Firemaker [Paperback]

Peter May (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 6, 1999

Margaret Campbell is a forensic pathologist from Chicago. Li Yan is a Beijing detective with a horribly burned corpse on his hands. She has a broken life behind her, a lonely future dedicated to her profession in front. He has survived two decades of violent change by marrying himself to a career which now promises, at last, to bring him the respected place in Chinese society that his family lost in the Cultural Revolution. Neither of them is ready for the consequences of asking the wrong questions about the dead man - the ones that lead to the terrifying truth.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This first novel in a series that has already includes six volumes in Britain, promises more fireworks than it delivers both as romance and as melodramatic murder mystery. The nascent romance between American forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell, in Beijing to deliver a series of guest lectures, and Chinese police detective Li Yan seems more doubtful than hot-blooded as they resist their unlikely attraction. Margaret's expertise in autopsies of burn victims proves valuable, but the beautiful blond pathologist, seeking a respite from her painful past, is unmindful of her host country's customs and sensibilities almost to the point of caricature. The taciturn Li Yan, on his first assignment after promotion to Deputy Section Chief, is intent on his career and first new case: a series of three murders linked only by a single dubious clue. May is most convincing in his vivid depiction of a dynamic China recovering from the damage of the Cultural Revolution. Unfortunately, the plot is too flimsy for the weight he piles on and the overblown consequences lack credibility. An anticlimactic conclusion hints at further adventures.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Margaret Campbell, an American forensic pathologist, is doing a six-week lecture stint in Beijing. The last thing she expects, or is equipped to deal with, is a serial killer. Teaming up with a local police detective (with whom she had a seriously rocky start), Margaret gets a crash course in the many levels of Chinese society. This is the first installment of a series that has been very popular in Britain (six novels have been published), and it's easy to see why. Margaret Campbell is a well--crafted heroine, plain speaking and sharp witted, and her partner, Li Yan, possesses all the cultural graces and knowledge of Chinese society Margaret so sorely lacks. The author plays up the cultural differences and the odd-couple nature of their relationship, but he never gets too silly about it. It's a pleasure to be introduced to these two investigators, and readers will eagerly await the publication of further installments in the series. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Coronet (May 6, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0340738359
• ISBN-13: 978-0340738351
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #810,589 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A definite read, September 20, 2005

By 

Kimberly Reis (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Firemaker (Murder in China) (Hardcover)

Dr. Margaret Campbell is in Beijing to teach a six week forensic pathology course at the police academy. Her specialty is identifying burned bodies. When three dead bodies turn up, one of them completely burned, Margaret is asked to do the autopsies. Lead detective on the case is Li Yan, a newly promoted Deputy Section Chief, who is trying to live up to the reputation of his uncle who is a bit of a legend in the Beijing police. All three bodies are identified as professional hits yet do not seem to have anything else in common. Cultures clash as Margaret, an American, doesn't understand the proper etiquette for dealing with her Chinese associates. She and Li Yan need to ignore their growing attraction to find out who killed these men and why.

Forensic pathology plays a strong role in the solution to the crime. Details of the autopsies are done with clinical precision and, as a medical doctor, Margaret is able to provide detailed scientific explanations of health issues, uses of medications, and the dangers of dabbling with Mother Nature.

I especially liked the way May used Margaret to demonstrate how not to behave in China. Margaret responded to situations in a way that I feel is typically American. I am certain I would have made the same mistakes. As Margaret begins to understand the Chinese culture and history, so does the reader.

If you get a chance to see May during his tour, you must do so. You will enjoy listening to tales of his research trips to China with stories of strange foods and mysterious limo rides into spy compounds. But, regardless whether you get that opportunity, this is definitely a book you shouldn't miss. There are five more books in this series that have been published in the UK. We can sincerely hope for an accelerated release schedule in the US to get us quickly caught up with this wonderful author.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book!, October 30, 2005

By 

L. J. Roberts (Oakland, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Firemaker (Murder in China) (Hardcover)

This book works. The descriptions of China put me there. I cared about the characters and the relationship that builds between them. Margaret blunders while learning how things work in China were honest. The mystery was intriguing with building suspense, and the plot is plausible, which makes it all the more terrifying. I also learned, which I enjoy, about the Social Revolution and genetic engineering. I don't often compare authors, but fans of Tess Gerritsen will definitely enjoy this, but so will anyone else who likes an extremely well done mystery.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I could not put it down, October 4, 2005

By 

The Big Yin "John" (Fairport, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Firemaker (Murder in China) (Hardcover)

My wife had said, "You've got to read this book, it's brilliant!" but since I had gotten out of the habit of reading I didn't hold out much hope of getting round to it. I picked it up at 4.30 one afternoon and 9 hours later at 1.30 the following morning I finished it. I quite literally could not put it down! The story - not only a "Whodunit?" but also a "Why'dtheydoit?" pulls you in and will not let you go. The setting described so colorfully and in such detail that you could feel the heat and dust, smell the outdoor restaurants, and practically find your own way round Beijing. The characters drawn so skilfully and sympathetically that you NEED to discover what happens to them. The theme so scary, it may put you off eating certain food items forever. Wonderfully written, great twists in the story, exotic locations - someone has to make this into a movie! There must have been an extraordinary amount of detailed research in a wide range of subjects to create such a plausible plot.