Imagine a swashbuckling Sherlock Holmes story except the Sherlock is larger-than-life Judge Dee Ren Jie and the Watson is shy academic Lao She. Both Chinese men are living in 1920s London, and together, along with help from a few other characters, they must solve the mystery of who is killing Chinese immigrants.
That's the premise of The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan.
It's a fast-paced novel with multiple suspects but only one (or two?) bad guy. As Dee and Lao continue their investigation, they're always one step behind - and another man is found dead. Complicating matters is Dee's addiction to opium and the Metropolitan Police's disinterest in trying to solve the case. Who is telling the truth?
This blends traditional gong'an crime fiction with the most iconic aspects of the Sherlock Holmes canon. If you like detective novels, then you'll like this one.
The Murder of Mr. Ma is published by Soho Press and is on bookstore shelves now! I received a free ARC from the publisher.
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