The Murder of Mr. Ma is one of those books that just keeps getting better and better as one reads.I enjoyed it from the start—and by the end I was deep into that conflicted feeling of must-read-another-chapter vs. but-if-I-read-more-the-book-will-end-sooner.

The Murder of Mr. Ma is set in London shortly after the end of WWI, focusing on its Chinese community, particularly men who worked under contract during that war—and whose contract stipulations about where the would work and what kind of work they would do were rarely honored. A group of these men who relocated to London after the war have established a tontine: a fund into which each man contributes and which is given in total to whomever among the group lives the longest. Members of the tontine are being killed and British law enforcement isn't particularly interested in the fates of "Chinamen."

Dee and Lao, the central pair of detectives in the novel, make an interesting pair. Dee served as a military judge during WWI, handling adjudicating disagreements among the forces of different nations involved in the fighting, as well as the contract workers. He's utterly brilliant—an intellectual and physical force able to take on almost anyone. Lao is a Chinese scholar teaching Chinese at a London University. He's deeply concerned about English views of Chinese peoples and determined to make a good impression.

While Dee and Lao are unique creatures, their pairing brings together some of the familiar aspects of the Holmes-Watson relationship, but transformed by cultural contexts. Dee's quick-thinking, almost always a number of steps ahead of Lao. Lao records the pair's adventures, regularly guessing at what motivates Dee and at the logic underlying Dee's choices. Both men are in liminal positions: denigrated because of their nationality, but meriting respect as well—Dee because of diplomatic status; Lao because of his scholarly work.

I'm utterly delighted that this book is being marketed as #1 in a series. Within the course of this single title, I was increasingly drawn to the characters of Dee and Lao and their unfolding, complex identities. I can't wait to see how their relationship develops in future volumes.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, particularly those that look at life outside of the "mainstream" culture, you're in for a treat here. Head to your local independent bookseller or get yourself onto your library's waiting list and get to know Dee and Lao.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own. ( )

The publisher’s blurb for The Murder of Mr. Ma by John Shen Yen Nee and SJ Rozan recommends it for fans of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes and I can’t disagree. But I would go further and recommend it for fans of Sherlock Holmes regardless of print, film, or audio or, well, really anyone who enjoys well-written and entertaining historical mysteries.

Set in 1924 London, someone is killing Chinese nationals and academic Lau She plays Watson to Judge Dee Ren Jie’s Holmes complete with amazing action moves, disguises, and a bit of a drug problem as they search for the killer. This is the first in a series and it is one rollicking tale of derring-do. The main characters are well-rounded and make for a very likeable duo. As to the mystery, it is complex and kept me guessing right to the big reveal at the end. And for us history buffs, there is some real history mixed in with the fiction. Definitely a fun beginning to the new series and I look forward to future adventures of Lao and Dee. I received an audioversion of this book from Netgalley and RB Media narrated by Daniel York Loh who does an amazing job especially with all the different London accents. ( )

I was excited to see S.J. Rozan involved in this collaboration. It's a strange but really fun (and subtly thought-provoking) historical romp set in 1920s London that pairs a Chinese Dr. Watson-style narrator with an impressive Judge Dee - not *that* Judge Dee, but cut from the same cloth as classical Chinese crime stories, a wise outsider who is able to solve crimes and fight bad guys with acrobatic skill; this is somehow paired with a dash of dime novel, but it all works.

The pair investigate the disappearance of a Chinese national who was recruited (like Dee) to provide labor in the battlefields of France during World War I. (Who knew? This is one of those historical lacuna that makes stories like this so enlightening.) They soon are investigating a string of murders while avoiding the interference of a bigoted police officer. There's just enough depth folded into this froth of a story to make it much more than it may seem on the surface.

There are hints Judge Dee will return in future adventures. I'm looking forward to them.