The Shadow of the Empire, Qiu Xiaolong
The Shadow of the Empire, Qiu Xiaolong
List: $19.99 | Sale: $13.99
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The Shadow of the Empire

Author: Qiu Xiaolong

Narrator: David Shih

Unabridged: 6 hr 20 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Recorded Books

Published: 02/01/2022


Synopsis

The legendary Judge Dee Renjie investigates a high-profile murder case in this intriguing companion novel to Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder set in seventh-century China.

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 wellknown 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 …

About Qiu Xiaolong

Qiu Xiaolong is a poet and the author of several novels featuring Inspector Chen, as well as Years of Red Dust, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010. Born and raised in Shanghai, Qiu lives with his family in St. Louis, Missouri.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Farida

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 Xu......more

Goodreads review by Sahitya

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 h......more

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 mu......more