Jade Dragon Mountain by Elsa Hart
Li Du was a librarian at the
Imperial Library in the Forbidden City until he was exiled. After wandering for a few years he arrives at
the small city of Dayan on the Tibetan border.
Unbeknownst to him the Emperor will be in Dayan in days to celebrate the
eclipse. Li Du reports in with the local
magistrate, protocol for exiles, and plans on leaving the next day. That night after a storytelling session, one
of the guests, a Jesuit priest is dies.
Li Du checks the dead man’s room and suspects foul play. The magistrate, who happens to be Li Du’s
cousin, doesn’t want to believe that it was murder but allows Li Du to
investigate. Will he find the killer
before the Emperor arrives? Or will Li
Du suffer further disgrace at the hands of the Emperor?
I knew next to nothing about China
in the 1780s, especially the southwestern border regions. This book really brings the time and place to
life. Li Du is the perfect reluctant
tour guide, familiar with most of the customs, but still removed from the
workings of the place and current politics.
Mystery lovers will enjoy the
plotting and historical fiction lovers will enjoy the detail and atmosphere.
