Enigma of China: An Inspector Chen Novel - Qiu Xiaolong

The Enigma of China (Minotaur Books, $15.99) is that its business practices are called socialist, but are in reality capitalist, materialist, and driven by corrupt cronyism. In addition, as the Hirshhorn’s recent Ai Weiwei exhibit instructed us, metaphor is a crucial tool for art in a land where images and words are closely monitored and censored.  Qiu Xiaolong’s Inspector Chen Cao explores this theme, bringing a poet’s sensitivity to the art of detection when he must be extremely careful not to cross his superiors. This is all the more dangerous when the apparent suicide of a disgraced party leader may actually be murder.