Soho Crime
The Railway Conspiracy
Couldn't load pickup availability
Judge Dee and Lao She must use all their powers of deduction—and kung fu skills—to take down a sinister conspiracy between Imperial Russia, Japan, and China in a rollicking new mystery set in 1920s London.
The follow-up to The Murder of Mr. Ma, this historical adventure-mystery is perfect for fans of Laurie R. King and the Guy Ritchie Sherlock Holmes films.
London, 1924. Following several months abroad, Judge Dee Ren Jie has returned to the city to foil a transaction between a Russian diplomat and a Japanese mercenary. Aided by Lao She—the Watson to his Holmes—along with several other colorful characters, Dee stops the illicit sale of an extremely valuable “dragon-taming” mace.
The mace’s owner is a Chinese businesswoman who thanks Dee for its retrieval by throwing a lavish dinner party. In attendance is British banking official A. G. Stephen, who argues with the group about the tenuous state of Chinese nationalism—and is poisoned two days later. Dee knows this cannot be a coincidence, and suspects Stephen won’t be the only victim. Sure enough, a young Chinese communist of Lao’s acquaintance is killed not long after—and a note with a strange symbol is found by his body.
What could connect these murders? Could it be related to rumors of a conspiracy regarding the Chinese Eastern Railway? It is once again all on the unlikely crime-solving duo of Dee and Lao to solve the case before anyone else ends up tied to the rails.
Share
Book Details
ISBN:
9781641296601
EAN:
9781641296601
Binding:
Hardcover
Pages:
304
Authors:
Sj Rozan , John Shen Yen Nee
Publisher:
Soho Crime
The second book by writing team Rozan and Nee, The Railway Conspiracy is set in London during what some call the Interwar Era, the nine years between the Great War and WWII. Not only do the writers depict the political and social landscape of the period, they immerse the reader in the growing community of London Chinese who had found their way to England via various channels. It’s candy to historical fiction readers like me, and doubly delicious to those whose book diet largely consists of murder mysteries. The Watson/Holmes combo of Professor Mr. Lao She and Judge Dee Ren Jie produces the ideal chemistry, one that will not disappoint. Add to that the occasional appearance of historical figures and the Dee and Lao Mystery series hits all the right notes. I highly recommend this book, as well as the first in the series, The Murder of Mr. Ma (although the two books stand alone). And I can recommend, too, the audio version, as the narrator is outstanding and one gets an even deeper flavor of the language and culture.
Another fun read! I purchased both the hardcover and the Audible version so I could continue listening to the story as I went about my day. Every time I had to turn it off, I couldn't wait to get back to the story. Love the new characters, and the historical references in each book are fascinating! Can't wait for the next adventure.
This sequel, 'The Railway Conspiracy', is a culturally intriguing and action-packed mystery! With such a unique premise, I'm pleased that the books' descriptions truly do the series justice. I love following the unlikely band of characters as they root out evil in 1920s London. Professor Lao She's narration is especially entertaining, and I often chuckle at how he incorporates accounts from other characters.I recommend this audiobook to any fan of historical action stories! Daniel York Loh is a top-notch narrator.Special thanks to RBmedia and NetGalley for providing access to this audiobook. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I read the first book and I'm glad I did because it helped know the history of the main characters. This story got a bit bogged down in the "historical" aspects and that stopped the story from moving long at times (for me). So while I still loved the characters and locale and time period, this one didn't work as well as the first book in the series. However, I will definitely look for the next book to see what happens.
An absolute delight to read (or listen to, I went with the audiobook). Can't wait to see this as a movie or TV show someday, and also can't wait for the next book.
