Mystery/thriller is my favorite genre but I'd never read one set in China with Chinese characters. Guess what? It didn't make a difference. The crime was deadly, the police split between those working to catch the killer and those just trying to look good for their supervisors nd a killer determined not to get caught. All the elements readers find no matter where the book is set. The differences in some of the inetractions and some of the laws just made it a little easier for Brian Klingborg to surprise me at the reveal.

Interesting setting for a police procedural. Characters are generally unlikeable and came off as egotistical and obnoxious. The main character has some redeeming qualities but I would like to have seen more development of him as my first impression of being a sloppy lonely lush sort of stuck. Good explanations were given of the Chinese words that were used. Not really one I particularly liked. I was provided an advanced reader copy and was under no obligation to write a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thief of Souls is the first book in the Inspector Lu mysteries. It is set in modern day China, and the author has sprinkled Chinese words and phrases (with translation) throughout the book. That doesn't bother me too much, but the quotes from Mao that head every chapter do. They don't add anything to the story and detract from it a lot. Politics aside, the story is well written, and the characters believable. Police procedurals are not my thing, and I prefer cozy to hard boiled, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed following Lu around and cheering him on. Thanks to Netgalley and/or the publisher for giving me this title in exchange for an honest review.

A really unique mystery novel. Lu was a very compelling character and placing the setting in modern China felt very unique. The mystery could have been more developed, but still one of the most solid mysteries I have read. I will absolutely recommend this to my students!

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC!

A fun little murder mystery with a interesting perspective, as it takes place in China. While a bit preditable, it's cultural inspiration was nice to read.

A murder mystery set in modern-day China, in a small farming village in the northern Heilongjiang province. When pretty, young Yang Fenfang, who left the village to work in the big city, is found brutally murdered in her childhood home, police inspector Lu Fei is called on to solve the case, despite more often dealing with lost chickens and speeding tickets than homicide.

The plot and characters are extremely, extremely cliched. There's a psychotic serial killer focused on attacking beautiful young woman in supremely gory ways. The detective is an alcoholic, secretly romantic despite being single, given to quoting philosophers and poets that none of his colleagues recognize or appreciate, though of course he's also a martial arts expert who can take on multiple opponents without receiving a scratch. There's the tension between investigators from a national agency and the local cops. There's pushy journalists who just want to make Lu Fei look bad. The killer is unusually easy to guess: he's literally the only male character that isn't either a) a police officer or b) introduced as a suspect – and the people who start out as suspects are never the ones who actually did the deed.

But all that's fine, because I didn't want to read Thief of Souls for its plot. I was intrigued by its setting – I can't think of another book set in modern small town China. I can think of some in rural historical China, and some in modern-day Beijing or Shanghai, but none here. I love reading books set in places that I know nothing about, and mystery novels in particular are so good at exploring settings; the genre literally requires the main character to go around asking questions, drawing connections, looking for cultural problems and solutions. Would I have preferred a book written by an actual Chinese person? Of course, but I can only read what's available.

So how does Thief of Souls do at depicting its setting? It does...an adequate job. It's not terrible, but it's definitely not great. It's extrememly obviously written with an eye towards an American (or at least Western) audience, continuously stopping to explain every agency, belief, saying, or practice. On the other hand... well, I am an ignorant American. If Klingborg hadn't explained them, I wouldn't know what CIB stands for or its relationship to the PSB, or the "three no's" of homosexuality, or how much the average funeral costs, or on and on. I suppose I just wish the information could have been integrated in a less 'as you know, Bob' sort of way.

Also, there was this line, which almost made me give up a mere 18 pages in:
Lu doesn't bother to knock. In the People's Republic, private property remains a loosely interpreted concept.

Not that I want to defend the current government of China! But, ugh, how annoyingly facile.

For all my complaints, I probably will read the sequel (Thief of Souls is intended to be the first in a series), just because that setting is so unique. I will forgive a lot for a good setting.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4481689501

A big thank you to the author Brian Klingborg, the publisher, and NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

This is a typical murder/mystery story of a detective sent to solve a murder. Except, that it takes place in modern day China. It was a fascinating story of the challenges faced by the detective who is trying to navigate ingrained cultural norms, modern cultural attitudes, politics, intrigue and the every day life in a small town in China. I clued on to the murderer fairly quickly, but still enjoyed the tale of cultural China.

The book was well written and I look forward to reading more from the author.

Lu Fei graduates at the top of his class at the police academy and if then sent to a small town. Regardless, he wants to do his job and do it well - even if nothing much happens. Everything changes when a woman is found murdered, her organs removed and well preserved due to the cold temperatures in the region.

I haven't read many books based in China, but while reading you can tell Brian Klingborg did his research and is portraying it as authentically as he can. We learn about the culture and specific policing politics as we are immersed in the mystery. Throughout the novel, we are given small doses of the killer's internal monologue, but without knowing who they are. Twists, unknowns, and drama fills the pages of this novel creating suspense until the end.

Thief of Souls is a great beginning to the Lu Fei series and I am excited to see what comes next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review,

What an interesting book with one of the coolest premises. I thought the ending was very predictable but I still thought it was fun. I personally won’t be continuing the series.

Inspector Lu Fei, a graduate of an elite police academy, runs afoul of his boss in the big city and ends up being posted to a small town. In this normally crime-free area, a woman is found murdered and mutilated in a particularly grotesque way. The higher-ups in the police force quickly try to pin the blame on the nearest convenient suspect and call it a day, but Inspector Lu doubts that this dimwitted kid could have really pulled off the crime. Thus begins an investigation in which Lu goes after the killer with little in the way of support from his own colleagues, most of whom range from closed-minded to lazy to outright hostile. Amid the police procedural aspects of the story, there is ample detail about Chinese culture—and Chinese bureaucracy. Some of this information, however necessary, is conveyed slightly awkwardly; occasionally one character explains something to another that probably would not have needed an explanation to anyone except the reader. A couple of funny references to the Chinese names of American celebrities do lighten the mood. Towards the end, as the danger builds and the pace increases, the explanatory asides are less distracting. Inspector Lu--with his martial arts skills, conflicts with coworkers, connections in the city, and small-town love interest--clearly has the makings of an excellent series character. I hope we see him again soon.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital advance review copy.

TThe killer is obvious, but never mind, the story is fun anyway. Brian Klingborg's Inspector Lu Fei is a new addition to the bookshelves of those of us with affection for books set in China. Here Lu Fei, despite having been banished to the countryside for being too clever for his superiors in the city, still manages to get involved in an unusual murder that he solves using his wits.

The Thief Of Souls is an engaging mystery that will particularly interest those who are interested in Chinese culture. The story takes place in modern China and provides insight not only into how the Chinese police go about investigating crime - in this case, a serial killer - but also Chinese philosophy, politics and mindset. The characters are interesting, the writing is good, the plot is well developed. If you're looking for a mystery that offers more than the run-of-the-mill story, give Thief of Souls a try!

A very gruesome murder, among several, that Inspector Lu Fei has to solve. The crimes seem to be related to traditional beliefs in the ghost world and the afterlife. An unusual take on spiritual belief and crime.

Full disclosure: I was given this ARC from St. Martin's Press and netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you for this opportunity

This is the real deal. Klingborg has a B. A. and a Masters in East Asian Studies. He has lived in Asia. Upon returning to the United States, he continued researching Chinese culture, history and language.

Klingborg chose a rural setting located near the city of Harbin. Harbin is not as well know in the west. It deserves to as it shares a long historical connection with the Jewish diaspora and was a base for the Russian Trans Siberian Railroad. The choice of the rural outpost as the location for the base for the main action also allows a view into little known parts of the Chinese nation.

Having also had the experience of living in the Far East, I found Klingborg's description of actions and characters to be true to life. For example, here the narrator reflects on the citizen's view of the police: " they regard the police force like quicksand; a hazard to avoid but if you are careless enough to step in it you are probably screwed. " The tired cynicism voiced by the lead character, Inspector Lu Fei, carries the book as the mystery takes him from the peasant village all the way to Beijing. While I have spoken of the truth of the narrative voice, the author does also season the story line with exaggerations from time to time, either to heighten suspense, or too provide comedic relief.

Lu Fei is quite the character. In a recent online interview (aunt Agatha 30April21) he shares he has a lot of ideas left for him. I hope so. Like Judge Dee, Lu Fei should have a long life.

Very highly recommended

Loved the setting - has all of the old-school mystery elements - appealing, strong minded, out of luck, with great backstory detective. Loved that it takes place amid the political background of communist China. Love to see this as a series. Great addition to a mystery shelf.

A mystery set in a small, backwater village in China. A murder of a young, beautiful woman sets the townspeople on edge. The murder is especially brutal and Inspector Lu Fei must solve the crime and bring the murderer to justice. With no clues to help with the investigation, Inspector Lu begins his task.

This book was intriguing with its location and cultural history included in the tale. China has always held my interest, especially its culture which seems antithetical to its current behaviors. Walking with Inspector Lu, as he examines the scene of the crime, the nature of it and the possible suspects, we are given an insight into China in the present century.

The inspector and his group of police officers are on the hunt. How they work together amidst hostile village inhabitants is the stuff of real police work. Fearful villagers refuse to help, nuisance calls, minor crimes and accidents are all part of the ordinary life of a police officer. But brutal murders must be solved as quickly as possible. Using his team of inspectors, his deductive powers, his persistence, and his instinct for weaving information into a complete picture, Lu is on the trail. I great story with great characters and a satisfying conclusion this is one to be remembered. I am a new fan of Brian Klingborg.

I really enjoyed this one. The setting itself (modern-day China, which I'm trying to read more about) and it being a crime thriller was enough to pull me in but I stayed for the quick-paced clever plot and the fantastic main character.

Lu Fei is a great protagonist. He's witty, down to earth, and intelligent. He tries his best but it doesn't always work out. He has plenty of flaws. All around, he's human and that's what I like to see in a character. For a crime thriller, the whodunit aspect was well-thought and the pacing was good throughout.

The ending was satisfying too, perfectly fit the length of the story and wrapped up what it needed to. I find myself wanting more from Lu Fei which is exactly where I should be as a reader. Overall, I'd absolutely recommend this one!

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Inspector Lu Fei has been exiled to a small sleepy town in rural China, investigating animal thefts after graduating from a top police college. After a young girl is murdered with all her organs removed and rituals performed by the killer, top police brass are brought in and Lu discovers it may in fact be a serial killer.

I enjoyed this book because I learned about Chinese customs, culture and life in China. A great story, with unexpected turns and suspense, I’d recommend Thief of Souls for mystery and crime procedural fans.

I was invited to read this mystery, and my thanks go to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the review copy. I am always looking for something a bit different, and this sounded like it would be. And it is, but it’s not.
Here’s what I mean. A woman has been murdered in a particularly ugly, grisly manner. A hot shot cop who’s been buried in a backwater where nothing ever happens gets the case. Because he is clever and ambitious, he digs more than most cops might, and voila! Turns out this could be the work of a serial killer! But there are higher-ups in the force that would rather have a quick solve than an accurate one. Obstacles! And next thing you know, the cop is in danger too.

Yawn.

Okay. Now, take this same tired thread and drop it in China. With resonant characters, compelling use of setting, and some word smithery, it might come alive, and in the hands of a master storyteller, we might not even notice that the story’s bones are nothing new. Instead, I came away disaffected and mildly depressed. I quit at the sixty percent mark and didn’t even go back to look at the ending, which for me is unheard of, particularly in this genre.

I am no fan of the Chinese government, but the steady flow of negativity wore me down, not to mention the lack of strong character development. We know right away that Lu is a rebel, and as the story progresses, we also know that Lu is a rebel. At the start, we sense that the government, both local and national, is corrupt; as we near the climax, we also know that the government is corrupt.

What, in this story, is worth saving?

I thought it would be fun to see how an investigation works in China, and what sort of rights—or lack thereof—form the contours of the legal system. I came away sensing that the author doesn’t know all that much, either. There’s no Bill of Rights there, surely, but I knew that much going in.

I don’t have to have lovable characters to enjoy a mystery, but there does, at least, have to be someone interesting. Give me a complex, well-developed villain, for example, and I’m a happy camper. But there’s none, and I’m not.

So there you have it. Thief of Souls is one more sad case of an intriguing book cover and title promising more than it can deliver. If you want this book now, it’s for sale, but I would advise you to get it cheap or free unless you have a big stack of money sitting around that you were thinking of burning in the backyard. Otherwise, maybe not.

This was a really good police procedural. We follow Inspector Lu Fei as he investigates the gruesome murder of a local woman. The book is balanced nicely between the investigation and Lu's personal life. The setting (China) added an interesting perspective and gave what could have been a typical police procedure a refreshing twist. I enjoyed Lu's character and look forward to further novels in this series.