Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
Dommer Di er i Lan-Fang, forflyttet efter i to år at have været dommer i Pu-yang. Han løser en mordgåde, hvor ofret er myrdet i et lukket rum og finder nøglen til en gammel labyrint. Han finder også sig selv efter mødet med en gammel vismand. Chiao Tai, Ma Jung, Tao Gan og sergent Hung
En glimrende krimi. som jeg har læst flere gange.
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hjælper ham undervejs.En glimrende krimi. som jeg har læst flere gange.
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Publication
[Kbh.] Lina 1987 224 s. 21 cm
Description
Poisoned plums, a cryptic scroll picture, passionate love letters, and a hidden murderer with a penchant for torturing and killing women lead Judge Dee to the heart of the Governor’s garden maze and the answers to three interwoven mysteries. The Chinese Maze Murders represents Robert van Gulik’s first venture into writing suspense novels after the success of Dee Gong An, his translation of an anonymous Chinese detective novel from the sixteenth century.
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I had read this before--decades ago as a teen and can't say even after reading it again I could say I remembered it--which is a point against it. It's a historical mystery set in China's Tang Dynasty around 700 AD and featuring Judge Dee. He's a historical figure with the kind of legendary
Yet despite that I'm fond of this novel and the series--enough to give it four stars. These are clever and satisfying mysteries but for me what makes these novels special is the setting. Van Gulik obviously knew and loved China and its history and culture. He served as a diplomat there and had translated classic Chinese literature. His purpose in writing The Chinese Maze Murders according to his forward was to create a mystery novel along the lines of classic Chinese mysteries that would appeal both to contemporary Asians and Westerners and I loved the result. One of the major differences between that model and the Western sort of mystery is that instead of one central mystery, Dee has three cases that are woven into the plot, and this allows us to roam among all classes of Chinese society of the time. Mind you, the story is deliberately anachronistic. Like his models, Van Gulik frames the story as being told by a man of the Ming Dynasty almost a thousand years later, and the details Van Gulik warns us are of that time, not of the time it is set. Regardless, Van Gulik's novel and series has the quality of the best historical fiction: Judge Dee and the people surrounding him feel very much of their own place and time--not our own. That's a lot of the fascination. And yet sometimes it seems startingly modern in unexpected ways. That's part of the fascination too.
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reputation of a Sherlock Holmes as a detective. The plot is clever that way--worthy of a Conan Doyle, if not with the memorable and jaw-dropping quality of Christie. The style is rather clunky. Robert van Gulik first wrote this in Chinese for Asian audiences, then translated it into English--actually to facilitate it being translated into Japanese before ever thinking to put this before a Western audience. He was a Dutch diplomat and English would not have been his first language--not sure if that factors in. His recurring characters are likeable if not complex. Yet despite that I'm fond of this novel and the series--enough to give it four stars. These are clever and satisfying mysteries but for me what makes these novels special is the setting. Van Gulik obviously knew and loved China and its history and culture. He served as a diplomat there and had translated classic Chinese literature. His purpose in writing The Chinese Maze Murders according to his forward was to create a mystery novel along the lines of classic Chinese mysteries that would appeal both to contemporary Asians and Westerners and I loved the result. One of the major differences between that model and the Western sort of mystery is that instead of one central mystery, Dee has three cases that are woven into the plot, and this allows us to roam among all classes of Chinese society of the time. Mind you, the story is deliberately anachronistic. Like his models, Van Gulik frames the story as being told by a man of the Ming Dynasty almost a thousand years later, and the details Van Gulik warns us are of that time, not of the time it is set. Regardless, Van Gulik's novel and series has the quality of the best historical fiction: Judge Dee and the people surrounding him feel very much of their own place and time--not our own. That's a lot of the fascination. And yet sometimes it seems startingly modern in unexpected ways. That's part of the fascination too.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
1st in a series of books about an ancient Chinese magistrate Dee Goong An,who, with his entourage, solves crimes. In this particular installment, there are 3 subplots: Murder in the Sealed Room, a missing testament, and last but not least, a story that features a girl without a head. Most
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interesting is the way the story is told and the supernatural elements. Very very good. Show Less
LibraryThing member GTTexas
Holds up amazingly well for an ancient Chinese mystery being translated into English. Something different and definitely worth the read.
LibraryThing member mcdenis
The Chinese Detective story formula is a specific gendre in which the local magistrate performs the role of detective with the supportive staff of his tribunal. Dr. Van Gulik former diplomat and Orientalist has adapted this format for the Western audience using Inspector Dee as his protagonist. Dee
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was a real character in Chinese history and Van Gulik has sifted through historical resources to give us a picture of ancient Chinese court protocol along with some nail biting mysteries. Both the Haunted Monastery and the Chinese Maze Murders will give the reader a good introduction to this literary form as well as entertain with a variety of characters, some good and some very bad who meet the justice of the court and the horrendous execution of evil doers. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1957
Physical description
224 p.; 21.2 cm
ISBN
8772500093 / 9788772500096
Local notes
Omslag: Robert van Gulik
Omslaget viser tre mænd, der mishandler en kvinde
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The Chinese Maze Murders" af Mogens Cohrt
Omslaget viser tre mænd, der mishandler en kvinde
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "The Chinese Maze Murders" af Mogens Cohrt
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Pages
224
DDC/MDS
| 823.914 |