The Killing Room

Can a Scotsman living in France write about an American pathologist and a Chinese detective and make it real? Without a doubt! May has written six novels about his unusual pair of protagonists, but only three have been printed in the U.S. so far. The first two do a wonderful job of introducing the "real" China to his readers by giving insight and joy to the daily lives of people in Beijing. I found them to be a wonderful education as well as a delightful read. In this novel, the action moves to Shanghai, and his insights into the differences between that city and Beijing are fascinating. He is the only westerner to be given honorary membership to the Chinese mystery writers Association, and when you read his novels, you'll understand why. Oh yes, the mystery part is remarkably good as well. Well plotted, good characterization, and all three books catch you off gaurd at the end, as good mysteries should!

Peter May's China Thriller series of books continues with The Killing Room. All is not well with Margaret and Li's relationship as the location is mostly Shanghai in his third of the series. Having visted Shanghai nine times in the past two years, I find the Chinese background and culture in this series and this mystery in particular are outstanding. Written in 2000 and just released in the USA, this highly charged mystery actually foretells some of Shanghai's modern 21st Century political history of local corruption. While other novelists may touch on the corruption in a lighter, more oblique way, May gets right to the point in demonstrating how the hierarchy works. He touches on the continuing power struggle between Beijing and Shanghai. The other reviews cover the story line well. The setting of Shanghai is remarkably accurate, and the description of life and families is still quite relevant eight years after the book was authored. (Many things can change in Shanghai in eight years.) As I have Shanghai friends to explain many customs in modern China, I find that May captures them in very subtle ways. May distills the Chinese manners and details them into background throughout the novel. If you are travelling to Shanghai and want to get an inside look into the city's life, this is a must read. Only you will find that Shanghai is a much safer place than what happens in the vicinity of Margaret and Li.

I just started reading this book and I'm already hooked. I will definitely be reading any others that Mr. May has written or writes in the future. Definiately a must read!

When the bodies of eighteen women are discovered in a mass grave at a construction site in Shanghai, Deputy Section Chief Li Yan is sent to establish if the corpses relate to an unsolved similar murder in Beijing. He requests that American pathologist Margaret Campbell be allowed to assist with the forensics. Their on again-off again relationship remains rocky, especially because of local Deputy Chief Nien Mei-Ling, who Margaret finds a formidable competitor for Li Yan's heart. While examining the bodies, Margaret discovers that all of them had organs removed while they were still alive. I particularly like two aspects of May's books. One is the culture clashes between Li Yan and Margaret Campbell. Despite their strong feelings for each other, they are just very different people. I learn a lot about Chinese culture through Margaret's eyes and would probably make the same missteps she does. The other is May's ability to explore social and cultural problems in Chinese society. He tries hard to portray both sides of a controversial subject without taking sides. In this book, and a bit of the previous book, The Fourth Sacrifice, that subject is the single-child policy enacted to reduce the population in China. Li Yan's sister previously dropped off her daughter with him when she found she was pregnant with a son. Li Yan remains the child's guardian in this book. I found more humor in this book than the previous two in this series. The competitions between Margaret and Mei-Ling for the attentions of Li Yan were laugh-out-loud funny. I also find it interesting that these books are written by a Scottish man living in France, writing about an American woman living in China. And he does it very well. Armchair Interviews says: Super read as a mystery with a lot of cultural learning thrown in.

Already upset that a killer was freed because of either corruption or incompetence in the Procurator's office, Ministry of Public Security Deputy Section Chief Li Yan is not in the mood to talk to anyone. However Detective Wu tells his superior that the dismembered girl found in the shallow grave near the Summer Palace was not buried alone; upwards of twenty females share a grave with her. The powers that be demand Li fix the mess that was shown internationally as a New York bank CEO was the VIP digger in a sea of body parts. Shanghai Public Security Serious Crime Squad Deputy chief Mei-Ling is assigned to assist Li, who learns from her that there are eighteen torsos and sixteen heads so far. Li's on and off Irish girlfriend pathologist Margaret Campbell arrives following the wake of her deceased father. Although the two ladies compete for the affection of Li, the trio works together realizing that someone apparently conducted autopsies on the female victims while they still lived; the cause of death in each case is the autopsy. They know preventing the monster from more killings comes before straightening out their personal relationships. This excellent Chinese police procedural will please fans of that sub-genre immensely as this is a top rate whodunit in a country in which connections impedes the strong investigation much more so than in the United States where influence gets a great lawyer. The story line is action-packed and the triangle cleverly developed to allow the reader to understand the motivations including personal demons of the investigating team. However, as with THE FOURTH SACRIFICE, the novel belongs to Peter May's deep insightful look at modern China's Socialist market economy in which Shanghai is filled with Porches, sex shops, discos and nightclubs standing near traditional mom and pop stores. Harriet Klausner