Contrary truths!

A confronting novel. Chen Cao, now relegated to director of the Shanghai Judicial System Reform Office, is recalled from convalescent leave to solve a high profile crime. It seems there’s a serial murderer loose just as China is fighting Covid.
Chen is a poet and policeman. Much like the famous Judge Dee. Only it’s not an empress Chen is keeping at bay, it’s the Chinese Communist Party.
A constant heartbeat underlying the investigation of what is being seen as the work of a serial murderer, is the story of the Covid pandemic in China. The inhumane efforts the Chinese government went to to control the spread of the disease, their infamous zero Covid policy, their surveillance, and severe rules and punishments carried out by the party faithful, administering the harsh regime. People nailed into their apartments, children separated from parents, left alone, no food, people taken into concentration camps, the list is endless.
Wuhan is a focal point of course and Chen has taken on the task of translating into English the Wuhan files, stories of ordinary people who suffer extraordinary hardships during the Covid period. We had it tough in the West, but here the extraordinary lengths the CCP took is, according to Chen, absolutely destructive to the soul of the nation. Very Orwellian! Chen refers to this constantly.
The story of a totalitarian government grinding down its people, all living in fear, except for officials, and a desperate, or brave, few.
A telling juxtaposition is revealed of the general populace’s hardships over against the party officials who can make things happen for their favorites, even in this time of crisis.
Another anomaly was the mention of red envelopes filled with money to bribe doctors and officials. A hangover of historical practices, or the new way?
Continually there are understated, ironic comments from Chen about the situation. Comments containing harsh judgements of the country’s leadership that Chen feels has lost its way.
The relationship between Chen and Lin his secretary is that of mentor and student, older man and younger woman, full of promise and yet nowhere to go in this the twilight of Chen’s life. Perhaps a Chinese operatic moment? Their relationship is fodder for salacious comments inferred to by Hou Guohua, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Shanghai Government. A fast rising star. Comments possibly harking back to historical cultural perspectives on such relationships.
Qiu Xiaolong has given us a troubling novel, with equally as troubling observations that resonate.
I loved the inclusion of Chinese poetry, a prophetic forerunner to each chapter as it unfolds, along with snippets from the Wuhan Files.
The crime it turns out, is heavily influenced by the current intractable Covid rules. A response to the truly awful plight a normal person finds themselves in. More a political and police procedural than a murder story. Well written and a thoughtful read.

A Severn House ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher. ( )