In the latest Inspector Chen novel, Qui Xiaolong
takes us to Communist China where the city of Shanghai is
besieged by its first ever sexual serial killer. The
murderer dresses the victims in antiquated red mandarin
dresses and leaves them in public places, as if to prove
that the police have no power over him.
This comes at an unfortunate time for Inspector Chen Cao of
the Shanghai Police Department as he's just taken time off
to take an advanced literature course at the university.
Instead of pursuing his education, he's persuaded to return
to the police force to catch this criminal. As he
investigates, he learns that the killings may be related to
some high-powered individuals and the case becomes more
sensitive than he ever thought possible.
RED MANDARIN DRESS is a good mystery novel but is perhaps
not the best choice for a reader unfamiliar with the
previous Inspector Chen novels. I found it difficult to
really get engaged with this book. I think it was a myriad
of factors, including that the story takes place in a city
I am in no way familiar with, involves a culture I have
little knowledge of and Xiaolong's writing style takes some
getting used to. However, I think the novel is approachable
for most people and once you get into it, the mystery is
compelling enough to make you want to figure it out.
Chief Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police Department
is often put in charge of politically sensitive cases.
Having recently ruffled more than a few official fathers,
when he was asked to look into a sensitive corruption case,
he takes immediate action - and goes on leave from work.
But while on vacation, the body of a murdered young woman
is found in a highly trafficked area and the only notable
aspect is that she was redressed in a red mandarin dress.
When a second body appears, this time in the People's Park,
also in precisely the same kind of red mandarin dress, the
newspapers start screaming that Shanghai is being stalked
by its first sexual serial killer. With the Party anxious
to resolve the murders quickly, Chen finds himself in the
midst of his most potentially dangerous and sensitive case
to date.
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