Une enquête du vénérable juge Ti (Piccolo t. 162)

Judge Dee Investigation #1

by Qiu Xiaolong, Adélaïde Pralon (Translator), Chen Cao

Une enquête du vénérable juge Ti - Attribuée à l'inspecteur Chen Cao

En un temps d’âpres luttes pour le pouvoir, dans la Chine du IXe un messager impérial vient demander au célèbre juge Ti d’enquêter sur un meurtre dont est soupçonnée la poétesse-courtisane Xuanji. Alors que la belle et talentueuse jeune femme croupit dans une geôle en attente de la sentence, l’enquête du juge le mènera à des secrets qu’il est préférable d’ignorer.

« Ce roman est inspiré d’un fait réel survenu sous la dynastie Tang, la poétesse Yu Xuanji (844-871) étant au centre de cet épisode. Nul ne sait aujourd’hui si la jeune femme était réellement coupable du crime dont elle fut accusée, mais l’histoire a déjà donné lieu à des romans, films et séries. Le récit proposé ici n’est qu’une interprétation personnelle de l’inspecteur Chen écrite à la lumière d’une enquête menée dans la Chine d’aujourd’hui. » -- Qiu Xiaolong

Traduit de l’anglais (États-Unis) par Adélaïde Pralon

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, China, Historical Mystery, Historical, Fiction, Audiobook

144 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2020

About the author

Qiu Xiaolong (裘小龙) was born in Shanghai, China. He is the author of the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, Death of a Red Heroine (2000), A Loyal Character Dancer (2002), When Red Is Black (2004), A Case of Two Cities (2006), Red Mandarin Dress (2007), and The Mao Case (2009). He is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He currently lives in St. Louis with his wife and daughter.

Reviews

[Farida Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under instructions of Empress Wu, Judge Dee Renijee is posted outside of Chan’an, the grand capital of the Tang empire. Disheartened by what he perceives to be a demotion on leaving, Dee is instructed by the Internal Minister to investigate a murder supposedly committed by a young, gifted poetess Xuanji.
Celebrated in high society circles of the Tang dynasty she is accused of murdering her maid. Further, locals believe she is possessed by the spirit of a ‘black fox’.
With the assistance of his loyal assistant Yang, Dee sets about carrying out a murder investigation, although as an admirer of Xuanji’ poetry, it seems highly improbable to him that the talented poetess could have perpetrated such a crime.
The Shadow of the Empire, is part of a series of novels written by the author Qiu Xiaolong and pay homage to the legendary Judge Dee Renijee. The story is based on a real Tang dynasty murder case, which involved a beautiful, talented poetess Yu Xuanji (844-871). The story of the murder case had been made into movies and a TV series in China and into a book by Robert Van Gulik, Poets and Murder. Qiu Xiaolong makes a mention of this in the postscript and describes key differences between his and Van Gulik’s novel.
In The Shadow of the Empire, the poetess becomes a central character in the story and her imprisonment and trial are the talk of the empire. The case becomes symbolic of the moral decline of the Tang empire, which naturally draws concern from Empress Wu. Dee is expected to ensure stability of the empire, which in his strict adherence to Confucian ideals becomes his main prerogative. Whilst he agrees to investigate the number-one poetess of the Tang empire, the investigation presents a personal challenge for him. He has already read quite a few Xuanji’s poems and is an admirer of her classic works. He had even memorised her poetry;
‘The verdant trees stretching long a
long the desolate bank, a tower
distantly
dissolving into the faint mist,
petals falling, falling over an angler,
with the reflection rippling
on the autumn water,
the old tree’s root turning
into a secluded fish-hiding spot,
and the twigs low-hanging,
tying a sampan –
I’m startled out of a dream:
The night of roaring wind and rain
Is infused with my new worries’.

Tang poetry features throughout the novel and the reader gains an appreciation of poetry from a phase in Chinese history in which both poetry and poets were highly regarded. The author also offers insight into Confucian ideals, traditions and society of the time which help explain misogynistic descriptions of Xuanji- that may be discomforting for readers.
Dee’s is portrayed initially as detached scholarly retired figure more interested in Xuanji’s poetry than carrying out the investigation. This changes as the story reaches its climax and Judge Dee proves himself to be meticulous with the facts of the investigation. His young assistant Yang plays an important role, doubling up as shrewd and diligent investigator as well as a loyal assistant. Xuanji is perhaps the most intriguing, she seems to be an innocent victim of a high stakes game or does she?
As the story progresses it becomes a fast-paced thriller, meandering through Xuanji’s close circle of acquaintances some of whom meet untimely deaths in mysterious circumstances. At times, the death trail leads to close to Dee for comfort as he continues to collect clues and seek answers to a slowly built scene of events.
Although there are some good descriptions, the novel lacks detailed descriptions of setting and scenery of seventh century China. The dialogue also feels too contemporary at some instances, for my liking. However, regardless of this the novel is an enjoyable crime novel and does provide fascinating insight into the society and culture of seventh century China. Readers who like crime novels would enjoy reading this.

[Annu · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm doing a summer reading challenge through a local bookstore, and one of the challenges was to read a mystery. The library happened to share a summer reading list and this book was on there. A murder mystery based on a historical case in China sounded right up my alley, and since it was at least related to series of books I thought that was a good sign.

But oh man I haven't disliked a book so much in quite a while. The writing is so inconsistent and awkward in tone. Characters don't have unique voices, and internal thoughts are often incredibly unclear. There's far too much unnecessary exposition about everything.

The early scene of the meal in the temple was where the writing issues first jumped out at me. The characters are discussing poetry and their meal when they move to an account of the court case, then start talking about her being beaten in the courtroom. This somehow turns into discussing her pubic hair, fucking and dildos, and I guess this is related to her being loose? What? Then they're back to discussing the vegetarian menu. There were other scenes where the usage of more modern language like that didn't work. Overall it just felt like many sections of the book were written separately then pasted together and there was no final editing pass to create consistency.

I did very much enjoy the appendix of Xuanji's poems with notes at the end, so I'm glad I at least learned about a historical figure I can look into.

[Sahitya · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5 but I’m rounding up.

These days, I’m always excited to pick up any book which has historical cdrama vibes, so I was immediately interested when I encountered this book. Also, Dee Renjie/ Judge Dee/ Detective Dee is a historical figure I remember reading a bit about and also know that he is quite a popular character in fiction. So I too wanted to see what kind of character he is and how he solves cases.

I love how the author manages to balance the mystery of the murder with the larger political implications and imperial power struggles. And it’s always interesting to read a book where you know who the possible murderer is but need to figure out the motivations and accomplices. The way Judge Dee and his assistant Yang Rong go about investigating is nothing too unique or unpredictable but how they connect all the threads was cool.

But I think the best part was the writing. It is a historical book set in Tang dynasty but the author’s writing style is very modern, so it’s easily accessible while still giving the olden times vibes. The audiobook was also mostly good except I thought maybe the pronunciation of the names were a bit westernized. And having found a new fascination for Empress Wu Zetian since last year, I found it very interesting to learn a bit about how the officials and scholars and common people saw her reign as against Confucian principles, even if she was pretty competent. Albeit it is a fictionalized account of her rule, nevertheless it’s a short glimpse which I enjoyed and would love to read more books about her.

And as one of the main characters is Xuanji, a poetess, I loved how the author incorporated her poems throughout, the meaning in their words giving clues as to her mindset and motivations. I know ancient Chinese poems can’t translate well into English because of the limitations of the language, but I still liked how they were interwoven into the story. And the appendix with the poems and some historical context for them was absolutely amazing. Maybe it’ll be fun to find the original poems and read them even if I can’t understand Mandarin.

Overall, this was a fun mystery with some cool characters, lots of reflection on political and spiritual matters and an interesting look at the imperial dynasty of the time. I can see that the rest of this series is set in modern times and this was the only spin-off, so I don’t know if I’ll check them out. But I’m definitely more interested in books like this one. Hopefully I’ll discover similar ones in the future.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

A breath of fresh air; a book that transports readers to the Tang Dynasty, a rural China filled with superstition, religious faith and a sense of justice. In magical locations awash with philosophy, political intrigue and poetry.
In addition it is an attempt to reflect the contrast between political power and human rights which still troubles the Chinese empire today.

Although set in an historical timeframe, and using poetry of its day there is a desire of the author to be faithful to the age while bringing a modern feel to conversations and exchanges between characters. This makes the writing accessible and natural to our modern ear, without betraying the sense of period or place.

Set in a time of political struggle, faithful officials like Judge Dee understand the precarious path they tread and the pitfalls to both career and life expectancy, unwise counsel or taking sides could bring.

Judge Dee is offered an assignment to resolve a notorious case of a courtesan poet who languishes in prison for the murder of her maidservant. Her explanation of events provide little evidence of motive, or how the crime was managed. These outstanding issues leave the court unable to pass sentence as nothing the prisoner confesses to, makes sense.

A really clever crime mystery; is the condemned woman actually guilty; who are the higher voices seeking a swift conclusion to the case? Does the status of the perpetrator, a lower class woman with influential friends have implications to threaten the state?

Judge Dee must approach the case tangentially, low key, almost secretly. His role is unofficial but the more he learns a deeper conspiracy reveals itself. It demands great insight, wisdom and a grasp of poetry.

I really enjoyed this book. It took me away into another world which the author made real and meaningful. It is a puzzling case which is addressed with means and diligence a modern piece couldn’t offer. It is full of passion and drama. There remains a sense of danger and threat which lasts to the final page.

[Kostas Kanellopoulos · Rating 2 out of 5]

That's not the judge Dee I knew from the Van Gulik books.

[bookwormylife · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry in the Shadow of the Empire 📚 a novel by Qiu Xiaolong is an investigation of a murder committed by a famous poet in the seventh-century China. She allegedly killed her maid and buried her in the garden. But then there are rumors of a mysterious man in expensive clothes, who was seen at the murder scene. There are witnesses, who saw a spirit of black fox running around the house and causing mischief (naughty mischief, if you know what I mean).

I expected a quiet and thoughtful investigation but this detective story turned out to be much more. It quickly slid into the description of lives if women in the seventh-century China. The murder suspect of the story is a talented poet Xuanji who was kicked around between powerful men. She was dispised by the local community and now thrown to jail.

This story looks like an investigation on the surface but turns out to be a deeper depiction of lives sacrificed in the shadow of the empire

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tang period Murder mystery!

Judge Dee is called upon by Emperoress Wu to unofficially investigate the incarceration and upcoming execution of renowned poetess Xuanji.
This is indeed a time when the phrase, “Off with her head!” Is no mean threat. Talk about down the rabbit hole for Dee!
A lively return to one of my favorite historical Chinese detectives, the Honorable Judge Dee, “Dee Renjie, the newly appointed Imperial Circuit Supervisor of the Tang Empire.”
Of course things are not simple. Powerful people are paying close attention to this case and it looks like Dee is being sandwiched in the middle.
A fan of Robert van Gulik‘s Judge Dee tales, I found Qiu Xiaolon’s contribution (author of Inspector Chen works) well worth the read.
…And Xuanji’s poetry! Brilliant!

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change

[Carolyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

1-1/2 stars
The story was interesting, especially learning that it was based on a true 7th century incident, and the inclusion of the poetry was welcome. However, the language was like a first draft and there were simple mistakes that should have easily been corrected with another read through by the author or an editor. There's no reason to have reference to blue-headed flies in one place and green-headed flies in another. That's sloppy writing/editing. Since the setting was in the 7th century, the author should have made more effort to use language and colloquialisms from that time period, instead of modern day language. The sentence about a man "hitting on" the poetess is an example. I doubt that's the way it was said back then. The readers become immersed in the time period of the story and then the 21st century language discrepancies shock them out of it. Bad technique. Not recommended.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of the old Judge Dee stories by Robert van Gulik, I was interested to read one written by a Chinese author. It certainly did not disappoint. I especially liked learning about China at the time, the reverence for poetry, and the politics-- which played a larger role in this story than the ones by van Gulik. Here it's an integral part and there is a sense of just how precarious Dee's position is. Loved all the notes about the genuine history from the author.

[Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Severn House and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Shadow of the Empire by Qiu Xiaolong is a poetry-infused novella that will appeal to fans of detective mysteries set in ancient Asia. The story revolves around Judge Dee, a high-ranking judge and detective. One day, a high-ranking official approaches him and asks him the investigate a murder, ostensibly by the famous poetess Xuanji. She's confessed to the murder, and locals believe she's been possessed by a black fox spirit. But is everything as cut-and-dry as it seems?

Here is an excerpt from Chapter 1 that introduces us to the main character:

"Dee Renjie, the newly appointed Imperial Circuit Supervisor of the Tang Empire, put down the routine report that had been submitted to him earlier in the day, stroking his white-streaked beard and shaking his head reflectively, as if at someone sitting opposite him across the rough, unpainted wooden table in the room of a dilapidated hostel. The hostel was located on the outskirts of Chang'an, the grand capital of the Tang Empire.
Dee was no judge. For the moment, however, he had no objection to people addressing him as such. It sounded far less impressive, further away from the center of the imperial power, though he was in no mood to do anything judge-like whatsoever in the midst of the ferocious political infighting around the throne."

Overall, The Shadow of the Empire is an engaging mystery that will appeal to fans of Seishi Yokomizo and Yukito Ayatsuji. One highlight of this book is that it's a mystery set in ancient China, which is remarkable since Chinese mysteries and Chinese books in translation are pretty limited right now. I appreciate the publisher for giving this book a chance, and I hope that more books like this will be published soon. It ook me a while to get acclimated to the unfamiliar setting and culture. Once the action ramps up halfway through, though, I was hooked, and the ending was satisfying. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of detective stories, you can check out this book when it comes out in February!

[Allyson Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a modern extension of the Robert van Gulik series about Judge Dee, who was an actual historical figure in the Tang dynasty of China. Qiu Xiao Long writes a series about Inspector Chen, a detective in modern-day Shanghai; this volume purports to be written by Chen in his off hours. Chen is a poet by avocation, and there are quite a number of poems translated from Chinese classics in the volume.
An interesting proposition, but I enjoyed van Gulik’ series far more. I found the poetry distracting and unsatisfying, although Qiu does his best to use the contents of the poems as clues to the mystery. (Note: I have done some translations from Chinese classic poetry myself, so I am a harsh judge.)

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for this opportunity to review The Shadow of the Empire. All opinions and comments are my own.

Qiu Zialong turns from his contemporary Inspector Chen Chao series to relate a tale of Ancient China with The Shadow of the Empire, in which the legendary Judge Dee Renjie is tasked to explain why a celebrated courtesan/poetess has confessed to killing her maid. The confession doesn’t really ring true, and there are those “higher ups” who want to know what’s really going on.

These are real people in this story, just so you know. And the poems you will experience as you read are real, too, and there’s a long Appendix with quite a few more of them. This is not your run of the mill mystery. Indeed, it’s not a mystery at all. The crime is there from the beginning; there’s no mystery about it. The poetess Yu Xuanji has confessed (after torture, used as a matter of course in Chinese “justice”), and will be executed. The beauty of the story is the interactions with the poetry and with Judge Dee, who soon realizes (as the reader will) that what seems like a simple tale of jealousy and death is so very much more than that.

Along the way you’ll be entertained by enigmatic, hidden messages, interpretation of Confucian sayings and sightings of a “black fox spirit;” you will never forget where you are, that’s for sure. And yet, there is a very thorough investigation of the crime, by the Judge and his able assistant, even though both are there informally – “not a real investigation,” the Judge says. Although it’s enough of an investigation to get witnesses killed. Someone is definitely taking this very seriously, and Judge Dee realizes that this matter goes very high, indeed.

The Judge accepts that he must bring an end to it. He concocts a plausible scenario, acceptable to all parties, “leaving it largely blank as in a traditional Chinese landscape painting.” He can leave for his next assignment, not happy, but knowing that it is all that he can do.

A Postscript explains the origin of this story, based as it is on a real case. The author also gives examples of earlier Judge Dee cases written by Robert van Gulik. And the reader is reminded that literal translations are very difficult. Another difficulty to note is the jarring modern slang usage scattered throughout, which took away from the lyrical quality of the rest of the book, so be prepared for that. Certainly, the book is unusual and not to everyone’s taste, not if they’re looking for something fast-paced. Confucius said, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Judge Dee does not stop even with many reasons to, in The Shadow of the Empire.

[Scilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the Judge Dee books by Robert Gulik, and found this book a great read. The book takes place during the Tang Dynasty in China. Judge Dee was a real person, both a detective and statesman, and the novel is based on a real case in the 9th century. However, the story is fiction. In the story, Empress Wu has sent Dee out of the imperial city. On the way he gets a warning note delivered on a knife. and then a messenger comes from Internal Minister Wu with a report on a murder by famous poetess Xuanji of her maid. He asks Dee to look into it. Xuanji is also a real historical woman who wrote excellent poetry and was also a courtesan. Although Xuanji has confessed to the murder (after being beaten in the court), the case still seems to be under deliberation.

Dee and his aide, Yang, go to the Dingguo Temple on the way to Dee's new assignment. Xuanji is in prison in the village, and she had lived in the nearby nunnery. Her lover. Wei, lives in a small cabin near the nunnery. Yang checks out Wei, while Judge Dee visits her flower friend in the village and finds out Xuanji entertained a special visitor on the last night before the body was found. She had also written a very special poem which she wanted printed with only two copies. Yang finds out that the rumor of black fox spirits was Yang going to the nunnery during the night in a black fox costume. He sees Wei going into the nunnery with a cloth bag which is even fuller when he exits and heads for the village.

There are two more deaths showing that Dee and Yang are learning more about what really happened. This is a very well written story, with mystery, history, and beautiful poetry.

[EuroHackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the reading equivalent of eating stale toast in the arid desert. So dry. So dull. At 150 pages, it's closer to a novella than a novel, but even at this length its painful to read. This story has been done before (the author even admits as much in the afterward). Considering it is supposed to have been written by the main character in this author's best-known series, I am hesitant to pick up anything else by him.

[JJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a more traditional Chinese take on Judge Dee, a Chinese historical and fictional character popularized by a Dutch author (Robert van Gulik) in the 1950s and 60s. I was excited for this but I don't know if it worked for me. I was kind of hoping for a blend of the more traditional and better modern pacing and character development. But I feel I got the more traditional with some moment of very anachronistic dialogue or thinking. There was also something a little gross about the way the romantic exploits of the poet and courtesan were described. Kind of taking too much pleasure in saying grosser things and painting her as sexually voracious and insatiable. It's only a dozen or so lines here and there but it was icky in a specifically modern way that really took away from everything else going on in the story. The mystery felt solved by guessing in a way that wasn't well revealed to the reader and ended making this sort of a slog even though it was very short. But I do appreciate what the author was trying to do here.

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was a good story here. I think the book suffered from some stilted language. I first thought this was a not superb translation. The ending was abrupt as well. I read a digital copy and thought I was about 2/3 of the way through when suddenly it was over.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not for me.

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read all the original Robert Van Gulik book series on Judge Dee. While this was an ok book, it doesn’t have the authentic feel of the Van Gulik books.

[E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing could be better, but the plot is interesting: a murder mystery set in seventh-century China, casting a wise old government official as the detective and a controversial celebrity poetess as the suspect. Both of these characters are based off real figures in Chinese history. I liked the researched details of ancient Chinese culture, particularly when it came to poetry and politics. It's hard to guess the solution to the mystery since it relies on such knowledge of history rather than pure deduction based off the evidence given, but I think it's still doable? I also liked the resolution of the mystery as it wasn't simply a matter of pointing the finger at the right murderer and announcing whodunnit. It's tied up in Judge Dee's stake in the current political situation.

I'd love to read more books for which the interpretation of poetry serves as a major plot point. The peony poem reminds me of the manga The Holy Grail of Eris, where one character chastises another for accidentally writing a letter that includes... I think carnation symbolism? Because it implies beheading. I love that shit. It's a minor scene, though. The appendix is a very nice touch, as it includes poems by Xuanji, Wen Tingyun, Han Shan, and Wu Zetian, with some notes explaining their context.

Some quotes from the postscript: "The novel is based on a real Tang Dynasty murder case, which involved a beautiful, talented, and luscious poetess Yu Xuanji (844-871)... The case was recorded only in a none too reliable, tabloid-style book titled Little Tablets from the Three Rivers, with scant details."

Qiu was inspired by Robert van Gulik's novel Poets and Murder, which also involves Judge Dee and Yu Xuanji.

"Judge Dee and Empress Wu were active around the same historical period, but Xuanji wasn't until quite a number of years later... The present novel focuses on Xuanji in the foreground with a backdrop of the real Tang Dynasty power struggle around the throne."

And some appendix notes about Wu Zetian: "Wu Xetian was the first empress in Chinese history. She started by serving as a palace lady -- lower in status than an imperial concubine -- with the first emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Taizong, who took a liking to her. After his death, she was put in a Daoist nunnery, where, even as a nun, she carried on in secret with his ninth son, Emperor Gaozong, and later married him and became his empress... With Emperor Gaozong in poor health, and then after his death, she became the de facto ruler of China, the only empress regnant in Chinese history. She ruled from 665 to 690 through her husband and sons. It was a period marked with court conspiracies. A competent ruler, she had a number of capable officials working under her, including Judge Dee."

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Shadow of the Empire is a Judge Dee mystery and tie-in to Qiu Xiaolong's long running Inspector Chen series. First released in 2020, this reformat and re-release from Severn House 1st Feb 2022 is 192 pages and is available in trade paperback in this edition as well as most other formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is beautifully lyrical and well written story. Most western readers who are familiar with Judge Dee, first came into contact with the character via Robert van Gulik's wonderful stories. The style (and mystery), though semi-fictional is in no way derivative of van Gulik's work. The plotting is intricate and the book is filled with poetry (the main suspect is poet). The settings and character names are exotic and although set in the Tang dynasty, it reads well for modern audiences. I had no trouble immersing myself in the story.

I found the secondary character names confusing and occasionally a little difficult to keep straight in my own mind, so the electronic version of the book was great to be able to easily search back to keep them straight.

This was an engaging and beautifully written book. I'm intrigued enough to search out the tie-in series (Inspector Chen) by the same author. Kudos, also, to the translator/s' work (I can't easily find translation info in the eARC provided for review). The English language version doesn't read as if it's been translated at all, and the story flows quite easily and naturally.

Four and a half stars. Beautifully rendered.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Severn House for an advanced copy of this new mystery.

Words can have meanings far beyond their appearance on paper. A simple poem to one could be the stirring words for a revolutionary, or a admittance of love to a soul mate. Words and poets are only part of the problems that the legendary Judge Dee Renjie finds himself trying to interpret in the mystery The Shadow of the Empire written by Qiu Xiaolong.

Many books, plays, movies and tv shows have been based on Judge Dee, with the most familiar to western audiences the long running series written by Robert van Gulik, which i read years ago. The Judge who was real bureaucrat, find himself tasked by the Internal Minister to oversee the the murder investigation by a popular female poet, who admits her crime, but the case seems to have more questions left than answers. Aided by his assistant Yang, a great character, Judge Dee begins an inquiry that soon leads to more bodies and greater pressures.

The story is not only interesting but since the story is based on the real case of a murderous poet, the story contains poems from the murder suspect, which are quite good. The translations might be iffy, but they really are quite beautiful. The characters, especially Judge Dee's aide Yang, who I enjoyed quite a bit. A good Archie Goodwin, which is the highest praise I can give in a mystery. I did think the setting was not truly seventh century China. The characters seemed a little too modern, and I didn't realy get a feeling for the era. That however is minor quibble.

I enjoyed the story, the first I have read by Qiu Xiaolong, but not the last. I do hope this is the start of a series, I understand this is a companion piece to another series the author writes, one that I will have to check out. A very good mystery, with beautiful poetry. A reader can't ask for more.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing me with this advance reader copy.

Description from NetGalley:
Judge Dee Renjie, Empress Wu’s newly appointed Imperial Circuit Supervisor for the Tang Empire, is visiting provinces surrounding the grand capital of Chang’an. One night a knife is thrown through his window with a cryptic note attached: ‘A high-flying dragon will have something to regret!’

Minutes after the ominous warning appears, Judge Dee is approached by an emissary of Internal Minister Wu, Empress Wu’s nephew. Minister Wu wants Judge Dee to investigate a high-profile murder supposedly committed by the well-known poetess and courtesan, Xuanji, who locals believe is possessed by the spirit of a black fox.

Why is Minister Wu interested in Xuanji? Despite Xuanji confessing to the murder, is there more to the case than first appears? With the mysterious warning and a fierce power struggle playing out at the imperial court, Judge Dee knows he must tread carefully . . .

This book is my first peek into Qiu Xiaolong’s world. Even though this is a companion book to the Inspector Chen books, I decided to read it to see if I wanted to read the Inspector Chen books. I love the inclusion of the poetry which is really great since the book is about a murderous poet.

While I haven’t read any of the Inspector Chen books, I am definitely intrigued after reading this companion book. It’s fast paced and has a great setting. The writing is intriguing and explains things well enough that I didn’t feel lost despite not having read the other books.

I will definitely be looking into the others. 3/5

[Horatio · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a lot to say about this book - as usually the case with books by master Qiu Xiaolong.

I feel like the author - and Inspector Chen, too - needed a creative break. Chen Cao has been at a dead end with his career and his life for a longer while now. He is experiencing a proper midlife crisis. In the last Chen novel, though, it felt like he finally found a new purpose to fight for himself (and not only for himself). This is the moment when *he* (both Inspector Chen and his creator) wrote this reinterpretation of van Guliks "Poets and Murder". It's also a reinterpretation of "Private Kitchen Murder" and "Death of a Red Heroine" at the same time. This two-layered structure is already interesting - is this Xiaolongs book or Chens book?

As a consequence, Judge Dee feels very much like Inspector Chen. I can say I like this Judge Dee better than the Gulik one. He is more mature, more modern and more focused on basic moral issues. On top of that, I've learned several things about the Tang Dynasty, the first of which is how comparably advanced the state structure has been back then.

The only reason I'm not giving five stars is that this book does not and cannot go as deep as the Chen novels. And I miss Chen Cao!

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ran into a problem from the start of this book because I have read all of the Judge Dee books written by the Dutch author Robert van Gulik one of which was called "Poets and Murder". Qui makes this statement in the Postscript to this volume. In the van Gulik novel the poetess is a minor character, whereas here she is a prominent protagonist.

The comparison of the two books is really about the 'texture' of the story and the way the characters are presented. van Gulik spent much of his life studying the Tang Dynasty and its' culture, whereas Qiu is more a student of contemporary China. So like a mystery writer who decides to write a farce or a writer of Police Procedural writes an historical mystery, being good at one doesn't guarantee you will be good at both.

van Gulik's stories compared to Qiu's is like comparing the Tuileries to a tile factory, or a Ferris Wheel to a Merry-go-Round. In ways they were created to serve the same purpose, but in the end they are nothing alike. I really like Qius contemporary stories about China and hope he continues the Chief Inspector Chen series.

[Mish Middelmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fascinating experiment with historical fiction, tied into modern day fiction. Judge Dee is a semi-fictional historical figure from the Tang dynasty about 1400 years ago. Qiu Xiaolong creates the fictional link with his Inspector Chen series as if the book were written by Inspector Chen.

What struck me most was the hugely complex system of government already in place in China so long ago. The fact that the author could set a fairly modern complex crime thriller in that ancient society depends on there already being institutions in place in China around 630 AD for government, politics and law - and of course corruption and intrigue which must be as old as the human species. And he does a great job of highlighting the way Judge Dee carries out his investigation with a complex mix of courage and deference to the powers that be, that is surely analogous to the modern day.

Reading this fiction right after the detailed history of China: A History by Keay, John brought China's complex past to life even as I was travelling through the modern day China in 2024.

[Marie Lutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Judge Dee investigates what happens when Ning, the maid of the poetess/courtesan Xuanji, is murdered.

This book has dull stretches and the wording is at times awkward (I assume because English is not the author’s first language). The novel is especially brutal in its description of the torture of Xuanji.

But Qiu excels in dissecting the complex politics of the Tang Empire in the framework of the mystery of what happened to Ning. He shows that the self-interest of the various characters are part of what makes the murder of the maid dangerous to so many. Qiu makes it clear that Dee is sympathetic to Xuanji, but his overriding concern is not truth but the protection of the Empire as he believes it should be.

The book is interspersed with poetry. Qiu’s love of Chinese cuisine is also apparent as he describes what to a Westerner are exotic dishes.

To me Qiu’s Detective Chen books (in which Qiu dissects the politics, characters and corruption in the contemporary Chinese party) are even better than this novel. But the strengths of The Shadow of the Empire are so strong that despite its flaws the book deserves 5 stars.

[Sylvaine Yvenou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Qiu Xiaolong est surtout connu pour ses romans policiers et l' inspecteur Chen Cao. ici nous sommes bien loin de la Chine contemporaine. Dynastie Tang une courtisane Xuanji (844_871) est accusée du meurtre de sa servante. Xuanji est aussi une poétesse de grand talent courtisée et adulée par les esprits les plus cultivés et les plus illustres de l'Empire.Devant les versions rocambolesques qu'elle donne des faits le doute est permis. le vénérable Juge Ti envoyé loin de la Capitale par l'impératrice est mandaté par le ministre de l'intérieur Wu pour mener une enquête discrète quitte à incriminer de hautes personnalités. Or Wu vise le trône impérial face au fils de l'impératrice LI ...
Comment satisfaire les deux parties sans offenser l'impératrice et sans tomber dans un piège fomenté par Wu?
Bien sûr le juge Ti ne m'était pas inconnu mais n'ayant lu ni les romans de van Gulik ni ceux de F. Lenormand, j'ai découvert, sans aucun à priori, celui imaginé par Qiu Xiaolong . Intérêt historique et et plaisir de lecture étaient au rendez-vous c'est parfait.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Shadow of the Empire is quite a solid mystery. I flew through the book in one sitting. While I suspect many will be able to guess important components of the central crime, the final reveal still had me on the edge of my seat. I was eager to know the exact details of what happened at the nunnery.

Meticulous and staunchly committed to Confucian ideals, I found Judge Dee to be a likeable character. There is nothing malicious about him. He simply wants to do his job. However, the most interesting character had to be Xuanji. Talented, tragic, and arresting, she looms over the story with her scandalous presence. Her appearance on page was my favorite part of the book. At it's core this story is about how people react when they find themselves in difficult and damning situations.

A small criticism I have with this book is that I wish it had more detailed descriptions. I was never able to build a mental image of the setting or the people.

All in all, I recommend this reas for mystery and poetry lovers alike.

[Viva · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was real happy to find this book because I'm a great fan of Robert VanGulik's (VG) Judge Dee series. I've owned all of them for years and re-read them many times.

However this book was a big disappointment. I dnf'd this at ab0ut 15% and immediately read a VG book afterwards. I could tell a big difference right away.

The OG (original VanGulik) characters are full of character. VG does a great job of making them feel real. It's the little descriptions, the way of writing, adjectives and speech. They bring the characters to life. And despite a limitation of writing in an old fashioned style and with a Tang Dynasty setting, the characters are full of humor too.

In comparison, the Qiu are dead, feel dead. The speech is flat and the characters just feel like robots. Worse, it takes a long time for something to happen. Most of what I read was Dee talking about poets and reciting poems. Same thing with the renowned monk poet. I was happy to dnf it. I will however try another Qiu Judge Dee book and maybe one of his modern ones.

[Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-star. The Judge Dee novel was good, not great but had the Van Gulick voice except for what I felt were modernisms like "open relationship" plus some swear words. Good appendix section too.

Qui Xiaolong, Chinese-born who lives in St. Louis, likely wrote this English version himself (no translator is cited). In an author interview, responding to a question about how living in America may have influenced his perspective on writing about China, Qiu Xiaolong responded: "'A needed distance' is the very word. I used to write in Chinese, in China, and writing here in English has not been easy, but it provides me with a different perspective, as if I were both an insider and an outsider simultaneously. And with a value system too, so to speak. Three are two lines by the Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo, which I have quoted in one of the books, "You cannot see the true fact of Mount Lu, / Because you are in the mountains.""