Imperial China, T'ang dynasty, seventh century A. D.—home of Judge Dee, imperial magistrate and detective. A near mythic figure in pre-Communist Chinese consciousness, Judge Dee distinguished himself as tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger. Long after his death, accounts of his exploits were celebrated in Chinese folklore.

The Chinese Lake Murders is one of a series of Judge Dee detective novels written in the 1950s and early 1960s by Robert van Gulik (1910-1967), a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. Van Gulik drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century. His Judge Dee stories convey a more vivid insight into traditional China than can be gained from textbooks, monographs, and documents. They provide an atmospheric introduction to life in imperial China at the local level before it was disrupted by external modern forces.

This new edition includes van Gulik's maps and an introduction by Donald F. Lach of the Department of History at the University of Chicago. The Chinese Lake Murders makes fascinating reading both for students of Chinese history and culture and, of course, for mystery fans everywhere.

Condition: Pre-loved book. Minor yellowing of pages. Otherwise in good condition.

Format: Paperback
Year published: 1979
Pages: 215
Sub-genre: Historical fiction, mystery.
Imprint: University of Chicago Press