Why a Booktrail?
1990s: This novel really is quite a guide around the city of Shanghai – its architecture food and the banks of the river.
Death of a Red Heroine
What you need to know before your trail
Shanghai in 1990. An ancient city in a country that despite the massacre of Tiananmen Square is still in the tight grip of communist control.
The body of a prominent Communist Party member is found in a canal which makes Chief Inspector Chen nervous and want to investigate further. He knows the city very well and cares deeply for it. But those in authority do not want someone sniffing around their business and he finds himself removed from the case. Chen must now decide if to bend to the party’s wishes or risk being sacked from the party. Of course the actual choice may be a lot lot worse.
Travel Guide
There are some stunning places to visit with this book – the Baili Canal in Shanghai for example – scene of a not too pleasant nature in the novel but take this away and in real life it is quite something.
We see the hidden pockets of the country with this book – bridges and paper mills and a tea house. People doing Tai Chi in the park – all of the images that you see and image about China are here but in a new light that is interesting to read about.
The North Sea Park in the Forbidden City in Beijing – where the characters rent a sampan is one moment we enjoyed for its portrayal of a mystical world but also of one that is enticing. We picked the places out to visit to get a sense of Detective Yu and his view of the city and were not disappointed. A thrilling tale of a fascinating country. Local spice given to a detective story with a Chinese background.
Where Next?
