Trapped in a Taoist monastery, where three young women died allegedly accidental deaths, Judge Dee seeks clues in the eyes of a cat to solve cases of impersonation and murder. A painting by one of the victims reveals lies surrounding the murders and helps Judge Dee seek revenge on the murderer.

"The China of old, in Mr. van Gulik's skilled hands, comes vividly alive again."
—Allen J. Hubin, New York Times Book Review

"Entertaining, instructive, and impressive."—Times Literary Supplement

"If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee and his faithful Sgt. Hoong, I envy you that initial pleasure which comes form the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yang belongs in the select group of fictional detectives headed by the renowned Sherlock Holmes."—Robert Kirsch, Los Angeles Times

Robert Van Gulik (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. He drew his plots from the whole body of Chinese literature, especially from the popular detective novels that first appeared in the seventeenth century.