The Chinese Maze Murders (A Judge Dee Mystery) [Paperback]

Robert Van Gulik (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: The University of Chicago Press (1997)
• ASIN: B000KIASRM
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,688,999 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling stories of deduction, June 8, 2001

By 

Andrew Limsk (Kuala Lumpur, MY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Judge Dee Mysteries) (Paperback)

Van Gulik's Judge Dee series are fairly unique for the unfamiliar settings and historical Chinese literature his plots are based on. Like the previous books, the good judge is again called to investigate several mysterious cases (all at once), the most interesting being the murder of a retired general in a room locked from the inside.

While the cleverly-woven plots and investigations are the high point of all the books in the series, the wonderful little details of people and life in ancient China are a learning experience as well. The accuracy of these details comes as no surprise as the author was once the Dutch ambassador to China. Highly recommended for fans of classic stories of deduction.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything about this book is just perfect, May 7, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Judge Dee Mysteries) (Paperback)

This is much more than a most exciting detective story with different complicated crimes being brilliantly solved. It is also a fascinating glance at the ancient China - a guided tour into the Oriental way of thinking. Written with amazing credibility and expertise, the Judge Dee stories (especially this novel and "The Chinese Bell Murders") are perfectly suited for people with little pre-knowledge who want to learn to understand the Chinese.

I can't find a single flaw about this book. It's plain brilliant.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, April 25, 2000

By 

wonderrat "wonderrat" (Mountain View, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Chinese Maze Murders: A Judge Dee Mystery (Judge Dee Mysteries) (Paperback)

For the uninitiated, Robert van Gulik's Judge Dee mysteries are absolutely brilliant. Van Gulik's Judge Dee (based on a historical character) finds himself involved in murders, barbarian plots, and a plan to overthrow the state in The Chinese Maze Murders. The settings are historically as accurate as can be, since van Gulik was one of the leading experts on China and an expert on Asian affairs, due to his service in the Dutch Foreign Service. All of the Judge Dee mysteries show a great deal of sophistication and detail which is often lacking in the genre.

For those readers who shy away from mysteries because they seem contrived, get this (and The Chinese Bell Murders) and be transported to another time and place. I don't care for mysteries myself, but the history and exotic locales penned by van Gulik made me a fan!