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The Chinese Bell Murders (Judge Dee Detective Story)
 
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The Chinese Bell Murders (Judge Dee Detective Story) (Paperback)

by Robert Hans Van Gulik (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (Aug 2004)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0060728884
  • ISBN-13: 978-0060728885
  • Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 13.4 x 1.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 751,458 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #3 in  Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > G > Gulik, Robert Hans Van

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Customer Reviews

3 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (3 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fiction, With A Twist, 30 Jun 2007
By Jonathan Eyal (London, UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
It is a shame that Robert van Gulik is not better known in the Western world. For his novels, blending ancient Chinese detective fiction but presenting it in an accessible way for a Western audience certainly deserve more attention.

The "Bell Murders" is the first and one of van Gulik's best. In a classic Chinese style, Judge Dee - the "Sherlock Holmes" of ancient China - resolves not one, but three murders. The plot is complicated, but still accessible. And the writing is superb, maintaining the pace of events throughout.

Highly recommended, and a different offering from most of the repetitive works of Western fiction.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Another great Judge Dee mystery, 4 April 2009
By N. Rossis (Athens, Greece) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Chinese Bell Murders (Judge Dee Mysteries) (Paperback)
Judge Dee is loosely based on an actual historical ancient Chinese figure, wonderfully brought to life by Gulik. As Gulik was an avid sinologist as well as diplomat and writer, he is uniquely poised to present us with every-day life in ancient China. It is this detailed knowledge of Chinese history that permeates his stories and gives them their unique flavour, and also the reason why ever since I first discovered Judge Dee, I have managed to buy all of Gulik's Judge Dee books.

Judge Dee stories are written in a way that resembles traditional Chinese conventions. Therefore, the "detective" (i.e. Judge Dee, in fact a magistrate in ancient China), deals with three different crimes in any book. These may somehow connect, but they may just as well be completely unrelated. Gulig's notes help further immerse the reader in the exotic atmosphere of ancient China.

The book is written in the familiar Gulig way, with the Judge solving these mysteries using his uncanny powers of observation and deduction, much like a modern sleuth would. However, adding to the mix Gulig's effortlessly convincing representation of ancient China and his easily-read prose, makes this another great Judge Dee book.

Highly recommended to anyone, whether a Judge Dee novice or a fan.
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5.0 out of 5 stars An early Judge Dee story - and a very good one, too, 20 Jan 2010
By Dr. H. Beentje (Kew, England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
Plot: Autumn 668, Poo-Yang (on the Grand Canal in Kiangsu). Judge Dee has just taken up his new post as magistrate of this prosperous town, and is soon deeply involved in three cases at the same time: the rape murder in Half Moon Street; the secret of the Buddhist Temple; and the mysterious skeleton. Solving one of these cases comes close to disturbing his family's harmonious atmosphere, and touches on Imperial Policy...

My opinion: this story, published in 1958, is actually the first of van Gulik's books to be pubished in England - and it is a right cracker! It is very atmospheric, the personalities are engaging (or abhorrent, in some), and the Judge and his four henchmen are real people, to some of his fans! While the story plays in 668, the illustrations and story really represent the 16th Century in China; as was the custom among Chinese Ming writers.
I am a great admirer of the Judge Dee stories, and have read all of them several times over. This pleasure doesn't pall, and I would compare it to reading Sherlock Holmes, or Maigret; plus the additional pleasure of being immersed in old China.
This is the second Judge Dee story written by van Gulik, but (confusingly) the eighth chronologically; luckily, you can read these books in any sequence!
Highly recommended.
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