The Eye of Jade (Mei Wang Mysteries) [Preloaded Digital Audio Player]

Diane Wei Liang (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2008 | Series: Mei Wang Mysteries

Mei is a modern, independent Chinese woman. She runs her own business in Beijing, working as a private investigator; she owns a car; she even has that most modern of commodities, a male secretary. One day, 'Uncle' Chen - no relation but a close friend of her mother's - comes to Mei with a case to investigate. He asks her to find the Eye of Jade, a Han dynasty artefact of great value. The Eye of Jade was taken from its museum during the years of the Cultural Revolution when Red Guards swarmed the streets, destroying many remnants of the past. Mei's investigations reveal a story that has far more to do with the past, and her own family history, than she could ever have expected. This story forces her to delve into that dark part of China's history, Mao's labour camps and the countless deaths for which no-one was ever held responsible. It exposes the agonising choices made during the Revolution, to kill or be killed, to love or to live. "Eye of Jade" is a fascinating glimpse of city life in modern China. Liang captures vividly Beijing's bustle and noise, from seedy gambling dens and cheap noodle bars to the splendour of the Forbidden City. Through a rich cast of characters including immigrant workers and government officials, she examines the sometimes uneasy relationship between China's brutal communist past and its increasingly capitalist present.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Diane Wei Liang was born in China in 1966, the year the Cultural Revolution began. She was studying at Beijing University in the 1980s but was forced to leave and continue her studies in the USA because of her involvement in the students' revolt that led to the Tiananmen Square massacre. She now lives in London, where she teaches business management at Royal Holloway, and is married with two small children. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Preloaded Digital Audio Player
• Publisher: Playaway; Unabridged edition (May 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1605149403
• ISBN-13: 978-1605149400
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Diane was born in Beijing in 1966 and spent part of her childhood with her parents in a labour camp in a remote region of China. A graduate of Peking University, Diane joined the Student Democracy Movement and took part in the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, which culminated in the massacre of hundreds of demonstrators by the People's Liberation Army. Diane has a PhD in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon University, in the US, and was an award-winning business professor in the US and the UK for over 10 years.

Her first book, Lake With No Name, a memoir of Tiananmen and love, was published in 2003 and is reissued in 2009.
Diane is the author of two novels featuring Beijing private detective Mei Wang: The Eye of Jade (2007) and Paper Butterfly (2008). Her novels have been translated into over 20 languages.

Diane now writes full-time and lives in London.

www.dianeweiliang.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beijing mystery--Think 'karaoke bar' not 'opium den.', July 23, 2008

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Eye Of Jade - A Mei Wang Mystery (Paperback)

This first book in the Mei Wang mystery series is not as quaint as we've come to expect from China-based mysteries such as the Judge Dee series by Robert van Gulik. Most of the historical references in "The Eye of Jade" are to Mao Zedong's Cultural Revolution during his last decade in power (1966 - 1976). Countless Chinese citizens (especially those with an education) were sent to labor camps, while ancient buildings, artifacts, books, and paintings were destroyed by the rampaging Red Guards.

Mei Wang, the detective-heroine of this new series spent part of her youth in a labor camp, along with her mother, sister, and father. Her father was never released, and one of the mysteries in this multi-layered book concerns his fate.

The author, herself spent years in a labor camp along with her parents, so readers can assume that parts of "The Eye of Jade" were taken from real life. That makes this mystery even more interesting, since all of the previous Middle Kingdom mysteries I'd read were written by non-Chinese authors.

Modern Beijing may surprise Westerners who haven't visited the post-Mao People's Republic of China. This book is packed with telling details. Opium dens have been replaced by karaoke bars, and nouveau riche Beijingers are lining up for a turn at the mike, and for ballroom dancing lessons. The ancient treasures destroyed during the Cultural Revolution have been replaced by Venetian chandeliers, imported Italian marble, and top-of-the-line German appliances. Although the heroine, Mei Wang tools around in a little red Mitsubishi, her wealthy sister is chauffered between TV appearances and beauty salon appointments in a Mercedes.

Mei Wang bases much of her detective work on `guânxi,' i.e. social networking--a central concept in Chinese society. Relatives or people who owe her a favor get her into the places she needs to go in order to locate a stolen jade seal--a rare artifact from the ancient Han Dynasty (206 B.C. - 220 A.D.). Woven into her search is the story of her family, most especially the relationship between Beijing's first female detective and her ailing mother.

There is also a great deal of social commentary on contemporary China. Those who believe that Communism still controls the economy might be a bit shocked at the very capitalistic behavior of the characters in this book. China may give lip service to universal health care, but only the rich (and the military) can get treatment in a decent, modern hospital.

I am definitely going to look for the second Mei Wang mystery, "Paper Butterfly." For those of us who like our mysteries with a strong dash of foreign culture, this is a great new series.

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!, January 29, 2012

By 

Smita Rao (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Eye of Jade (Mei Wang Mysteries) (Preloaded Digital Audio Player)

I've listened to Paper Butterfly and Eye of the Jade now, and quite simply, what's not to like about Diane Wei Liang?! Her cast of characters is varied and engaging. Mei is an imperfect but thoroughly beloved heroine. Mei's relationship with her assistant was a little unformed, but hopefully will evolve through the series. Wei Liang is crafty with plot, and reveals the past in bits and pieces. Her writing / tone is refreshing. Wei Liang weaves in guan-xi, filial duty and personal heartbreak, with a light, deft hand. I loved hearing about Chinese rock, about Mei's bicycle road trip, her little Mitsubishi and so on - a little window into a life in Beijing. Mei's formidable mother is a tougher nut to crack! All in all, satisfying to the last word ;-)