The second mystery in a series featuring Chinese police inspector Lu Fei, banished to a remote backwater because he stubbornly keeps pushing to get to the bottom of things even when he’s told to drop it by corrupt, incompetent superiors and Communist Party officials. In the first book, Lu Fei unmasked a truly creepy serial killer. In this one, he’s trying to find a missing young woman, and begins to suspect that her disappearance might have something to do with a dangerous, secretive hive of dealers in the highly illegal trade in animals, no matter how endangered, whose parts are prized for their use in traditional medicines but especially to be feasted on by rich and connected business types. Lu Fei finds himself undercover in the Burmese jungle trying to get to the heart of a secret compound from which much of the trade emanates. This is not for those who find descriptions of animal cruelty distressing. Oh dear, I fear I must be a bad person, because I admit that I gloried in the fact that a Burmese tiger, however temporarily, turned the tables.

WILD PREY - AN INSPECTOR LU FEI MYSTERY

By Brian KLINGBORG

Publication Date: 5/17/22 by St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books





He’s back! Inspector Lu Fei …. a righteous and highly scrupled cop with dogged determination returns for an even more harrowing case, determined to wade through a morass

of obstacles to uncover truth and justice. An immersive police procedural transitions into a thrilling espionage novel as Lu’s investigation catapults him into an undercover operation. The setting is the contemporary People’s Republic of China, in which the ethical inspector Lu Fei faces the challenge of seeking justice in a complex and corrupt society. The narrative unfolds with a healthy dose of humor, history, philosophy and an unbridled multi-layered characterization of the main protagonists. Inspector Lu Fei is a graduate of China’s top police university, yet finds himself mired in a small backwater provincial town of Raven Valley. His present demotion and exile is the result of Lu’s unfortunate confrontation with his corrupt boss of the Harbin City Police Department. The inspector executed an unscheduled raid, and found his boss engaged in the service of an underage prostitute.

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, with ongoing international pressure, the conservationists in the government have intensified efforts to crack down on the illegal trade of endangered animal meat and byproducts. Lu finds himself on stake out in a local market to apprehend Chen, a known and wanted peddler of black market animal products to local restaurants and apothecaries. Not only the meat, but also bones, teeth, skin, scales and genitals are greatly desirable. Exotic wildlife and their genitals are touted as aids for erectile dysfunction. Tiger and bear penises and the meat of pangolin, including their scales yield extensive profits on the black market. With over two hundred million surveillance cameras monitoring the citizens of China, it was only a matter of time before Chen was apprehended.

Inspector Lu Fei is confronted in the lobby of his “paichusuo” (police station) by a young girl

sitting on a bench …. fifteen year old Tan Meirong pleads for his help. Her sister, nineteen year old, Tan Meixiang is missing and she fears the worst. “She’s dead or has been kidnapped and sold to a brothel.” We soon learn of the situation. Meixang supports the family by working at a restaurant in the nearby city of Harbin. Their mother is dead from cancer, and the father is usually drunk and has not worked for three years, because of a “bad back”. She has messaged her dozens of times, and called a hundred times without response. Lu responds by embarking on an extensive investigation…. initially the usual checking of phone records, social media, financials and multiple databases…. and hospitals and morgues. When calling the Harbin paichusuo he encounters the expected response: “We’re pretty busy - but we’ll “jin liang”. Lu knows when they say “we’ll do our best” … they actually mean …. they might get around to thinking about doing something if absolutely nothing else better comes along. Lu takes matters into his own hands, and travels to Harbin to further the investigation by visiting Meixang’s apartment and place of employment. The restaurant is a rather high end establishment that features exotic meats and dishes that feature medicinal properties. By judging the attire and accoutrements of the diners, this establishment obviously caters to the rich and powerful. Although the main menu does not list any forbidden dishes… there are whispers and requests for “the special menu”. Lu Fei meets with the owner and manager, “Wilson” Fang, and although he denies any knowledge of Meixiang’s disappearance and can provide no helpful information…. Lu Fei suspects a linkage between her disappearance and the probable Illegal special menu.

Brian Klingborg provides a masterful and immersive narrative creating a riveting twisted string of multiple unexpected reveals that propel this page-turner. Inspector Lu Fei indicates he’s not a special agent .. and just a cop. And, yet to achieve closure and justice he must go undercover, change his appearance, develop a backstory and infiltrate the inner circle of a nefarious global animal-trafficking operation, embedded deep in the interior jungles of Myanmar. He is posing as Long, Ming, a buyer of exotic bushmeat. During the course of his deception, he is treated to a multi-course meal of: crocodile carpaccio, bat boiled in ginger, bamboo rat stuffed with vegetables, and a “hot pot” consisting of pangolin, snake and caterpillar simmered in a base of chicken broth, along with a glass of Shaoxing wine …. and for appetizers the penises of either tiger or bear.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for providing an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. This novel will appeal to fans of other beloved series .. such as those of Detective Bernie Gunther from the pen of Philip Kerr and Deon Meyer’s equally enjoyable Detective Benny Griessel. Klingborg’s knowledge of East Asian Studies and his experience with living and working in Asia are on full display in this fascinating tale. Hopefully, there will be many more Inspector Lu Fei investigations.

"The search for a missing girl sends Inspector Lu Fei undercover into the wild corners of Myanmar, and the compound of the deadly and mysterious woman warlord responsible for the illegal trafficking of exotic animals and possibly more, in the next book from Brian Klingborg, Wild Prey.

Police Inspector Lu Fei has an unfortunate talent for getting himself into hot water with powerful and well-connected people. Which is why he’s been assigned to a backwater town in a rural area of Northern China and quietly warned to keep his head down. But while running a sting operation on the sale and consumption of rare and endangered animals, Lu comes across the curious case of a waitress who has gone missing. Her last known whereabouts: a restaurant frequented by local elites, owned by smooth-talking gangster, and known for its exotic - and highly illegal - delicacies.

As usual, Lu's investigation ruffles some feathers, resulting in his suspension from the police force. Lu figures he's reached a dead-end. Then he's contacted by a mysterious government official in Beijing who wants him to go undercover to track down the mastermind behind an illegal animal trafficking network - and hopefully, the answer to the fate of the missing waitress. The mission will require Lu to travel deep into the lawless wilds of Myanmar, where he will risk his life to infiltrate the hidden compound of a mysterious and ruthless female warlord in a bloody and nearly hopeless quest for justice."

Ever since I saw the movie The Freshman I've been obsessed with the illegal trafficking of exotic animals for consumption.

An easy 4 stars for an engaging mystery set in northern rural China, near Harbin. This is book 2 in the Lu Fei series and I read book 1. I recommend that you read them in order. Inspector Lu Fei of the PSB(Public Security Bureau) agrees to look for a missing teenager, Meixiang, after her sister, Meirong, begs him to do so. When he investigates, he ruffles some important people. They lean on his boss, who orders him to stop investigating. But he persists, and is suspended as a result. Then he gets a mysterious phone call. He agrees to meet this mystery man. The meeting is actually a video meeting and the mystery man says that he works for the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. He tells Lu to call him Jia and says that they have a mutual interest, Wilson Fang. Lu believes Fang may have killed Meixiang or knows who did. Jia says that Fang is involved in the illegal trade of endangered species and he wants to arrest him and his superiors.
He persuades Lu to go undercover on his behalf. There many twists and turns in this mystery, but I liked the ending. I read this book in 2 days. It is a fast,easy read.
One quote: Dinner at an illegal wildlife farm: "Dinner consists of the ubiquitous tea leaf salad, rice balls with fish and turmeric; various curries; noodles in fish broth; a range of tropical fruits. Also: crocodile carpaccio; bat boiled in a ginger and coconut soup; bamboo rat stuffed with vegetables and roasted; and a hot pot consisting of pangolin, snake, and caterpillar simmered in a base of chicken broth, soy sauce, ginger, Shaoxing wined, and spring onion."
Thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

This was much darker and more violent than I was expecting for something marketed as a cozy mystery. The cover was so cute that I was surprised at everything in the book! I absolutely loved it, though. I have no idea how realistic any of it was because I don't tend to hunt, sell, or eat any of these illegal animals. But the storyline was great! Things took a bit to pick up, but I loved the inclusion of Asian culture and how central it was to the storyline. I've never read a book set in Southeast Asia, but as an adopted half-Southeast Asian myself, this was incredibly special.

Thank you to St Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Police Inspector Lu Fei has a way of finding trouble as he bucks the establishment to find the killer of a young woman. He travels in China, then abroad in Myanmar, searching for answers and justice.

I began this book not sure what to expect. I hadn't read the first Inspector Lu Fei mystery but that didn't matter. There are slight references to the first novel which only made me more excited to go back and check it out than detract. I appreciated the detailed descriptions of the government and how all the various systems work. For someone that isn't knowledgeable of Communist China, having cultural explanations is a plus. Lu Fei himself was also a great character. I found his way of doggedly following the clues very engaging. By the time Lu Fei journeyed to Mynamar, I was hooked and wanted to find out who the killer was. Without giving anything away, I was surprised with how everything developed and enjoyed the mystery from start to end. I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys mystery and wants to expand their cultural horizons.

I'd have to be "as dumb as a petrified tree stump" not to enjoy Wild Prey by Brian Klingborg. His first Inspector Lu Fei mystery was the pleasant surprise of 2021. If you liked Thief Of Souls, you'll want to read this one too! The colorful supporting cast is back in this tale, but it quickly becomes more of a solo adventure for Lu Fei as he tries to locate a missing girl. It's no easy task. But, our intrepid inspector risks life and limb because duty calls. Klingborg again pairs charming wit with gritty action. It's a winning combination. It's a satisfying sequel in what I hope will be a long running series. Thank you to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy! #WildPrey #NetGalley

I don’t inherently think about it, but it’s rare that I read a book about or set in China. That changed with Wild Prey. It was set in both China and Myanmar and it was a wild ride. The beginning was a bit slow and it was a bit of a struggle to get through the first quarter because of that. But once I was in the thick of the plot it flowed fast.

Lu Fei is a cop that goes undercover to find a missing girl. He ends up at a wildlife park that caters to people that eat the illegal animals for “medicinal purposes.”

There is so much going on here with the wildlife, the corrupt officials, the park owner, etc. And because it’s set in present day, they mention coronavirus many times. I appreciated that it was part of the storyline but didn’t take away from the story.

I enjoyed this book and liked the twist at the end. I look forward to reading other Lu Fei stories.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Minotaur Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A little more graphic and. Violent than I expected in the beginning which made it hard to get interested in reading. Disappointed

In his earlier escapade, Inspector Lu Fei didn't stray far from home, and my joy in that book arose from interplay between the denizens of the police station in a small village. Here, he has to travel far afield in search of the answers to a missing, presumed dead, girl thanks to that girl's sister's perseverance. As I've mentioned before, for me a police procedural has to present more than plot in its pages, and Brian Klingborg delivers once again. Centered around the horrifying trafficking of exotic animals and the supposed medicinal properties of their parts, this page turner brings to life a foray into the steaming netherlands of Myanmar, with, at times, excruciating brutality, but Inspector Lu is a hero worth the effort.

I did not get a chance to read the first book in the Lu Fei series before jumping into Wild Prey, but that did not prove to be a hindrance at all. This book immediately starts off with a bang and I had no trouble at all picking up on the protagonist, his backstory, the setting, etc.

Klingborg does a fantastic and meticulous job of immersing the reader into modern day China and Asia and describing the political tension and culture that takes place there. The characters in this book are dimensional and intense. The story is perfectly paced and consistent which makes for very fluid reading. Lu Fei is very much the male policemen who boldly and carelessly throws himself into the line of danger when there might have been a more strategic way to achieve what he wants, but in the end, danger is what makes for a great read.

Thank you St Martin's Press for the eGalley ARC!