I thought that this was a very good read. I have read some of the other Judge Dee, and I like the whole series. This book does include some torture, but so did the time, and it isn't written in a gruesome way. I really enjoyed this book. ( )

This book is one of the Judge Dee series written by Robert van Gulik, a Dutch diplomat. The actual Judge Dee lived from 630 to 700 c. e., in the Tang dynasty. The author began the series by translating Chinese stories written from the 16th to 19th century. Later books were written by van Gulik based upon themes from Chinese stories. The books are entertaining historical fiction that provide insight into the culture of Imperial China, something most Westerners are not very familiar with.
The criminal justice system in Imperial China used many practices alien to the West. Torture was commonplace and was often used by the judge to obtain a confession. Executions were more frequent and used many different methods. In this book one of the criminals is quartered, a particularly gruesome method of execution. Searches did not require a warrant and the accused did not have the right to remain silent. The investigator and the judge were combined in one person. This book illustrates that these methods were effective in finding the truth and punishing the wrongdoer.
There are three mysteries in this book; the rape and murder of a Chinese girl, a Buddhist monastery engaged in fraud and a twenty year old family feud. Most of the books in the series have multiple mysteries going on side by side and Buddhists are often cast as villains because of their challenge to the official Confucian philosophy.
Each story begins with a complaint being presented at the tribunal where Judge Dee is the presiding officer and questions all involved parties. The scribes make a record of each person's statement and they must affix their thumb print to the document. Then the Judge and his aides investigate the crimes. Three of the senior investigators are former criminals, two were highwaymen and the other a confidence man. They were converted to working on the side of the law by the force of Judge Dee's personality and bring a variety of skills to their jobs. Judge Dee often works in disguise and uses indirect methods similar to Sherlock Holmes.
There is action and danger as the investigations proceed. In one incident Judge Dee and his three lieutenants are trapped under a large heavy bell in an attempt to kill them. Each of the mysteries ends with a twist in the ending you expect in a good detective story.
What I most like about this book and the others in the series is how it places the reader in the environment of Imperial China. Their culture was truly alien to our life today. It is emphasized in many ways that the group was more important than the individual and stability more important than freedom.
The end of the story provides an excellent example of the difference in culture and philosophy. Four top officials review Judge Dee's actions and decide to award him with an inscription written in the vermillion calligraphy of the Emperor. The inscription is placed on a horizontal board set up over the dais in the tribunal. The book closes with Judge Dee kneeling in prayer before the Emperor's words.

"Justice outweighs individual life." ( )

This is my least-liked Judge Dee novel. It does not flow like the rest of them and begins in a different way. Instead of getting straight to the point,as they usually do,Van Gulik starts this one with an unnamed character having a supernatural experience involving the Judge's mirror and cap. I also felt that the story itself was not up to standard and that it concluded with scenes of torture and death which were not germane to the tale. ( )

(Review at my blog) ( )

Second in a series featuring the Tang Magistrate Judge Dee, based on a real magistrate during that dynasty. Dee has a series of retainers who assist him in his work. It is the case throughout the series that when Dee comes to a new town, mysteries present themselves for him and his friends to solve. Generally there are several mysteries that seem to be linked together somehow, and I take the utmost in pleasure to watch the crimes unravel.

In his first case, Judge Dee finds himself in the Poo-yang district. Thinking himself lucky because there seems to be very little crime in this area, he is somewhat taken aback when he and his retainers have to deal with a rape/murder as well as several crimes all linked back to a feud between two of the district''s merchant families. But wait! There's more: it seems that there is some concern about certain Buddhist monks who are trying to swindle women who cannot get pregnant. If they give money to the temple, the women will supposedly conceive.

No strand of the story is left undone; Dee's detection skills, along with the help of his group of friends, ensures that there will be no crime left unsolved whenever the magistrate comes into a new area.

Highly recommended; do start with book 1 (the Haunted Maze) before you read the rest of the series. ( )