The first line of this blurb on Goodreads says it’s for fans of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films and honestly yes, that. This is very Sherlockian in that the narration comes from the Watson character, who in this case is shy Chinese academic, and he’s recounting in the story of this “larger than life“ judge. There are so many hallmarks and throwbacks to the Conan Doyle books that it honestly made me want to go back and read those.

I also think this does an interesting job of showing 1920s London in a way that’s probably true or to what 1920s London looked like then what we traditionally think. Often when we see historical fiction it’s very white, but the 1920s was peak British empire so there were non-white people in the capital of the empire, so I thought this was a fun take on classic British story through that lens. That being said, I did struggle with some aspects that felt like they were too caracature-ish as writing, but might have come across less so in film. As a whole, I think it was an interesting project, but I’m not sure if it was totally memorable or if it was interesting enough for me to continue in the sequel.

While I haven’t personally read any Sherlock Holmes, this book definitely evoked the Holmes-Watson dynamic! #TheMurderOfMrMa was an exciting read. Set in 1920s London, two Chinese men (one an academic, the other a judge) find themselves thrown into an investigation following a killer seemingly targeting members of the Chinese community. Swashbuckling feels like the perfect word to describe this book. It had a lot more action (martial arts fights, etc) than the normal whodunnit mysteries I read, but it was still overall engaging. The audiobook narrator was also fantastic. He seamlessly navigated the dialogue across many characters and was a great voice for the story.
I received an audio copy of this book from #NetGalley and #RBMedia in exchange for an honest review.

I had more fun with this book than I would have otherwise, mostly because of the format I ended up finishing the book in. I had access to both formats but chose to listen to it instead of the digital ebook.

In the audio version (as I am sure would have been the case with the other versions), we see the discrepancy in how Mr Lao sees himself and his actual role in the events that transpire. It is the classic setup of chronicler and actual detective, something I have become more sensitive to after going back to Agatha Christies in recent years.

Mr Lao lives in England and has a different relationship with how people view his race than most other Chinese living on the island. He has heard of Dee but meets him under unique circumstances. Once their acquaintance is extended, we, the readers are appraised as to the situation regarding the death of Mr. Ma and the relative lack of progress by the police.

What follows is a chaotic chase with a lot of information coming in and avenues being checked. Through it all the thread of prejudice keeps the narrative company. It shows how the country viewed China and what they kept as priority while discussing a whole race of people. The narrative does not go into depths of different types of Chinese people or languages etc, but it does talk of the day to day issues.

I suspected the second half of the reveal, although the first is not one that can be guessed. I liked the overall plot and the narrative style, but I am not sure I will be continuing with the series.

I would recommend this to fans of the historical mystery/adventure genre.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own listening experience.

I really enjoyed the audiobook of “The Murder of Mr. Ma.” It’s set in 1920s London, and the story follows Dee Ren Jie, this larger-than-life judge, and Lao She, a shy academic, as they try to solve a series of murders targeting Chinese immigrants. The mystery is a mix of traditional Chinese crime fiction with a bit of a Sherlock Holmes vibe, which worked surprisingly well.

The narrator was great—he really brought out the atmosphere and made it easy to get lost in the story. The plot flowed smoothly, and I never felt bored; it was just interesting and fun to listen to. If you like a solid mystery with some good twists and a bit of old-school charm, this one’s worth a listen.

The Murder of Mr. Ma brings a fresh twist to the classic Holmes & Watson-style mystery, set in 1920s London with a focus on the Chinese immigrant community. Quiet academic Lao She and bold Judge Dee Ren Jie team up to solve a string of murders linked to the Chinese Labour Corps during WWI. The historical setting adds depth, highlighting Chinese discrimination and political tensions. While the numerous side characters can be confusing, the action-packed plot and dynamic duo make this a fun read (listen) for me.

The Murder of Mr. Ma is the first book in the historical mystery series of Dee & Lao, and I really can't wait until the next book is out!

This is an awesome take on the typical Holmes & Watson-type mystery, with a great introduction to Early 20th Century Chinese history. The story harks back to "The Sign of Four" by Conan Doyle, so regular Holmes-enjoyers should probably get a kick out of the story.

I received a free audiobook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for a free review.

Great historical context and world building. The characters also felt fresh. This stands out amongst the crime fiction currently being released. If you want a unique setting and time period with your mystery I highly recommend this.

Perfect book to read for those who love detective stories which happened in London old time! I love the plot and the characters. The story will be a good movie too. Captivating mystery!

NetGalley ARC audio

This is a fun and interesting Sherlockian tale. Lao She is a respected scholar living a quiet life in London. A chance encounter with the eccentric Judge Dee Ren Jie turns is life upside down.

Chinese men are being murdered in London. They were all served in WWI together, along with Judge Dee. Lao She joins Judge Dee to find the murderer.

This is a great Sherlock off shoot. The 1920's time period is very interesting, both Chinese men serving in WWI and the burgeoning revolution in China are included. I was very satisfied with the ending.

I am a long time fan of mystery. I was raised reading and watching Sherlock Holmes. This story was exactly what I was hoping for. This story was narrated by Daniel York Loh and he did the most outstanding job. He was clear and easily understood. His voice created the images I really believed told the story. I felt like I was immersed in the 1920s London streets and lost in a world of mystery and intrigue. I really enjoyed this story. I was a part of the adeventure and loving every moment of it. I can’t wait for more.

As someone who loves the Sherlock Holmes series, I adored this Chinese spin on it. What I didn't realize is that the English were so damn racist. Like this one really showcased how hesitant they were to even interact with a foreigner.

Murder mysteries saturate the book market. For me, it needs to stand out in some way for me to pick it up. I don't want to feel like I'm reading the same format over and over. I chose The Murder of Mr. Ma because of its historical setting which focuses on the London Chinese population in the early 1900's.

The historical parts did give me some of that nuance I was looking for. This shined a light on Chinese discrimination, early 20th-century politics & the rise of opium addictions. The narrator was part of the story and the way his story was weaved in and out by talking to the reader gave the book a unique personality.

In the end, it was a murder mystery with a lot of violence. There were many side characters, which was confusing to keep track of at times. The formula of a murder mystery stood out above everything else. While I think that there is a market for people who will enjoy this book for that reason, it is not for me.

A great who-did-it tale and boy was I wrong! I was captivated the entire time and the narration on this audiobook kept me engaged. There’s action, suspense, shock and revelations. I never would have guessed the reveal and I’m here for it! Definitely recommend this book!

London, the UK, 1924. Dead bodies and the famous judge Dee.
While I like the modern fusion movies adding the new elements to the stories of the detectives of old (like Sherlock Holmes), I can not for the live of myself understand WHY the Robert van Gulik´s famous character of Judge Dee was involved in this story! Because Judge Dee in this story if a totally different character from the traditional figure as we know it. So totally different that if you call him Johnny or Tommy or another unrelated character, you would maybe have more fresh effect. But, of course, the promotional effect would be lost.
Anyways, this is not a bad read and it contains quite interesting information about the lives of Chinese people in London in a given time frame.

The narration was fine.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I found the characters interesting, although perhaps not as well fleshed-out as I perhaps would have liked. I enjoyed the story, but found what I think were supposed to be plot twists to be fairly predictable. I had already worked out who the killer was in the first few chapters for example. But it was still enjoyable.

Really appreciated this take on Sherlock Holmes and Watson as well as the setting and historical timeline. I hope the author will bring out another on the in the future. I also enjoyed the narrator and appreciated what he brought to the story.

I could not finish this book due to technical issues through netgalley. Vut i was not hooked regardless

Something about the writing style made it seem super slow and uninteresting. I found myself zoning out a lot

The description of this novel mentions “for fans of Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films” (those are the ones with Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law). I’m personally more of a BBC (Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman) fan, but it’s an apt description. Without any direct mentions to Sherlock Holmes, the authors managed to include familiar Holmes references while still telling an original story. I appreciated the historical perspective included throughout (the treatment of Asians broadly, and Chinese specifically, in England during the first half of the 20th century), since it’s something I was not familiar with prior to this book. The plot of the novel was twisty enough to keep me engaged– there were very few times that I thought the story was dragging– but not so convoluted as to include too many characters or sub-plots to keep track of. I listened to this on audio and thought the narrator did a fantastic job– the story was mostly told from the perspective of Watson…err.. Lao She, which helped with character voices, etc.

Take half a dozen of Chinese men, drop them in London, and you'll end up with lots of tea! Green tea, black tea, herbal tea, tea for opium withdrawal symptoms, tea for your nerves. One has the impression that all the characters do is drink tea and fight. The mystery plot is intriguing, the historical background is quite unique (never heard of the Chinese Labour Corps before), and the fighting scenes may work very well in a film, but they just didn't in a book. To me at least. Yet, I'm looking forward to seeing how this pair of strange friends keep on sleuthing in the next book.

Great for fans of Sherlock Holmes! The story is action-packed, historical, and captivating. I was completely engrossed in solving the mystery alongside the characters.

I love how the story combines elements of mystery, history, and adventure in a unique and engaging way. The dynamic between Judge Dee Ren Jie and Lao She is intriguing and adds depth to the investigation.

I listened to the Netgally audiobook, which was read by Daniel York Loh, who did an incredible job! This narration truly brought the characters to life.

Overall, "The Murder of Mr. Ma" is a thrilling and immersive read that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good historical mystery.