The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Gulik, Robert Hans, Judge Dee Mystery.)

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. A.D. 670 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 Governors garden maze and the answers to three interwoven mysteries. The Chinese Maze Murders represents Robert van Guliks 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. Judge Dee presided over his Imperial Chinese court with a brand of Confucian justice. A near-mythic figure in China, he distinguished himself as a tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger. Often based on actual cases and illustrated with the line drawings, this book offers insight into life in traditional China. "If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee and his faithful Sgt. Hoong, I envy you that initial pleasure which comes from the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yang belongs in that select group of fictional detectives headed by the renowned Sherlock Holmes" -- Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times UNDER the present illustrious Ming dynasty, in the Yoong-lo era, our Empire is at peace, crops are plentiful, there are neither droughts nor floods, and the people are prosperous and content.