The Mao Case: An Inspector Chen Novel (Inspector Chen Cao)

by Qiu Xiaolong

Hardcover, 2009

Call number

MYST XIA

Collection

Genres

Publication

Minotaur Books (2009), Edition: First Edition, 304 pages

Description

Tucked away from the building sites of modern Shanghai are the beautiful mansions once owned by the smartest families in 1930s China. They have since been bought by rich businessmen and high-ranking members of the Communist Party. All except one. The owner is an old painter. Each day he teaches his students, all beautiful girls in their twenties. Each night he holds a glittering party: swing jazz plays for his former neighbours, who dance, remember old times and forget for an evening the terrors that followed. But questions are being asked. How can he afford such a lifestyle? His paintings? Blackmail? A triad connection? Prostitution? Inspector Chen is asked to investigate discreetly what is going on behind the elegant façade. But, before he can get close to anyone, one of the girls is found murdered in the garden and another is terrified she will be next. Chen's quest for answers will take Chen to a strange businessman, triads, Chairman Mao himself and a terrible secret the Party will go to any length to conceal.… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member riverwillow
Another superb book from Qiu Xiaolong - in this one the long dead Mao still asserts an influence over a Shanghai in transition. Chen is called in by the Party to work alongside Internal Affairs as the investigate, Jiao, the granddaughter of one of Mao's mistresses ,Shang. This is a multilayered
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novel, where the tragedies which have swept Jiao's family reflect those of China.
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LibraryThing member kewing
The mystery and its resolution seem almost superfluous to the commentary on changes in Shanghai, the almost wistful value of poetry for a learned person, the workings of the CCP, and the idolatry surrounding the profligate Mao. Inspector Chen is a complex literary character who offers insights into
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the paradoxes of contemporary Chinese society, but the mystery in the Mao Case is not nearly as interesting as Qiu's earlier novels.
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LibraryThing member pmarshall
There isn’t much of a mystery in “The Mao Case.” Instead the author uses the police investigation into a young woman, Jiao, whose grandmother had an affair with Mao Zedong. In doing so Mao is revealed to have been a bigamist and to have had many women with whom he had a ‘special
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relationship.’ He believed himself to be an emperor of China and lived the life style of one. The examination of Mao’s poetry, which was said to have been written to promote his revolution in China, reveals some of it to be about the various women in his life.

The investigation is also used to reveal the impact on individuals of the Cultural Revolution and the other military activities Mao used to move the country forward. The Chinese people were brainwashed to accept Mao as a great leader and one not to be questioned. Only now are some starting to question why.

The cult of Mao still exists as Chen finds out in his investigation.

If you want a good mystery pass this by, but if you want to learn of Mao’s reign in China read on.
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LibraryThing member dudara
Although labelled as a murder mystery, The Mao Case and other works from Qiu Xiaolong, are deeper stories concerning with the rapidly changing and mutating society in millenium China. The shadow of Mao and the Cultural Revolution looms over a society which is looking towards the future.

Inspector
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Chen is both a poet and detective. Cultured and educated, he is entrusted with investigating the suddenly affluent lifestyle of Jiao, granddaughter of a disgraced movie star. But as he begins his investigation, the body of Jiao's friend is found in the garden of a gently decaying Shanghai mansion.

The case is politically sensitive, due to the connection between Jiao's grandmother and Chairman Mao. In fact, Internal police are convinced that Jiao holds some secret material from Mao, which cannot be allowed to resurface and tarnish his beloved and treasured image.

This is a crime novel of a different ilk. Originating as it does from a different culture, Xiaolong's story offers a different type of crime novel - intellectual and educated. It is wistful, literate and utterly unique.
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LibraryThing member Katong
Book has lot of great elements -- descriptions of Shanghainese food, politics, lots of quotations of Chinese poetry, strong plot, etc. But someohow doesn't rise above its genre status. Still, worth reading.
LibraryThing member ShannaRedwind
Wasn't really my thing, but I'm sure for the right person it could be a very enjoyable book. Knowing more about the cultural revolution in China would certainly have helped my comprehension.

The writing was good, so don't be scared off by my low rating. This book just wasn't really to my taste.
LibraryThing member jkdavies
It was ok, a bit more cosy than I normally like, but pleasant all the same
LibraryThing member scot2
An interesting, easy read. I enjoyed reading about Shanghai and the workings of the internal security bureau. A good mystery that was not completely solved by eccenntric policeman , Inspector Chen.
LibraryThing member whitewavedarling
Another great book in the Inspector Chen series, this installment is steeped in the recent history of Chinese politics as well as the culture, and it's one of the more powerful books I've read in the series. Perhaps more than any other, it blends in cultural elements of poetry and food beautifully
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so that there are no seams showing, whereas poetry has felt somewhat more forced in a few of the books, much as I always enjoy it. This brought me back to the reasons I fell in love with this series, and the gorgeous nuance that Xiaolong brings to each of his works. I do wish the ending had been allowed to breathe just a bit more, as it felt somewhat rushed for my taste, but otherwise, I loved this book and I look forward to the next in the series.
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Pages

304

ISBN

031253874X / 9780312538743
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