Review of "A Loyal Character Dancer" by Qiu Xiaolong

Inspector Chen Cao of the Shanghai Police is a very interesting piece of work. The Inspector is also a poet. He lives in post Mao China and the author takes us into the times and the turmoil that is showing up with political maneuvering.

Chen has just begun to solve a murder that has been discovered in a local park when he is taken off the case and assigned to escort and U.S. Marshall. The marshall is investigating a case that involves a witness in the United States. Chen is authorized to show the marshall around as an important visitor. The marshall is a woman, and both she and Chen are supposed to locate the wife of the man who is helping the U.S. and then will be moved into the witness protection program. The wife's name is Wen and the Chinese policeman and the American marshal become partners as they move closer to the answers. They are finding that local Triads are involved and that they want to kill the wife who has now run away.

What we have here is a cultural tour through a China most of us will never know. The plots are very complicated and politically charged. Chen has learned his job well and as the two move ahead to solve the various mysteries they encounter they begin to trust and admire each other.

Watch for this author. This is the second novel that I have read and I found both of them very engrossing with good mysteries and an insight into China and it's culture that is most interesting.