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Title: A Loyal Character Dancer
Subtitle: Inspector Chen Series, Book 2
Author: Qiu Xiaolong
Narrator: David Shih
Format: Unabridged
Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
Language: English
Release date: 01-18-18
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Genres: Mysteries & Thrillers, International Mystery & Crime

Publisher's Summary:
Inspector Chen's mentor in the Shanghai Police Bureau has assigned him to escort US Marshal Catherine Rohn. Her mission is to bring Wen, the wife of a witness in an important criminal trial, to the United States. Inspector Rohn is already en route when Chen learns that Wen has unaccountably vanished from her village in Fujian. Or is this just what he is supposed to believe?
Chen resents his role; he would rather investigate the triad killing in Shanghai's beautiful Bund Park. Li insists that saving face with Inspector Rohn takes priority. So Chen Cao, the ambitious son of a father who imbued him with Confucian precepts, must tread warily as he tries once again to be a good cop, a good man and also a loyal Party member.

Members Reviews:
Excellent story teller
I enjoy the books by Qiu Xiaolong. The books are well written and well translated. It gives a interesting insight into how China and specifically Shanghai lives and breaths. It doesn't gloss over the problems that humans in China have but does a good job of explaining human nature while touching on some of the challenges brought on by the Cultural Revolution. It neither defends or excuses the way things were or are but describes humanity through the eyes of a policeman who tries to do right even if that is sometimes influenced by politics. If you want to get a glimpse of Chinese culture via a story, this is an excellent way to do that.

Shanghai in the 90s
I began reading this series at the suggestion of my instructor of a class about China. Chief Inspector Chen is a cop as well as a rising member of the Communist Party. He is also an English literature major and a poet. In this second episode Chen locates a missing woman. Great descriptions of food. Many interesting characters. I plan to keep reading this series.

Chen Does It Again
Shanghai's epicurean poet cop Chief Inspector Chen tracks down his quarry once again. What I like: that the mystery takes the reader through big city China and small city China; botanical garden China; friends and connections "guanxi" China; hotels 5-star or small rural; and what it is like for a family to live in one of Shanghai's one room apartments. This time Chen is assigned as escort/bodyguard/tourguide to a fetchingly charming U.S. Marshall who has arrived to bring back to the U.S. the Chinese wife of a Chinese man who is part of an illegal smuggling operation that brings Chinese immigrants to the USA. He has copped a plea in return for testifying against the kingpin of the operation who is standing trial in just two weeks. Simple enough, but the Chinese wife can't be found. Has the local triad (read Mafia) made off with her? Does she not want to be reunited with her husband, who has abused and beaten her? And what is to be made of a man's body clad in designer pajamas found in the public garden? Not to locate the wife is the stuff of international incident, Chinese disgrace and suspicions. It makes for a very good mystery, but the writing is flawed to my taste by too many poems and poetic references, incessant Confuscius sayings, and far too much description of the foods being served at the frequent lunches, dinners, and breakfasts that Chen and his beautiful American enjoy always at a discreet and extra fine eating place.