Chinese Whispers has all the ingredients for an exiting mystery/adventure story, but Peter May's China thrillers always deliver much more than that. They're beautifully written, the characters and the Chinese locations really come to life. This is the sixth book in this series about Beijing Detective Li Yan and Margaret Campbell, his partner and a pathologist from Chicago. You can start with this one if you haven't read the others, and you'll still enjoy it, although I'm sure you'll want to go back to the first book, The Firemaker, and get to know the characters from the start. Following the turbulent relationship between Li Yan and Margaret as it developes through the series has been one of the best things about the books. I can't wait for the next one!