Quotes
“Diane Wei Liang
takes what seems to be a clever gimmick—the first female private investigator
in Beijing—and infuses it with a poignant mediation on being an outsider who
suddenly wants to find her way back in…Liang’s clear, inviting prose already
portends a strong future in the genre.” Baltimore Sun
“In Diane Wei Liang’s
first novel, The Eye of Jade, chick
lit meets crime fiction…It’s less a racy thriller and more a slice-of-life
portrayal of a thoughtful, independent, contemporary Chinese woman who also
happens to be a private detective.” San Francisco Chronicle
“[Diane Wei Liang]
evokes Beijing beautifully and her excellent novel is crammed with fascinating
detail.” Daily Telegraph (London)
“An exquisitely
written book, with the added bonus of a great plot and an engaging leading
lady.” Sun-Herald (Australia)
“Liang kicks off her
new series by…focus[ing] on social, family, and feminist issues. Not your
typical mystery, but written with subtle intelligence and heart.” Kirkus Reviews
“We’ve all heard of
The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Alexander McCall Smith’s bestselling novels
about a female private detective from Botswana. Now it’s China’s turn. On the
surface The Eye of Jade is a classic
detective fiction with lots of underworld contacts and hushed conversations in
noodle bars, but underneath, Liang, who fled China after her involvement in the
student protests in Tiananmen Square, is doing something much more than an
examination of China old and new. There’s an incredible tension between old
Communist China and a new capitalist future; this tension is at the heart of
the novel. This novel takes on subjects that in the past would have been
censored.” BBC
“This first novel
brings the dizzying pace of modern Beijing vividly to life.” Weekend Australian
“Chinese exile Liang,
who fled her country after participating in the Tiananmen Square protests,
makes an impressive debut with this understated mystery set in the late 1990s…Readers
familiar with Jacqueline Winspear’s Maisie Dobbs will find many parallels
between that independent and unconventional PI and Mei. Mei’s challenging
family life nicely complements the puzzle of the missing jade and the shifting
Chinese political climate.” Publishers Weekly
“Diane Wei Liang has
captured the vibrancy of Beijing, certainly one of the world’s most fascinating
cities, and overlaid a tale rich with history and filled with complex and entertaining
characters. The novel is billed as the first in a new series; I hope the second
installment arrives quickly.” BookPage
“With her snappy
intelligence and sharp intuition, Diane Wei Liang’s private investigator Mei
could give Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency a run for
its money. Set in Beijing, this lively mystery, the first in a series, provides
a glimpse of modern China, both the bright sheen of economic growth and the
corruption beneath.” South China Morning Post
