When I first read the synopsis of this book on Net Galley, I knew I wanted to read it right away. I am a fan of police procedurals and I couldn't recall every reading one set in China. I have to say, Thief of Souls did not disappoint.

Inspector Lu Fei leads a pretty quiet life in a small town where not much happens. He hangs out at the local bar, a place called the Red Lotus. He enjoys the company of the female bartender and he enjoys having his drink. During one of his relaxing nights at the bar he gets a call that there has been a murder - and a rather gruesome one at that. A young woman's body has been discovered with some of her organs removed. Upon investigation, there is a young man who claims he was the victim's girlfriend but that he didn't murder her. The higher ups decide the man looks good for the murder and arrest him. Lu Fei feels certain they have the wrong man and continues his investigation. When a nearby town has similar murders, Lu Fei knows he's on the right track.

There are several reasons why I liked this book. First, it's impossible not to like Lu Fei. He's laid back and sensible and yet he has an edge about him. He has training in martial arts and isn't afraid to fight back when necessary (and sometimes when he's been provoked as well). He wants to stand up to political corruption and make the people trust in their police force. He's an all around good guy and adds comical touches to the book.

I also liked the story itself. The plot was good and the murder mystery held my attention. I didn't know who was committing the murders and more importantly why until the very end. I liked the logic that was put into the story and how everything tied together.

The final reason I enjoyed this book was the cultural elements that were included. I learned things about the Chinese culture and beliefs that are held by some of its people. In particular, I enjoyed how the chapters start with a quote by Chairman Mao, the founder of the People's Republic of China. The quotes give insight into his beliefs as to how China should be. It's an interesting take on past versus present ideologies. Definitely a great touch to the overall book.

I did feel that the conclusion was a touch hasty. It read a bit like a synopsis of everything that happened in regards to the murders. I also struggled a bit with the names and remembering who each character was (especially in the beginning). Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one in the series!

Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC of this book to honestly review.

⭐⭐⭐.4
This is the first in the Inspector Lu Fei series
Story is based in Raven Valley Township, China, a small quiet community.
Inspector Lu Fei graduated from China’s primer police academy so is a bit surprised that he has been assigned to investigate a murder in the out of the way place! However, this is not an ordinary murder. A young twenty year old woman killed and her organs removed.

I am a big mystery fan and this is a bit different than my usual reads. Author Brian Klingborg goes into a lot of details in informing us of Northern China’s people, culture, modern Chinese society as well as the politics.
Additional we also get to hear from the killer.
Oh! I like the analogy of the nail sticking up ~ it is better to be happy and obscure than famous and miserable. Hmmm

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press ~ Minotuar Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for May 4, 2021

Lu Fei is a policeman in a small village where the crimes aren't serious. But now he's called out on a murder...

Minotaur Books and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on May 4th.

She's a pretty young woman but not only is she dead, it appears that some of her organs were harvested. No one saw anything and the cameras in that part of the city don't work so it's going to be a hard hunt for the killer.

They find some cold cases that indicate there is a serial killer in their village. The only common denominator besides the way they are killed is that they wore red. Earrings, shoes etc.

Then there are troubles within the police ranks. There is corruption, hard feelings by those that were transferred away from better jobs, and just plain friction in the group that has to work together.

Lu Fei thinks he knows who did it but he's having trouble finding proof. Will he find what he needs, or will the killer take care of him, too?

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Storygraph!

This murder mystery is set in modern day China and stars Lu Fen who is a graduate of China's top police college but he's been exiled to a small town in northern China. Crimes are usually small in the town until the body of a young woman is found. She's been strangled, assaulted, and cut open to remove her lungs, liver and heart.

The easiest suspect would be a young man who want to school with her and who has been stalking her but Lu Fen isn't convinced that he's the murderer. As he looks into Yen Fenfang's life he finds other possibilities including the sugar daddy who's been paying for her apartment in Harbin.

Things get even more complicated when it is discovered that Yen Fenfang is not the first woman who was murdered in a similar fashion. Chinese record keeping isn't the most accurate record keeping since failure to solve crimes could lead to serious loss of face.

Lu Fen isn't alone in his investigation. Higher ups from Beijing come to help begin the investigation bringing big city expertise and profiling to the case. However, they head for the next crime and leave Lu Feng to continue his investigation.

I enjoyed the story and the glimpse into modern China. I liked that Lu Fen was determined to do his job to the best of his ability despite efforts of those with more power to divert his actions. I enjoyed the mystery which had a number of twists and turns.

Fans of international mysteries will enjoy Lu Fen's first adventure and be looking forward to more.

I love reading books set in different locales, so when I was offered an opportunity to review Thief of Souls, I found myself quite interested. Not only did it have a pretty cool title, but it was a murder mystery set in China, centering on a rural town cop and his determination to solve it. I have a bit of perspective on how crime is handled by law enforcement in America, but it would be very interesting to read how law enforcement handles these things in China. I couldn’t wait to read this book, and once I got started, I couldn’t put it down.
Thief of Souls centers around Inspector Lu Fei, once a cop in the big city of Harbin and now an Inspector in Raven Valley, a small backwater village where nothing big ever happens. That is, until now – Lu Fei has been called to the crime scene of a murder. At first look, the murder appears to be a routine strangulation coupled with a possible rape. But as CID soon discovers, there is nothing ordinary about this murder.
Very similar to America’s CSI, CID collects evidence and runs an autopsy. They soon discover that the murder at hand was ritualistic – her organs were removed and joss paper has been stuffed in her mouth to clear her passage to the other world. Their first suspect is a local butcher, but though the man was infatuated with this victim, Lu doesn’t feel he is intelligent to have committed this crime. That coupled with the fact that his young victim seemed to be living well beyond her means in the city of Harbin (she was only in Raven Village to observe the passing of her mother), leaves Lu wondering if money may not have more to do with this murder.
Though he feels stymied at every turn, Lu keeps digging until he discovers that his victim is not the only one to have been killed in this ritualistic fashion. The closer Lu gets to finding this serial killer, the closer to danger he finds himself…and this mysterious killer is closer to Lu Fei than he can imagine!
As soon as I began reading Thief of Souls, I found myself firmly entrenched in Brian Klingborg’s descriptive and captivating writing. Lu Fei is one of those characters that you can’t help but enjoy – he’s flawed, but the flaws make him human; he cares deeply for those he feels worthy, but can’t seem to express his feelings, a relatable trait for many; and he is a bit of a rebel, something we all seem to love when reading crime stories. The murder itself is quite intriguing as it gives the reader insight into the customs of The People’s Republic of China, as well as insight into how investigations and arrests are conducted in that country.
There wasn’t an incredible amount of action – this was more of a cerebral experience than a car chasing, explosion of an action drama – but the action that was there added to the intensity of the novel. There was an edge-of-your-seat intensity to this book. The reader becomes so invested that they can’t put the book down until they know who the murderer is. Once the murderer is revealed, it is actually quite the plot twist. I truly enjoyed this read and I hope that Brian Klingborg decides to continue writing more Lu Fei mysteries. This is one character that I would love to see again!

On the most basic level this is a good police procedural. The hook being that it takes place in modern day China. This does add interest, and is even painlessly educational, but it isn't exotic. The characters may live under a different political and social system, but they aren't different from other nationalities as people. Inspector Lu Fei and Harry Bosch could have a few beers together and find much in common - workplace politics, investigative drudgery, humor and unexpected excitement. Brian Klingborg has done a fine job of creating a wide range of believable characters and well executed plot. I hope to read more of his work.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg is a solid by-the-numbers mystery set in modern China. When I first saw the cover, I thought this would be set in ancient China like Detective Dee, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it's set in modern China. References to Taobao, cellphones, and gay bars abound. The story revolves around Detective Lu, who is investigating the murder of a beautiful Chinese woman. The investigation takes him all around Harbin, China from dirty apartments straight to the offices of politicians.

As a Chinese-American myself, I was eager to see if the China depicted by Klingborg is familiar to me. I'm happy to say that everything I read was accurate to the best of my knowledge. Klingborg must have done extensive research into Chinese culture, philosophy, and the state of modern society. I felt his depiction of China was true-to-life and respectful, not stereotypical.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning of the book that demonstrates Klingborg's understanding of China:

"Sadly, after a thousand-plus years of corruption, abuse, and incompetence, it average Chinese citizen regards the institution of law enforcement as equivalent to a pit of quicksand. A hazard that is largely avoidable - but if you're careless enough to step in it, you're probably screwed."

Although I enjoyed that aspect of the book, I found the actual mystery and investigation to be standard and sometimes boring. In addition, the way that book was constantly quoting Chairman Mao and ancient Chinese philosophers came off as cheesy and reminded me of another fictional Chinese detective, Charlie Chan, which is not a compliment. Here is an example of Lu's plentiful wise sayings:

"While your parents are alive, comply with the rites in serving them... When they die, comply with the rites in burying them."

Overall, this book is a solid read for readers looking for a mystery and who are interested in contemporary China. If that premise sounds intriguing to you, check out this book when it comes out in May.

Thief of Souls by Brian Klingborg
This was an essay on modern Chinese society with a side order of mystery. Brother Lu is a Chinese detective in a small, rural Chinese community. A local girl is murdered and an obvious suspect is arrested. The story indicates that the path of least resistance is often taken by Chinese police. Lu is not willing to assume the obvious suspect is guilty.
The descriptions of modern Chinese society were as interesting as the plot. Things like rice paper windows in the dead of winter or the ubiquitous nature of cigarette smoking were intriguing. The interplay between characters was also eye-opening and would often have ended in litigation in this country. The plot was intricate and not overly solvable until near the end.
I enjoyed the story.

It took me a little bit to get into the book, but once I got into it I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed the details the author used to bring the story to life. I was a little let down by the ending of the story but you did get closer in a way. I wasn't a fan of all the quotes in the book, for me I felt there were too many.

I enjoyed this one. I’m hoping that it will be a series as the main detective is well drawn and it will be interesting to follow his career.

I started off really liking this book, but I soon grew disappointed in the character development. Although the procedural parts kept my interest, the characters just kind of fell flat for me. When I figured out the mystery 2/3 of the way into the book, I started to skim to finish the book. Overall, though, I liked learning about Chinese culture and government, so I'd be willing to give the next book in the series a try.

#ThiefofSouls#NetGalley
Reviewed by: Librarian
The inspector in a small northern Chinese province is faced with solving the macabre murder of an attractive young woman whose mulitated body is found, organs removed, and the body restitched. The trappings of a formal ritualistic funeral are left at the scene. With few clues, and little help from the corrupt Chinese police hierarchy, solving the murder appears impossible.
The book is well written. The book also shows the complicated conditions of new China as the ancient country wrestles with its emerging modernity. The book is well written. The author held my interest from page one. A fascinating read.
Thank you Net galley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Klingborg's Thief of Souls is an impressive detective novel set in modern day China. Besides the setting in a small provincial town the size of a hamlet where ordinarily the most serious crime is the theft of chickens, in Thief of Souls Klingborg develops the plot of catching a serial killer masquerading as a lone murder unconnected with several others in the larger town of Harbin. Klingborg does an excellent job in integrating ancient Chinese philosophy, customs, traditions, norms and vocabulary with the plot avoiding the dreaded background information dump usually given by characters on extended soliloquies or paragraph due to Klingborg's excellent writing and ability to keep the plot moving keeping the narrative from stalling out in the middle.

Two things this reader would have liked to have seen was more development of Lu Fei (the main detective)'s character in terms of what has led him to his working in the village. Klingborg goes into somewhat but stops right when it gets interesting and why he lives alone and is unmarried. Lu Fei is looking for love (potentially in all the wrong places). Why hasn't he found it until now? Is it because he's too finicky or is he married to his job? Second, the brief glimpses of the mental impressions of the serial killer inserted into the beginning and middle parts of the narrative almost seemed like an afterthought,. The majority of the development of the serial killer is in the end of the narrative. Merging the two parts into one and spreading it more evenly throughout the narrative might have kept the glimpses from seeming like an afterthought.

Still, Thief of Souls was a good ride. This reader looks forward to more in the series.

Review is also posted on Goodreads and will be posted on Amazon when published.

This book is not what I would normally choose to read — I tend to prefer my mysteries to be historical or British or cozy (or all three). And to be perfectly honest, I obviously didn’t read the description very thoroughly, because I thought this would be more of a historical fiction, for some reason. Instead, it is a contemporary mystery set in modern-day Communist China, and even though it’s not my normal cup of tea, I found it to be a very interesting read.

Not only did I find myself wrapped up in the murder mystery that is central to the plot, but I also learned quite a bit about China. I was very intrigued by the melding and intertwining of all of the belief systems, in the political, the religious, and the personal realms. I don’t know enough about China to know how accurate the research was, but the author’s perspective was pretty fascinating. It made me want to read more books set in China and learn more about that huge nation across the ocean from us.

The writing was fairly good, with only a few instances where situations seemed to tip a little into the realm of the unbelievable. The biggest downside for me, however, was that I figured it all out long before Inspector Lu Fei did. But the author still managed to keep my attention, while I waited for Lu to finally figure it out.

I would recommend this story to mystery fans. There is plenty of action and it gives an interesting look at Chinese police procedures. And I’d probably read another Inspector Lu Fei mystery in the future. So, I’d give it 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the digital copy of this book for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I don't think I was the target audience for this book. I loved the cover and I enjoyed the writing and the setting (China) and seeing how things work there vs USA, but something was lacking for me.

I couldn't really pinpoint what it was. It wasn't the characters as I liked Lu Fei, and the story was enough to keep me somewhat engaged, but it fell flat for me about half way through. I don't really think it was the authors's fault that I didn't completely love the book. I think it was just a story I couldn't connect with which sadly does happen at time.

Thank you again for the opportunity to read the ARC.

"In Brian Klingborg's Thief of Souls, the brutal murder of a young woman in a rural village in Northern China sends shockwaves all the way to Beijing - but seemingly only Inspector Lu Fei, living in exile in the small town, is interested in justice for the victim.

Lu Fei is a graduate of China’s top police college but he’s been assigned to a sleepy backwater town in northern China, where almost nothing happens and the theft of a few chickens represents a major crime wave. That is until a young woman is found dead, her organs removed, and joss paper stuffed in her mouth. The CID in Beijing - headed by a rising political star - is on the case but in an increasingly authoritarian China, prosperity and political stability are far more important than solving the murder of an insignificant village girl. As such, the CID head is interested in pinning the crime on the first available suspect rather than wading into uncomfortable truths, leaving Lu Fei on his own.

As Lu digs deeper into the gruesome murder, he finds himself facing old enemies and creating new ones in the form of local Communist Party bosses and corrupt business interests. Despite these rising obstacles, Lu remains determined to find the real killer, especially after he links the murder to other unsolved homicides. But the closer he gets to the heart of the mystery, the more he puts himself and his loved ones in danger."

A new take on classic mystery tropes. Also a cover to die for.

Thief of Souls
March 19, 2021
Book Review

Thief of Souls
Brian Klingborg
reviewed by Lou Jacobs



readersremains.com | Goodreads


An immersive police procedural involving a serial killer, with a healthy dose of humor, history, philosophy, and an unbridled rich characterization. The setting is contemporary Communist China, in which ethical Inspector Lu Fei faces the challenge of seeking justice in a complex and corrupt society.

Inspector Lu Fei is a graduate of China’s top police university, yet finds himself entrenched in a small backwater provincial town of Raven Valley Township, where major crime is a rarity. This “promotion” position is a result of an unfortunate confrontation with his corrupt boss of the Harbin City Police Department, when Inspector Lu Fei, executing an unscheduled raid, found his boss engaged in the service of an underage prostitute.

Lu Fei is enjoying a cup of Shaoxing wine at his neighborhood bar, The Red Lotus, when his cell phone rings. This breaks him from the reverie of admiration and desire for the beautiful owner, Yanyan (a harbinger of future conflict), summoned to a murder scene. There, a young woman, Yang Fenfag, was found brutally murdered in her bathroom by a neighbor, who came over to complain about the incessant barking of her dog.

Inspector Lu is confronted by a corpse with ligature marks on the wrists and welts around the neck, dressed in yellow silk button-up dress and made-up with powder on the cheeks, lipstick, and eyeshadow, looking like a porcelain doll with her cold, dead eyes staring upward. His search of the house is fruitless, without obvious signs of struggle; no blood, no mess. He enlists the aid of the forensic team from the CID in Beijing which consists of Deputy Director Song, a rising political star in the complex authoritarian hierarchy of the Chinese police department, along with two crime technicians and the inimitable Dr. Ma, the medical examiner. A unique and richly developed character, Dr Ma Xiulan is one of only a few woman to achieve a high position in the forensic field. Author of a controversial book that criticizes the current state of forensics in China, her work maintains that it is slipshod and subject to political tampering. Her book jacket contains a photo of her in full make-up and a low-cut blouse, offering a significant amount of cleavage.

With the aid of Song and Dr. Ma, it is revealed the victim has been bludgeoned by a hammer, violated, and has had her heart, lungs, and liver harvested. And, stuffed into her mouth is a single pledget of joss paper, also known as spirit money or Hell money. According to Chinese folk religion, in the afterlife the soul requires money to buy needed essentials. After a loved one dies, relatives and friends make these paper offerings in a show of love and devotion, something like making a deposit in a spectral Venmo account. These notes are signed in front by the Jade Emperor and in back by Yan Wang, the god of death and ruler of the netherworld. Lu Fei opines that the heart, liver, and lungs are imbued with some aspects of the soul or spirit. Perhaps by removing them, the killer is trying to “steal her soul.”

In the early stage of investigation, a shadow is cast upon an old high school boyfriend of Fenfag. A simple, not too bright male, Zhang was noted to follow her around in high school like a lost little puppy. Although there is no known history of violence, he is physically imposing, socially awkward, and is employed in a position where he butchers pigs at a processing plant. Lu Fei is pressured by the local government bureaucracy to arrest and charge him for the murder. He will not be rushed and methodically pursues for a full investigation. He is a true rarity, as the average Chinese citizen has been exposed to hundreds of years of corruption, abuse, and incompetency in their police force. Some, referring to the character of Inspector Lu, indicate he is as rare as a Qilin, the Chinese unicorn.

In Thief of Souls, Brian Klingborg provides a masterful and immersive narrative creating a riveting twisted string of reveals that propels this page turner onward. Most chapters begin with a quote from Chairman Mao Zedong, espousing socialist dogma and virtues that will be deconstructed in the chapter, while providing further insights into the realities of modern China. Several chapters involve the inner thoughts of the unidentified killer, slowly revealing his motivations.

The resourceful and ethical Lu Fei will not be deterred in his investigation to bring forth justice. He forms an unlikely friendship and alliance with Deputy Director Song that proves mutually beneficial. This novel will appeal to fans of beloved Detective Bernie Gunther from the pen of Philip Kerr and Deon Meyer’s equally enjoyed Detective Benny Griessel. Klingborn’s knowledge of East Asian Studies and his experience with living and working in Asia are on full display in this fascinating tale.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press (Minatour Books) for supplying an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review.

Available on Amazon

many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

I love finding a mystery that takes me to somewhere different. I think this is the first time I’ve had one take me to modern day China. Klingborg does a fabulous job of giving us a detailed sense of time and place and walking us through the differences between Western and Chinese cultures, including policing practices. I love books when I feel I learn something. Usually, that’s limited to historical fiction but this book definitely fits the bill.
Inspector Lu Fei is the deputy police chief in a sleepy backwater town in Northern China. Murder never happens there… until it does. The CID from Beijing is called in to conduct the investigation, but Lu is still involved. I loved Lu’s sense of humor, his admiration of Confusius and his dislike of playing politics to get ahead. Like many police procedurals, he is just one member of a team that we get to know. It was interesting to see how they did (or didn’t ) work together.
This is also a good mystery. I had my suspicions about the murderer and I was right. But it didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story. I can only hope this is the beginning of a new series.
My thanks to netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.