Wednesday, the 29th of May 2024, and time for Shelf Control once again! Shelf Control is a weekly feature created by Lisa at Bookshelf Fantasies, and celebrates the books waiting to be read on your TBR piles/mountains. Since early January 2023, Shelf Control has moved base here to Literary Potpourri. To participate, all you do is pick a book from your TBR pile, and write a post about it–what it’s about, when/where you got it, why you want to read it and such. If you participate, don’t forget to share your links in the comments. I’ll check out your picks of course, and also add you to the list of participants in this post
Today I’m back to the mystery pile to pick a book and one by an author I’m yet to try though I realise now I have 3 or 4 of his books waiting. Robert van Gulik was a Dutch orientalist and diplomat who served in the Dutch mission in China to Chiang Kai Shek’s government during World War II. He is best known for the Judge Dee mysteries featuring the real life Di Renjie, a statesman and detective. After translating an 18th-century detective novel featuring the character, he tried his hand at writing his own stories (based on old Chinese casebooks) along the same lines.
My pick today is one of these The Chinese Maze Murders, first published in 1950, and which contains three mysteries. Here Judge Dee is posted to the border town of Lin Fang at the time of the Ming dynasty (a change from the original who served much earlier). Here he is faced with the locked room murder of a retired general, the disappearance of a beautiful young woman and an impenetrable maze built by a provincial governor in a swamp guarded by various poisonous beasts.
What interests me about these books is the setting in old China and the picture of society and customs. The cases being drawn from real old case books adds an extra element of interest since it isn’t the case of a modern writer simply imagining what things might have been like. For these elements, this is a book I do want to read whenever I can. Based on what I think I’ll see whether to pick up the others, there being quite a few books in the series.
What do you think? Do you enjoy historical murder mysteries? Any favourites you’d recommend?
In case you’re joining in with Shelf Control this week, do share your link so I can add you to the participants’ list in this post
author info from Wikipedia
Literary Potpourri 
I haven’t yet any book with Judge Dee. I see this is book 13 in the series. Book 1 is on my TBR.
BUT I have read a fantastic book, with mysteries et in early 19th century Japan:
The Curious Casebook of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories of Old Edo, by Kidō Okamoto.
Really so so good: https://wordsandpeace.com/2024/04/17/book-reviews-for-the-1937-club/
LikeLike
I haven’t started the Judge Dee books either. May be it does make sense to start at the beginning though I tend to randomly start with the one that appeals most.
The Inspector Hanshichi books sounds really interesting. Thanks for mentioning it. Will look it up!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Intriguing, Mallika. 💕📚
LikeLike
It sounds good, doesn’t it?
LikeLike