A Death in China [Paperback]

Carl Hiaasen (Author), Bill Montalbano (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 1998

An  American investigating his mentor's murder finds himself ensnared in a web of lies and treachery in China, where even tomorrow's weather is a state secret.  From a nightmarish interrogation to assassination by cobra, A Death in China takes readers on a trip with no rest stops through a world of claustrophobic mistrust and terrifying danger.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Published in 1984, 1981, and 1982, respectively, these novels feature action, intrigue, violence, and murder. In the Hitchcock vein, they also portray protagonists who are just ordinary people?a professor, an architect, and a fishing-boat captain?who are dragged into extraordinary circumstances. LJ's reviewer found Death in China "tautly written," adding that Montalbano and Hiaasen have a "fine flair for characters and settings" (LJ 4/1/84).
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“A tautly written, fast-paced thriller that captures the real China.” — The New York Times

“A terrific story. . . Montalbano and Hiaasen have brought it off splendidly.” — Time

“Montalbano and Hiaasen have created a . . . maelstrom of intrigues, deceits, lusts, and canards. Like China itself, what often seems to be too implausible turns out to be real.” —The Wall Street Journal

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Vintage (June 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375700676
• ISBN-13: 978-0375700675
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,269 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 55 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Unmemorable, May 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Death in China (Paperback)

Hiassen fans will be disappointed. This book has none of the characteristic twisted, insane humor of most of his work. In fact, it is a rather formulaic spy/action/thriller book. If it were a movie, it would star Jean-Claude VanDamme. This is not to say that it is a bad book, per say, but it is very predictable. It has all of the usual elements, and though it does have some interesting bits here and there, it is ultimately just another predictable spy/action/thriller book.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrills and Intrigue Across the Pacific, January 5, 2002

By 

George Webster, Ph.D., (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Death in China (Paperback)

Hiaasen and Montalbano again show their ability to write a thriller with twists and turns enough to satisfy most readers. Tom Stratton is a college professor on a guided tour of China. During the tour, he meets his old mentor, David Wang, brother of a deputy minister in the Chinese government. They agree to meet again, but Wang turns up missing. As Stratton tries to find his friend, he uncovers a whole snake-den of double dealing and murder involving David's brother. Immediately, Stratton becomes a target for murder, beginning with being locked in a closet with a king cobra. His desperate flight gets him back to the United States, but death follows him. You jump right in during the early chapters, and the authors never let up. All in all, a satisfying tale of intrigue and action.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An atmosphere of China, May 24, 2000

By 

Jaded "Rat" (Boca Raton, Florida USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Death in China (Paperback)

I thought this was a good book. It has elements of both a murder mystery and a thriller/spy novel. It is definitely not Hiaasen writing his usual Florida based hilarious but hard to describe action. But if you are interested in getting a feel for life in China, at least from what I could see of it during a week visit to Peking in 1987, while reading a well written book, then give this book a try. I intend to look up other non zany Hiaasen books.