The Conspiracies of the Empire

September 15, 2024
The search for a missing poet triggers an avalanche of reveries in 7th-century China. Dee Renjie, who serves as imperial circuit supervisor of the Tang Empire, is summoned by the widowed Empress Wu and tasked with finding the poet Luo Binwang, who played a role in a recent (unsuccessful) rebellion led by General Xu and hasn't been seen since. Renjie--who's known as Judge Dee because of his age and exalted position--immediately sets out, accompanied by doggedly faithful servant Yang. Their investigation takes them into the damaged countryside and pockets of the populace riven by the rebellion, far from the safety of the palace. Little Swallow, a delicate young "fishing girl," fetes them with one of her popular sampan meals and provides some intel about Luo. The subsequent tragic fate of Little Swallow and others convinces Judge Dee of the urgency of wrapping up his investigation by any means possible. A postscript explains the novel's factual roots, noting that Judge Dee, Luo Binwang, Empress Wu, and other characters really existed. Grounded in history, this second Judge Dee mystery--followingThe Shadow of the Empire (2022)--balances a passion for literature with a measured, character-driven investigation, each arguably a MacGuffin for the other. Every chapter opens with quotations by cultural heavyweights ranging from John Donne to Arthur Schopenhauer to Ludwig Wittgenstein, and bits of verse, often from Chinese poets of the time, are sprinkled throughout. An elegant souffle of history, mystery, and classic poetry.

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September 9, 2024
Qiu’s vivid second historical mystery featuring judge Dee Renjie (after The Shadow of the Empire) plunges the seventh-century Tang Dynasty sleuth into a politically fraught search for a missing poet. Empress Wu has risen to power from her humble beginnings as “palace female talent” for the late Emperor Taizhong, then concubine to his son, Gaozhong. Wu clinched the throne after accusing Gaozhong’s wife, Wang, of murdering the couple’s infant; shortly afterward, Wang was killed, casting suspicion on the new empress. Wu has just squashed an uprising inspired by poet Luo Binwang, when news arrives that Luo has gone missing. Though many believe Luo died in the rebellion, Wu sends Dee—one of her ministers—to track him down. Dee’s inquiry gets complicated after one of his key witnesses, a maid to the late Empress Wang, is found murdered, causing him to question whether Wu is the virtuous ruler he’s always believed her to be. Qiu effortlessly constructs a dense, multilayered suspense plot, while leaving plenty of space for evocative period detail and fascinating historical asides. It’s another winner from Qiu.