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A Mei Wang Mystery
by Diane Wei Liang
Book Reviewed by:The value of connections and relationships is a
frequent topic in the American marketplaces of
business, career and creativity. However, the need
for a reliable and diverse network on the path to
success is a global one, and Diane Wei Liang's first
novel, The Eye of Jade introduces readers to
the complex Chinese version of influence called "Guanxi,"
with the story of an independent female private
detective named Mei Wang. This mystery, the first in
a series featuring detective Wang, also explores
modern Beijing – its subcultures and architectural
characteristics – and the blend of capitalism,
communism and tradition of mid-1990s China.
First released in April 2007 in the United Kingdom,
The Eye of Jade is not the suspenseful,
plot-heavy mystery that some might expect. Wang's
investigation is almost secondary to her personal
and familial life until the two threads unite toward
the end of the book. Some may feel that the plot
suffers a bit because Liang is introducing detective
Wang's back story along with those of her supporting
characters in preparation for further books in the
series. It seems that setting the scene is equally
important to Liang, in this first novel, as the meat
of the mystery is.
In The Eye of Jade, Wang's case concerns some
Han dynasty antiques purported to have survived the
upheaval of the Cultural Revolution. A family friend
brings her the project, asking Wang to help him look
for a jade seal that once belonged to a legendary
Chinese general and ruler. The investigation begins
with a friendly meeting with an antiques expert in
an ice skating rink and ends with the uncovering of
some of Wang's own family's secrets. In between her
sleuthing, readers are introduced to Wang's personal
life. Sibling rivalry, a longtime mother-daughter
grudge and the reappearance of a former love all
meld into this story of a female "information
consultant" in modern day China.
Fans of page-turning suspense may find this novel a
bit too quiet, but readers interested in exploring
other cultures and those who appreciate the
subtleties of writing more often associated with
literary fiction than mysteries, should find this
first Mei Wang mystery very enjoyable. The Eye of
Jade is an engaging glimpse of modern China
blended with some of the compelling elements of the
classic "who-done-it" adventure. It is also a work
of fiction that successfully introduces one to the
intriguing layers of modern Chinese society – a
society of ancient tradition and global influence.
Next In The Series
The second in the series,
Paper Butterfly,
was released in the UK in May 2008 and will be
released in the USA in May 2009.
This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in February 2008, and has been updated for the
April 2009 edition.
Click here to go to this issue.
If you liked The Eye of Jade, try these:
by Elsa Hart
Published 2016
On the mountainous border of China and Tibet in 1708, a detective must learn what a killer already knows: that empires rise and fall on the strength of the stories they tell.
by Ed Lin
Published 2015
Jing-nan is shocked to the core when he learns his ex-girlfriend from high school has been murdered. But the facts don't add up...
Pony Confidential
by Christina Lynch
In this whimsical mystery, a grumpy pony must clear his beloved human's name from a murder accusation.
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