The Lake Ching Murders

Zhong Fong #2

by David Rotenberg

Detective Fong, former head of Special Investigations, has been exiled to Northwestern China. Two men come and whisk him away in the middle of the night to investigate the brutal murder of seventeen men.

Genres: Mystery, China, Mystery Thriller, Canada

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

David Rotenberg has been a master acting teacher for over 20 years. He has directed on Broadway, in many major regional theatres, for television, and he has published six novels, including the Zhong Fong detective series, all of which are available at your local bookstore or online. The series is in the process of being optioned for film.

David has taught at York University, the National Theatre School of Canada, the Shanghai Theatre Academy, the University of Cape Town, and Princeton. He regularly teaches professional classes in Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. He directed the first Canadian play in the People's Republic of China. Most recently, David has directed at Penn State University and at York University, where he adapted and directed a stage version of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.

The roster of his students reads like a who's who in ranks of Canadian actors, including Scott Speedman, Rachel McAdams, James McGowan, Polly Shannon, David Hirsh, Jonas Chernick and Shawn Doyle. His unique techniques are used by actors in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa and the People's Republic of China.

Like him on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Pla...

Reviews

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent, fascinating series. Police mystery set in China, featuring exiled police inspector, Zhang Fong, trying to solve cases while coping with Political system. Great supporting cast and interesting mysteries.

[Ann Tonks · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a level of violence in the murders at the heart of this book that I find most off putting, but the story of 'Traitor Zhong' and his unlikely team of mystery solvers is fascination in terms of both the political context of contemproary China and the characterisations in the book.

[Magda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having not read a Rotenberg before I had zero expectations but was interested in the setting. This time China. Always interested to see what a crime novel reveals about a countries culture. Read no further if you haven't read the story and don't want any spoilers-not that I will outline the story (yawn) - that's not a review is it:-) I have to say the crime was revoltingly brutal and I didn't spend too much time allowing my mind to visualise the gruesome murders on the boat. They really weren't necessary as a vehicle for the rest of the story and as an entree almost too much. I am still unsure why the killings had to be carried out in that way since we weren't given much insight into the murderers minds or lives. The resolution just seemed a tad too brief to warrant the crimes scale and brutality.
Having said that the ex-night soil collector policeman makes a quirky character. His treatment in exile is a stark reminder of how much we take for granted. Electricity, phones and for some cigarettes! I am in two minds about reading the earlier books. Only for the reason that while this was worthwhile reading it was like one of those meals you eat and enjoy but still feel a bit unsatisfied at the end. I'm sorry Mr R.

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. A little slow at the start. I must be male; I want to get into it quickly. Then we do. Emphatically. Former Shanghai Homicide Detective Zhong is kidnapped and taken on a long car ride in its trunk to Ching, a town in outer China beyond the Great Wall. It appears someone higher-up in the government respects his detecting skills for he is being taken to the scene of the gruesome murders of seventeen foreigners. They died on a luxury yacht half sunk in the middle of partially frozen Lake Ching. Zhong was not the first outside detective to be involved in the case; the previous one remained there for a short time and arrested three local farmers from a nearby island. Detective Zhong has been in jail and his skills are rusty, but he and his team, which includes a young police officer of surprising skill from Xian nearby, work through the politics associated with the strange killings. Why has this happened? You are sure to learn a great deal about the idiosyncrasies of China, the beauty of the country, its fascinating history, and the mindset of its many peoples. Having visited Shanghai, this was a joy. (December 2018)

[Mark Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lake Ching is a very good mystery. A gruesome crime in a remote area of China brings Zhong Fong out of political exile to solve a grisly murder. Zhong really reminds me of Arkady Renko of Martin Cruz Smith's wonderful novels. Well worth the very quick read, I read it at one sitting. Well, one plane ride....

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chinese mysteries and detectives are new for me.

[Kayla Montgomery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brutal. But, I kept reading as it was such a cultural window for me into this author's experience of China. Despite the violence, it kept my interest even though I also read the second volume first. I am now reading the first volume. There's background gained to reading books in order but I feel I was not hampered too greatly. A good read but I would not attend a movie version as the violence would be too graphic.

[jeow]

wonderfully gruesome, lowkey made my toes curl a little fr. easy read and easy to follow even if you haven't read the first book

[Michael Vawser]

Reprint 2002

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much gratuitous violence and an absolutely inane plot. Not recommended.

[Amanda T · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

Started off well and faltered in the middle.

He also does something I hate in writing: head hopping. In at least three spots (most noticeably when the specialist is looking at the boat), the author hops from one characters point of view to another, often on the same page. The general rule is that you stick with the point of view of the character you've chosen for the entire chapter. If you want to switch points of view, you start a new chapter.

In addition, the thoughts of the character are sometimes in italics and sometimes not. That bothered me too.

As for the plot itself, it was okay. Convoluted by the end, with way too many fingers in the pot.