Nothing too exciting happens in the quiet town of Raven Valley Township in northern China, which doesn’t bother Inspector Lu Fei much. He prefers it, in fact, to his previous job in the much larger city of Harbin, where he did not get along with his superior officer. Suddenly, Lu finds himself jolted into action when a young woman’s body is found dead and left in a bizarre condition. What kind of killer is responsible for this? Is he a sexual sadist? A religious fanatic? Perhaps both?

Thief of Souls is Brian Klingborg’s first novel is what appears to be a series featuring Lu Fei. Our protagonist is an interesting character. He is in his late 30s, is single, and he is a graduate of a top police academy in China. He has also trained in Michigan. He seldom dates, but he spends a lot of time at the Red Lotus Bar drinking alone and hoping to engage the owner, Luo Yanyan in conversation. As a detective, Lu has good instincts, and he often does not hesitate to question higher-ranking officials, especially when it is his case. What surprised me was his flair for martial arts. Despite what seems to be his outwardly calm demeanor, Lu Fei can fight when he has to. And he doesn’t take any nonsense from his men, either.

As a police procedural, Klingborg’s plot moves along fairly well. The writing often struck me as dull, dry, and at times, didactic. Each chapter begins with a quote from Chairman Mao, and also we get plenty of information about Chinese politics and culture. There were spots of humor, though. I especially liked the nicknames, like Lu’s nickname for Chu – Yuehan Weien – after the American actor John Wayne! Some of the conversations seem stilted; perhaps that’s normal in China, but I found it made for lackluster reading.

There is a second Lu Fei novel coming out later this year. Some may be looking forward to it; while I found Thief of Souls entertaining at times, I will take a pass the second time around.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher of St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars

The author manages to transport the reader to another country, that most of us are unfamiliar with, and make us feel comfortable. There we are able to follow Inspector Fei
through a difficult murder investigation from beginning to end. The investigation is fraught with both local and national politics, personal bias, and fear of law enforcement agencies. Inspector Fei skillfully navigates this morass and, through diligent police work, successfully resolves the murder in spite of these problems. Additionally, two others connected, but unsolved, in a nearby metropolitan area are solved. The story progresses in a realistic and logical manner.

I have rated this book 4.5 stars. If you enjoy a good murder mystery you will not want to miss this one.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my unbiased review.

Lu Fei was a top cop until he was “exiled” to a rural village in Northern China. A quiet and sleepy town with little illegal activity. Until a young girl is murdered and eviscerated before joss paper was stuffed into her mouth. Lu and his crew, a cast of fun and fascinating characters, attempt to solve the gruesome killing. But is she the only victim? Lu thinks not, a position that puts him at odds with the CID and the powerful and unforgiving Beijing government and Communist Party. A great premise, a twisted plot, and a group of well-drawn characters drive this story to an explosive climax. A fun read. Highly recommended.

DP Lyle, award-winning author of the Jake Longly and Cain/Harper thriller series

This is new author for me. Thank you Net Galley for an advance copy for an honest review.
This is about a murder in northern China Lu Fei is the police stationed in the area - he goes about finding the killer despite The political pressure. I did get a little lost but I liked the way it was written. I thought the story was good.

If you like mysteries set in China get this book and try it.

This was an interesting police procedural set in the current day northeast Chinese province of Heilongjiang. It's winter and the wind bites through to one's soul in this sleepy backwater town of Raven Valley Township. University educated, Detective Inspector Lu Fei is called on scene to a gruesome murder where a young woman has been brutally and sexually violated and her organs removed. For a quick and tidy conviction, her old high school boyfriend is accused and jailed for the murder regardless of Lu Fei's belief in his innocence. Lu fights the heavy-handed bureaucracy every inch of the way toward finding who the actual perpetrator is. Will Lu be able to spare this young man from the horror's of incarceration and ultimate death? Only time will tell.

Author Brian Klingborg, through his extensive research, has created a story richly atmospheric, thrilling and quite engaging. In Lu Fei, he has created a noble, duty-bound, Confucian and most poetic protagonist. He also educates the readers in China's ethos, political climate, culture and spiritual traditions. But this is by no means a textbook. It is gritty and at times most graphic in its portrayal of horror. Yet there are also moments of tenderness, thoughtfulness and even humor. Although, a bit too gritty and graphic for this reader, the story is certainly well written, informative and entertaining.

Triggers: graphic violence, homosexuality and coarse language.

I am grateful to author Brian Klingborg and Minotaur Books for having provided a complimentary uncorrected proof of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

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. And this is start of what I hope will be a series involving Lu Fei. This is such an unusual storyline and I found the location and use of Chinese phrases fascinating. This is not your typical murder mystery and I was glad....this was different and really enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

"Thief of Souls" was an enjoyable murder mystery. The book is set in a small town in China, which makes it different from the murder mysteries I usually read, with their US or western European settings. Inspector Lu Fei's night off is interrupted by a call from one of the constables at the local Public Security Bureau station informing him that there has been a murder. The case becomes even stranger when the medical examiner, who has flown in from Beijing, reveals that the deceased had already been autopsied and that she was missing her heart, lungs, and liver. The initial suspect is a young man who is not very bright, but who was infatuated with the victim (Yang Fenfang), claiming she was his girlfriend, and who worked at a factory butchering pigs. Inspector Lu does not believe the suspect (Zhang) is guilty, but political pressure and legal policies keep Zhang in custody. The investigation leads to the city of Harbin, where Fenfang had been living and working, and where Inspector Lu used to work (with a former boss who is none to pleased to see Lu back in town), but also involves investigations into stolen property, possible organ theft, a possible serial killer, illegal social behavior, and corruption.

One thing I particularly appreciated about the book was that the author utilized Chinese words and phrases at times and provided translations. The use of the Chinese words and phrases, such as paichusuo (Public Security Bureau station), hukou (mandatory household registration system), or ta ma de ("Oh shit"), lent the story an air of authenticity and local flavor. The author also explained the criminal justice system in China with comparison to the US, indicating the analogous roles/functions, and he discussed Chinese political practices, belief systems, and history to help explain the beliefs and behaviors of certain characters and how this affected the way the investigation was conducted and how the characters interacted with each other. The plot was creative and well-paced. The author includes a variety of detail about the various characters, making the reader feel invested in the characters. There are multiple avenues of the investigation that lead to the discovery of other crimes or questionable behavior unconnected to the murder itself.

It appears that "Thief of Souls" is intended to be the first book in a series featuring Inspector Lu. I hope that is true, because I would be interested in reading more about Inspector Lu and his colleagues.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

This is a different type who done it and I enjoyed the whole experience. The distinctive difference in cultures is evident throughout, although much is the same as the “west”. Here we have a serial killer with a twist. The oriental view of the police and life in general is entertaining and intense. Enjoy this puzzle.

It may be that I just spent a couple of weeks in China in January 2020, and so I could somewhat relate to the culture and scene of this book, but I did enjoy it and recommended it to friends and family. I loved the characters, Lu and Yanyan, and Sgt. Bing, especially. I did figure out the serial killer way early in the story almost at the moment he was introduced, but other than that, it was a good story. I was truly hoping I was wrong, but alas, no. But if he writes this as a first in a series, I probably will read the next!

What an unusual mystery! At least to me, it was. It takes place in a small town in northern China and each chapter begins with a quotation from Chairman Mao. A brutal murder opens the story, something unheard of in this little town. The tentacles spread to a neighboring city. Inspector Lu has burned his bridges there but was this his fault? He turns up more murders. How are they connected? Are they connected?

Innocent suspects and stubborn superiors lead to injuries and death. Inspector Lu doggedly continues.

Finally, by thorough police work and a few white lies to those who need to hear them, Lu finds a viable suspect. How can he prove it? Another person will die before he does.

This story was novel to me for its location and the numerous Chinese philosophical and political quotations. I enjoyed the book very much and hope Inspector Lu will be featured in a series.

As someone who reads to expand their cultural or historical understanding, this book did just that for me. It dropped me in contemporary China and introduced me to political and social norms.

I loved the police protagonist created by Brian Klingborg. He was imperfect and intriguing . . . quoting poetry and philosophy one minute and violently fighting the next. He was both a romantic and a survivor. A loner and an iconoclast. The style of the police procedural took awhile for me to warm up to, but the main character was so strong he drew me in completely.

It was an interesting book, and an entertaining read. NetGalley provided me a complimentary copy in exchange for a candid review.

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the complimentary edition of Thief of Souls in exchange for my honest review. A police procedural that takes place in China. I loved Inspector Lu Fei and the cast of characters, the great plot and especially immersion into the Chinese culture, law enforcement and government. I found myself thinking and talking about the book and intrigued at this inside look at Communism. As Inspector Lu works to solve the case, he is sidelined by the ingrained corruption of the police departments, a woman and his own motivation to solve the crime. I gave this book 5 strong stars and will hope for the continuation of this series.

Lu Fei Reminds Me Of Columbo, He Doesn’t Stop Until He Gets His Man

Lu Fei Is an honest, hard-working police inspector in Communist China. Political decisions find him in a small, sleepy city in northern China where not much ever happens, until one day a woman is murdered. Her body is found under strange circumstances, on the floor in her bathroom, all clean, dressed in evening clothes, and wearing makeup. Strange, indeed, since some of her body organs have been removed and her chest sewn back up. Inspector Lu Fei questions the lead suspect, Zhang Zhaoxing, who is detained for further investigation, but Lu isn’t convinced he’s guilty. Politicians want the case settled fast, so Lu must quickly follow any clues if he is to save Zhang’s life.

The story is filled with examples of China’s police procedures and political considerations which must be accommodated. The idea of suspect’s rights and how investigations are conducted are much different in China than those of the United States. Suspects are guilty until proven innocent, witnesses and secondary contacts must answer any and all questions presented to them. Intimidation and pressure are common and expected. Politicians are feared and, apparently, often corrupt. I found the culture lesson fascinating.

Thief of Souls is an excellent murder mystery. The slow pace and cultural asides might turn off some aficionados of fast-paced action packed stories with lots of blazing guns, but there is a lot to like about delving into the mind and customs of an entirely different type of policing. It did take me a while to get used to the slower, word-filled pace of the investigation, but excellent writing and character development drew me into the story and soon I was looking forward to my reading time. It was a pleasant change of pace from the average murder mystery.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for an advance review copy of Thief of Souls.

From the ratings and reviews I’ve seen, I’m clearly an outlier. I read a lot of procedurals set all over the globe, and this one missed the mark for me. The pacing was uneven with brief moments of activity followed by interminable pages of drudgery, to a sudden race to a cinematic conclusion in the last chapter. The first half of the novel read like more of a lecture on how the judicial system works (or doesn’t) in China. Own voices novels don’t typically have these explanations and I felt they both slowed and dumbed down the narrative. I figured out the identity of the killer well before the lead detective, so the big reveal was a bit of a let down. It wasn’t a bad novel. It just didn’t have anything that makes it stand out as one that I would recommend to friends or family. It’s likely one that I will forget about completely by the end of the week

While I enjoyed the culture present in this book, the plot was boring and lacked inspiration. The book didn't truly get interesting until 70% of the way through, and I'm finding myself questioning why I continued reading it.

I've been an avid reader of mysteries and detective novels and I particularly enjoy those with an unusual setting. Brian Klingborg's Thief of Souls is set in contemporary Communist China and captures the imagination from the very start.

The murder occurs in a small remote village and the detective who captures the case has been sent to this area from a larger city. It soon becomes clear that our detective doesn't care as much about local politics and CYA as much as he wants to find the real killer. When a local suspect is in danger of being railroaded for the crime and lost in the system, Detective Lu is willing to go against the highest politicians to ensure that the case remains open.

The search for the killer draws in political heavyweights and places Detective Lu in danger both of his life and his pension. I stayed up much of the night finishing Thief of Souls and I'm looking forward to reading more of Brian Klingborg's novels!

I enjoy the occasional police procedural if the writing is strong and there’s a good hook. The author kept me reading, and the setting was an unusual hook—a small town in northern China. The protagonist, Lu Fei, is a middle-aged (although they keep calling him young, he’s forty) inspector on the police force, never married, who drinks too much, and is good at martial arts. Okay, raise your hand if you’ve read that before. <G> But it all works. Young women are being murdered, their organs removed, then sewed up again. The author takes us through the workings of the police department, all the petty government hang-ups, the interdepartmental fighting, all the things we normally see in the usual Brit and American police stories, only with a Chinese twist. I had to look up the author to see how he knew these details, and he’s apparently lived in China but isn’t Chinese. Still, it felt authentic.
Inspector Lu has never married because he wants to marry for love. He quotes Confucius but he’s an independent thinker and an honest cop. You really have to like him because he tries so hard. And better yet, the author manages to keep the killer a secret almost to the point that Lu works it out. So we get to feel smart and not too annoyed with our hero when it takes him a few pages more. If you enjoy a good police procedural and reading about China, you might want to check this out.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.
What an interesting and involving mystery this is - I had never read a novel set in China and I thoroughly enjoyed the immersion into the country,
people and customs. The mystery itself is great and Inspector Lu Fei a very engaging protagonist
He's tasked with the investigation of the brutal murder of a young woman. The murderer is quickly found and the case closed... But wait, not so fast, do they really have the right killer and have they really solved the crime?
The Inspector is determined to hunt down the truth, despite all the obstacles thrown his way.
Great story, loved it and definitely recommend this book.

Lu is a Deputy Chief of Police in a small Chinese city. He does not ordinarily carry a gun. A woman has been brutally murdered, cut open and stripped of some body parts. It is Lu’s responsibility to determine who did it. He also contacts the national police for help. The story is a procedural, but like nothing I’ve seen before. It deals with all sides of Lu, who is single, lives in a tiny apartment and drinks way too much. It also deals with the Chinese police, both the positive and the negative. I went into this pretty open minded about a different procedural and was frequently amazed by the things I read of being done there both politically and ethically. The research into China alone begs for 5 stars. Thanks to Net Galley, the author and Minotaur for an ARC for an honest review.

Police procedurals, post 87th Precinct, seem to all have similar setups -- if the series is to continue, there is a recognizable set of rascals and heroes populating the stationhouse, no matter whether the location is in Manhattan, Detroit, Saudi Arabia, Sicily, Rio de Janero, Dublin along with many other UK locations. Wherever the setting, it's the interplay between the central character and his coworkers that provides for me the greatest interest along with information about the surrounding country, its customs and procedures. So here we are in provincial China, several air hours from Beijing. Since local stations don't usually experience anything more dire than a stolen pig or a malfunctioning traffic light (or the occasional request by an elder regarding malfunctioning Internet connection), resources are limited, so when a particularly grisly murder is discovered, it is necessary to have a big city squad fly in.

Each chapter in Thief of Souls starts out with a quote from Chairman Mao, but is then followed by deconstruction of that ideology, providing a clear picture of life in today's China complete with whatever traditions (usually based on the theology of Dao) survive. Interaction between the police force and the townspeople has moments of high hilarity, and Brian Klingborg, well versed in martial arts, provides action scenes that resonate off the page. I am hoping that this is the first of what will prove to be a long series.