. We get expressions such as "Last but not the least" and "pieces of the one and same puzzle", that really grate on the ear. Another paragraph begins: "Xi was a tall robust man in his mid thirties, speaking with an unmistakeable He'nan accent while taking care of his two or three year old daughter." Did he use that accent only when babysitting?
If more had been shown instead of told at one or two removes, this book would have been as absorbing as the first few volumes in the series. Sadly it all comes back to endless cups of coffee and quoting other people's poetry. I simply can't believe a Shanghainese police inspector sits around quoting Eliot and Arnold to himself, though a university literature professor might.
Markedly better than the endless infodumping of Don't Cry, Tai Lake and Hold Your Breath, China, but this volume lacked the immediacy of the first novels in the series. Why is everything related second or third hand, instead of simply describing the discovery of the bodies, or the showing the private kitchen dinner as it happened? Chen is not present, but that's not required if an omniscient narrative voice is used, as is common in all genres of fiction. The bit where Chen Saves The Day was a bit TV series convenient, but hey.
There's a subplot that's a rather shameless plug for Qiu's own "Judge Dee" novels, which I have yet to read, and an examination of why they are so much better than Van Gulik's attempts, which I haven't read either. I had to wonder at Chen being swept away to the mountains on a compulsory "vacation"; we are to believe he was practically forced into a luxury car--without so much as a change of underwear for a projected stay of several days?
Once again I wondered where the proofreader was. Granted English is not the author's first language, but that alone should have encouraged someone to review the text before publishing it, since the target audience are English speakers. Unnecessary "the" litters the text at every turn, making the narration unnecessarily stilted. We get expressions such as "Last but not the least" and "pieces of the one and same puzzle", that really grate on the ear. Another paragraph begins: "Xi was a tall robust man in his mid thirties, speaking with an unmistakeable He'nan accent while taking care of his two or three year old daughter." Did he use that accent only when babysitting?
If more had been shown instead of told at one or two removes, this book would have been as absorbing as the first few volumes in the series. Sadly it all comes back to endless cups of coffee and quoting other people's poetry. I simply can't believe a Shanghainese police inspector sits around quoting Eliot and Arnold to himself, though a university literature professor might.
May 28, 2022
I appreciate the way Inspector Chen stories have moved with the times. In the last couple of years the benefits of Chinese discipline and social order seem to have been overwhelmed by the costs of rigid centralised rule. In this novel, Chen is more deeply disillusioned than before with "socialism/capitalism with Chinese characteristics" and sees more bluntly the way the central party hierarchy is damaging society.
The circumstances of internet censorship are ubiquitous, as is the resilience of what he calls "netizens" in keeping social media channels and challenges to authority alive. It's so fascinating to hear online mavericks cast in such a positive light, when in many other countries they seem to play the role of disseminating fake news.
On a practical note, the language problems so evident in Becoming Inspector Chen are much less pronounced. Until a year ago there was a profound pleasure for me in Qiu Xiaolong's English that seemed to capture so well Chen's poetry, classical forms of expression, and leisurely cadences. Now, it feels as if this and the last couple of his books were written in Chinese and then poorly translated into English.
Yet as far as I can tell, all of the Inspector Chen novels were first published in English. So I am not sure I can blame the translator.
Is there any translation going on, other than the marvellous multilingual proficiency of the author? If the latter, what happened to upset the beautiful cadence of his language in the last couple of years? This latest offering gets back maybe 60% of what was lost in "translation" in the previous one or two books.
The circumstances of internet censorship are ubiquitous, as is the resilience of what he calls "netizens" in keeping social media channels and challenges to authority alive. It's so fascinating to hear online mavericks cast in such a positive light, when in many other countries they seem to play the role of disseminating fake news.
On a practical note, the language problems so evident in Becoming Inspector Chen are much less pronounced. Until a year ago there was a profound pleasure for me in Qiu Xiaolong's English that seemed to capture so well Chen's poetry, classical forms of expression, and leisurely cadences. Now, it feels as if this and the last couple of his books were written in Chinese and then poorly translated into English.
Yet as far as I can tell, all of the Inspector Chen novels were first published in English. So I am not sure I can blame the translator.
Is there any translation going on, other than the marvellous multilingual proficiency of the author? If the latter, what happened to upset the beautiful cadence of his language in the last couple of years? This latest offering gets back maybe 60% of what was lost in "translation" in the previous one or two books.
January 21, 2024
I've been listening to these novels as Audio books. So, I was disappointed that the series stopped the audiobooks at about 4, and I had to jump to #12 to continue. So, Inspector Chen continues to struggle with being politically correct while solving the issue of crime in the PRC.
It's several years later and Chen has been laid off by being promoted and put on convalescent leave. There is a question about whether he'll ever return from convalescent leave as it's not up to his doctor to tell him he is well. The party apparatus will have the final word after the medical report has been turned in. Meanwhile, a whole new department has been created for him to be in charge of; something to do with the judicial aspect of China.
Chen's literary and English expertise serves him to good effect. It has been decided that he should write a new Judge Dee novela from the Tang period. There is discussion of Robert Van Gulik's original series and a suggestion that Chen as a Chinese literary figure might do a better job. I note that Qui Xiaolong has actually written his own Judge Dee novel - maybe that will be my next audio experience.
Chen's novela will be presented as a serialization in the local newspaper.
Chen also uses the idea that he's researching and writing about Judge Dee as prep for his new job to hide the fact from the bureacracy that he's actually investigating a politically sensitive murder.
By this time 12 novels in Chen has acquired quite the reputation as a master detective. Someone refers derisively to him as the Chinese "Sherlock Holmes". Well worth the read.
It's several years later and Chen has been laid off by being promoted and put on convalescent leave. There is a question about whether he'll ever return from convalescent leave as it's not up to his doctor to tell him he is well. The party apparatus will have the final word after the medical report has been turned in. Meanwhile, a whole new department has been created for him to be in charge of; something to do with the judicial aspect of China.
Chen's literary and English expertise serves him to good effect. It has been decided that he should write a new Judge Dee novela from the Tang period. There is discussion of Robert Van Gulik's original series and a suggestion that Chen as a Chinese literary figure might do a better job. I note that Qui Xiaolong has actually written his own Judge Dee novel - maybe that will be my next audio experience.
Chen's novela will be presented as a serialization in the local newspaper.
Chen also uses the idea that he's researching and writing about Judge Dee as prep for his new job to hide the fact from the bureacracy that he's actually investigating a politically sensitive murder.
By this time 12 novels in Chen has acquired quite the reputation as a master detective. Someone refers derisively to him as the Chinese "Sherlock Holmes". Well worth the read.
September 10, 2021
Yes! Inspector (now Director) Chen Cao is back, relieved of his duties, promoted to director of the Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office and placed on involuntary 'convalescence leave' to stop him from being the only honest cop in Shanghai.
But even removed from his official duties, Chen cannot stay idle for long. Old Hunter, a retired cop now working for a PI firm, pulls him in to investigate Min, an owner of a private kitchen who has been accused of murdering her assistant. As Min has been taken away by Internal Security to an undisclosed location, Chen has to work around the main suspect to determine who the guilty party is.
A couple of wrinkles that have been added - Chen is fascinated with a Judge Dee mystery set during the Tang dynasty with eerie parallels to the current case. And Chen has a new secretary Jin, a young historian who goes out of her way to help Chen in his unofficial investigation.
After the last couple of novels, it is great to have Chen get back to an old-fashioned mystery without the preachiness and politics that have crept into this series (although the big brother presence is always there in the background). And the addition of Jin representing the young, vibrant China is a great move, she makes for a great team that I hope we see more of.
But even removed from his official duties, Chen cannot stay idle for long. Old Hunter, a retired cop now working for a PI firm, pulls him in to investigate Min, an owner of a private kitchen who has been accused of murdering her assistant. As Min has been taken away by Internal Security to an undisclosed location, Chen has to work around the main suspect to determine who the guilty party is.
A couple of wrinkles that have been added - Chen is fascinated with a Judge Dee mystery set during the Tang dynasty with eerie parallels to the current case. And Chen has a new secretary Jin, a young historian who goes out of her way to help Chen in his unofficial investigation.
After the last couple of novels, it is great to have Chen get back to an old-fashioned mystery without the preachiness and politics that have crept into this series (although the big brother presence is always there in the background). And the addition of Jin representing the young, vibrant China is a great move, she makes for a great team that I hope we see more of.
May 14, 2025
I have been reading this series in order but I don't remember too much about this book as I finished this book during a trip without access to GR and I usually write the review right after when my memory is fresh.
What I do remember is that a beautiful young lady (Min) is accused of murdering her assistant. Min runs a private kitchen, ie. she cooks and serves dinners to a very select few (of Shanghai's rich and powerful men). The clientele is so select that the wait is long and not even open to those who don't have the requisite credentials.
One night, she is feeling unwell and goes to bed early. Her assistant finishes serving dinner, sends the clientele off and locks up. The next morning, the assistant is found dead with all the doors and windows locked. Since no one else has the keys and no one can get in or our, Min is arrested for her murder. Inspector Chen is asked to look into it.
The Inspector Chen plots are never simple. Woven into the plot are the author's usual criticism of the Chinese form of socialism as well as Chen's failed romances and other side plots. In this case, Chen introduces us more to Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee, specifically his book Poets and Murder, in which a similar murder occurs.
This book is a fair representative of Qiu's Inspector Chen series and not too bogged down in side plots as some others are.
What I do remember is that a beautiful young lady (Min) is accused of murdering her assistant. Min runs a private kitchen, ie. she cooks and serves dinners to a very select few (of Shanghai's rich and powerful men). The clientele is so select that the wait is long and not even open to those who don't have the requisite credentials.
One night, she is feeling unwell and goes to bed early. Her assistant finishes serving dinner, sends the clientele off and locks up. The next morning, the assistant is found dead with all the doors and windows locked. Since no one else has the keys and no one can get in or our, Min is arrested for her murder. Inspector Chen is asked to look into it.
The Inspector Chen plots are never simple. Woven into the plot are the author's usual criticism of the Chinese form of socialism as well as Chen's failed romances and other side plots. In this case, Chen introduces us more to Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee, specifically his book Poets and Murder, in which a similar murder occurs.
This book is a fair representative of Qiu's Inspector Chen series and not too bogged down in side plots as some others are.
April 6, 2021
Recensione di “Processo a Shanghai” di Xiaolong Qiu edito Marsilio
Chen Cao, ispettore capo della polizia di Shanghai è stato rimosso dal suo incarico e “promosso” alla carica di direttore del neonato ufficio per la riforma del sistema giudiziario. In ferie forzate si imbatte in un caso di omicidio in cui la sicurezza nazionale è coinvolta da subito.
Grazie a ex colleghi, conoscenze e alla segretaria Lin, Chen risolve il caso.
È il primo romanzo che leggo di questo autore quindi non posso sapere come siano i precedenti con protagonista l’ispettore capo, ma questo mi ha deluso.
È un giallo con una soluzione a metà. Tre omicidi, due con un colpevole e il terzo con un gigantesco punto di domanda. Peccato perché la trama è ben articolata, le problematiche della libertà individuale in Cina sono presenti e affrontate, l’indagine è affrontata in modo tradizionale: ragionamenti e chiacchierate per intenderci. Quindi perché lasciare un finale “appeso”?
Peccato, avrei voluto leggere anche gli altri della serie ma ho paura di rimanere scottata di nuovo. Giudizio non completamente negativo ma sicuramente finale deludente.
Chen Cao, ispettore capo della polizia di Shanghai è stato rimosso dal suo incarico e “promosso” alla carica di direttore del neonato ufficio per la riforma del sistema giudiziario. In ferie forzate si imbatte in un caso di omicidio in cui la sicurezza nazionale è coinvolta da subito.
Grazie a ex colleghi, conoscenze e alla segretaria Lin, Chen risolve il caso.
È il primo romanzo che leggo di questo autore quindi non posso sapere come siano i precedenti con protagonista l’ispettore capo, ma questo mi ha deluso.
È un giallo con una soluzione a metà. Tre omicidi, due con un colpevole e il terzo con un gigantesco punto di domanda. Peccato perché la trama è ben articolata, le problematiche della libertà individuale in Cina sono presenti e affrontate, l’indagine è affrontata in modo tradizionale: ragionamenti e chiacchierate per intenderci. Quindi perché lasciare un finale “appeso”?
Peccato, avrei voluto leggere anche gli altri della serie ma ho paura di rimanere scottata di nuovo. Giudizio non completamente negativo ma sicuramente finale deludente.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2022
Plodding.
There's a mystery-within-a-mystery, and a May-December infatuation. A young woman assistant of Inspector Chen develops a crush on the older man -- the infatuation is completely out of left field and a little dry. We have no idea what Inspector Chen looks like, though there's no doubt he IS very learned. Maybe there's a shortage of eligible young men in Shanghai? There are lots and lots of references to food, since he's known to be something of a "gourmand." These were the parts I enjoyed the most.
I'm forgetting: the case! The maid of a well-known 'courtesan' is found murdered. She was being lured away by a rival employer, who was also the maid's lover. The employer, the courtesan, is said to be so upset that she murdered the maid. Inspector Chen thinks the courtesan is being framed. I'm sure she is, Unfortunately, we never hear from the courtesan: she's being held under house arrest and the Inspector never meets her. So, the whole time, it's just the Inspector, people he interviews, the books he reads, the novella he's writing, a few bits about the Tang dynasty, the letters he writes . . .
There's a mystery-within-a-mystery, and a May-December infatuation. A young woman assistant of Inspector Chen develops a crush on the older man -- the infatuation is completely out of left field and a little dry. We have no idea what Inspector Chen looks like, though there's no doubt he IS very learned. Maybe there's a shortage of eligible young men in Shanghai? There are lots and lots of references to food, since he's known to be something of a "gourmand." These were the parts I enjoyed the most.
I'm forgetting: the case! The maid of a well-known 'courtesan' is found murdered. She was being lured away by a rival employer, who was also the maid's lover. The employer, the courtesan, is said to be so upset that she murdered the maid. Inspector Chen thinks the courtesan is being framed. I'm sure she is, Unfortunately, we never hear from the courtesan: she's being held under house arrest and the Inspector never meets her. So, the whole time, it's just the Inspector, people he interviews, the books he reads, the novella he's writing, a few bits about the Tang dynasty, the letters he writes . . .
January 20, 2022
Another entertaining Inspector Chen novel from Xiaolong Qui. The author has a rare insight into the mind of the modern day Chinese bureaucrat and the acceptance of the government by the Chinese populace in tumultuous China. He blends the past and the present seamlessly in this novel as he parallels a Judge Dee (a real magistrate from the Tang Dynasty) case created by Robert Van Gulik, noted Dutch Sinologist, and the dealings of High Government officials, secret organizations, Big Buck entities and Red Princes in a similar modern day case. Perhaps a stretch but none the less, entertaining.
What I enjoy the most about the Inspector Chen novels, though, is the look at a closed society, bound by the traditions and customs of thousands of years and the way the government seeks to push a hybrid communism with a driving force of capitalism. Interesting. Xiaolong Qiu also gives us a taste of classic Chinese poetry as he interjects lovely lines from ancient and modern poetry to underline some of his points. A unique look at a unique country and a very good read.
What I enjoy the most about the Inspector Chen novels, though, is the look at a closed society, bound by the traditions and customs of thousands of years and the way the government seeks to push a hybrid communism with a driving force of capitalism. Interesting. Xiaolong Qiu also gives us a taste of classic Chinese poetry as he interjects lovely lines from ancient and modern poetry to underline some of his points. A unique look at a unique country and a very good read.
September 7, 2021
I admit this caught my eye because of the title. However it's an interesting read. Once you get past the Chinese names it is a murder mystery, but with the added interference of the Chinese internal security services.
Inspector Chen has been put on convalescence leave after he has ruffled too many feathers with his investigations. He has a new secretary who keeps him abreast of what is happening in the world and is happy to do his research. He is contemplating writing a book on Judge Dee when an old friend gets in touch asking for his help in investigating a murder. A murder has been committed at a Private Kitchen run by a infamous woman and she has been accused of the murder. An anonymous person has engaged the agency Chen's friend works for to find the real murderer.
It's a different read, and is peppered with historic references (well they might be) referring to ancient China.
Inspector Chen has been put on convalescence leave after he has ruffled too many feathers with his investigations. He has a new secretary who keeps him abreast of what is happening in the world and is happy to do his research. He is contemplating writing a book on Judge Dee when an old friend gets in touch asking for his help in investigating a murder. A murder has been committed at a Private Kitchen run by a infamous woman and she has been accused of the murder. An anonymous person has engaged the agency Chen's friend works for to find the real murderer.
It's a different read, and is peppered with historic references (well they might be) referring to ancient China.
May 29, 2022
Qui Xiaolong's Inspector Chen series is top tier mystery writing and I am always shocked that it is not as well known as I feel like it should be. Inspector Chen, now Director Chen, is a detective and poet who thinks deeply about all aspects of his life and he is fascinating. The descriptions of the social and political structures of China into which every inspector Chen mystery s embedded, is compelling in and of itself. For me, the mystery is peripheral to the process of arriving at the solution and the detail with which all of that is rendered.
It is worth noting that Qui Xiaolong wrote a second book, The Shadow of the Empire, a historical mystery, which is intended to be read either immediately before or right after reading Private Kitchen. I read it after and I recommend reading them as a pair very strongly. They are of a piece even though they are set hundreds of years apart.
It is worth noting that Qui Xiaolong wrote a second book, The Shadow of the Empire, a historical mystery, which is intended to be read either immediately before or right after reading Private Kitchen. I read it after and I recommend reading them as a pair very strongly. They are of a piece even though they are set hundreds of years apart.
September 26, 2021
Inspector Chen, who has been sidelined from his position is pulled into an effort to exonerate Min, who has allegedly murdered her kitchen assistant. She's been arrested and more or less disappeared, which makes this more challenging, Then Chen realizes there are parallels to a case from the Tang Dynasty. It's an interesting look at policing in modern Shanghai. I'd only read one of the books in this series and was fine with this as a more or less standalone. I like Chen, his assistant may not be meant to be amusing but is, and the case is complicated enough to keep you guessing,. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.
January 12, 2022
Private Kitchen Murders - a great encore!
Qiu Xiaolong is a uniquely gifted writer. His mystery stories take place in contemporary China. Writing in English, he opens western imaginations to a marvelously addicting yet totally genuine and accurate adventure with Inspector Chen Cao in Shanghai. This, his most recent work, continues the canon and deftly comforts fans that Xlao Qiu is back. Inspector Chen has more corruption to hit and new ladies to bedazzle. Retired from international business in Asia after 35 years residence, including 25 Years in China, Qiu Xiaolong writes of characters and settings that are most accurate AND exciting. Bravo!
Qiu Xiaolong is a uniquely gifted writer. His mystery stories take place in contemporary China. Writing in English, he opens western imaginations to a marvelously addicting yet totally genuine and accurate adventure with Inspector Chen Cao in Shanghai. This, his most recent work, continues the canon and deftly comforts fans that Xlao Qiu is back. Inspector Chen has more corruption to hit and new ladies to bedazzle. Retired from international business in Asia after 35 years residence, including 25 Years in China, Qiu Xiaolong writes of characters and settings that are most accurate AND exciting. Bravo!
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