Le Chateau

A Harry Chin Murder Mystery #2

by Ralph Griffith

Beneath the sun-drenched opulence of Cairns' French consulate, where gossip bubbles like champagne and secrets swim deeper than the Great Coral Sea, a shocking tableau unfolds. Madame Monet, the captivating Honorary Consul, lies strangled in her silk-swathed bedroom, a pair of Givenchy stockings twisted around her elegant throat.

Canberra dispatches their finest: Inspectors, Harry Chin a whirlwind of Savile Row tailoring and razor-sharp deductions, and at his side stands Ash Friday, an aboriginal tracker whose eyes can pierce through the darkest shadows lurking beneath. As they navigate the labyrinthine world of Cairns, they uncover a web of deceit woven from forbidden love, and family legacies stained by blood. Their pursuit of the truth takes them from the bustling streets of the city to the secluded beaches of the coast, as they piece together the events leading up to the murder and identify the killer.

With its intricate plot, compelling characters, and suspenseful atmosphere, "Le Chateau: A Harry Chin Murder Mystery" is a must-read for fans of detective fiction. Griffith's engaging storytelling will keep you captivated from the first page to the last, as you unravel the mysteries of Le Chateau.

Genres: Mystery Thriller

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2021

About the author

A Life Lived in Ink

Ralph Griffith is an intriguing American author with a life story that reads like a gripping novel itself. Known for his crime and mystery novels, his literary career began during his incarceration, where he spent over 30 years, including a final 14-year stretch that inspired his memoirs "Monkey House" and "The Real Bernie Madoff".

Griffith's notable works include:

"The Harry Chin Murder Mysteries"

"The Johnny Walker Detective Novels"

"The Clyde Thomas Novels"

"The Too-Sweet Sagas"

"The Big Huna Novels"

“The Griffith Chronicles”

Today, he continues to write from his home in the Pacific Northwest.
His series have been translated into Spanish.
You can visit Ralph at:
amazon.com/author/ralphgriffith
https://www.linkedin.com/in/xak-media/
https://www.facebook.com/XAKMediaGroup/
https://x.com/XakMedia
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm16300273/...

Una vida vivida en tinta

Ralph Griffith es un fascinante autor estadounidense cuya historia de vida se lee como una novela apasionante. Conocido por sus novelas policiales y de misterio, su carrera literaria comenzó durante su encarcelamiento, donde pasó más de 30 años, incluido un tramo final de 14 años que inspiró sus memorias "Monkey House" y "The Real Bernie Madoff".

Las obras notables de Griffith incluyen:

Los misterios del asesinato de Harry Chin

Las novelas de detectives de Johnny Walker

Las novelas de Clyde Thomas

Las sagas Too-Sweet

Las novelas de Big Huna

Las crónicas de Griffith

Hoy, continúa escribiendo desde su casa en el noroeste del Pacífico.

Reviews

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG!! Do not read this book if you are an Australian - it will have you tearing your hair out. Americans should not try to write stories set in OZ unless they have a) lived here; b) consulted a map of Australia and then only attempt a novel when they have a decent editor. For example Cairns is in Far North Queensland, not on the Gold Coast , we have "stations"not ranches, we do not use quarters in pay phones, we have droughts not draughts and it goes on and on...I wish I'd made a list. A half decent proof reader would have picked up the fact that Ash Friday becomes Frank Ash in at least two places, and the actor character starred not stared in films, droughts not draughts and many other spelling and grammatical blunders. I'm a Tasmanian but I doubt I could stomach the mess waiting in his book about Tasmania, if it was a freebie (as this one was) I might give it a go just for the entertainment, but pay for it - now way!

[Dawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

If this wasn't a send up of the old Charlie Chan mysteries, then it's pretty sad.

If it isn't - pretend that it is! It was pretty bad. I felt that the author thought that I suffered from short term memory loss. I really didn't need to be told in every chapter that Harry was of Chinese background or that Ash was Aboriginal. It verged in spots on being racist. And yes, I realise that if they're driving a rental car, then it is going to remain a rental car until the end of the book. I really didn't need the "rental" in front of every car reference. Nor did I need to be told repeatedly that Ash spoke infrequently, nor that he positioned himself by the door.

I initially thought that this was dictated and transcribed by AI, but even that doesn't account for some of the mistakes. It really needs a good proof reader/editor's touch.

Located in Australia, but best to ignore that or it will set your teeth on edge!

I'll spare you a spoiler - but the solution??? Really??? I persisted because I just had to see ... that's the Kindle disadvantage - now I'm sorry I did.

I won't be reading any more of this series. In fact, I'll probably put the author's name on my "Give It a Miss" List.

[Rosalyn]

I am struggling to get past the second chapter. I wanted to read it because I like mysteries, and I like stories set in different places, with different types of characters. But the writing is stilted, there are numerous occasions of wrong words ("mote" instead of "moat" for instance), inconsistent use of commas and semicolons, too many incomplete sentences, and several places where it seems a sentence lost its way from the paragraph it belonged in. But I just had to quit when the detectives determined, after practically no investigation at all and only a list of possible suspects, that this was the most challenging case they had ever encountered. Maybe I'll pick it up again if I run out of the other gazillion books stuffed into my Kindle, but so sorry, Ralph, you need a good editor.

[Diana Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le Chateau is a classy, old-school murder mystery with a tropical twist. From the very first chapter, the atmosphere pulls you in sun, luxury, secrets, and a murder that feels both glamorous and tragic. Inspector Harry Chin and Ash Friday make a brilliant pair; their chemistry and contrasting methods give the story real depth and personality.
The mystery itself is layered and full of surprises, weaving love, betrayal, and family secrets into something that feels cinematic. I loved how the author balanced elegance with grit one moment you’re sipping champagne in a consulate, the next you’re chasing truths through the shadows of Cairns.

A smart, stylish, and thoroughly engaging whodunit. Fans of classic detective fiction will absolutely enjoy this.

[Paul Hollis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Elegant, Atmospheric, and Cleverly Twisted

Le Château: A Harry Chin Murder Mystery is a stylish and engrossing detective tale that blends classic whodunit charm with a vivid Australian setting. From the shocking murder of the glamorous French consul to the sunlit shadows of Cairns, Ralph Griffith crafts a mystery rich in intrigue, secrets, and social nuance.

Inspector Harry Chin is a standout—sharp, stylish, and endlessly perceptive—while his partner Ash Friday adds depth and quiet strength as they unravel a web of forbidden love and buried family sins. The pacing is tight, the clues cleverly layered, and the atmosphere lush and seductive. A thoroughly satisfying mystery that keeps you guessing to the final reveal. Perfect for fans of smart, character-driven crime fiction.

[Julie Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the characters well enough and I liked the setting, Australia. BUT some of the Australian references are off which was messing with my head. The plot - solve a murder was a little lame as was who the murders were. It was an okay read.

[sandy test · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read

I enjoyed reading the book. Interesting plot, enjoyable characterizations of both the investigators and the suspects. Perhaps some more discussion of the local, customs, etc would have embellished the story.

[Debra Dowd · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was ok

I like a book written about Australia. The story was OK, but considering it was supposed to be about Australia, there were too many American terms, ie, quarters, when referring to money.

[Christine Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good enough plot but too many typos, I noticed the town of Cairns being misspelt at least twice. Too much mention of the game Go. Also if you took out all the padding, all the 'thinking about the case, determined to solve it etc etc, the book would have been half the length.

[John Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting

A slow burn but as it catches fire a constant page turner.Require ing constant evaluation. A interesting and fun read

[Donna Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

I finished it, because I started it. Decent plot with characters I couldn’t like or dislike. The book was boring for me, however, I still gave it 3 stars.

[jan knowles · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring

I found it profoundly boring, every little action over exaggerated and the characters ridiculous , I very rarely leave a book unfinished but came very near in this one