The Mao Case: An Inspector Chen Novel | 
so-so⭐⭐⭐
A thrilling read to be sure. Great pacing in the unfolding of clues, intriguing plot, spicy with historic half-truths. Set in Shanghai and rich with Chinese culture, TMC brings something fresh to the detective genre. But that is the extent of my praise for this book. Perhaps because I've been doing some heftier reading lately (Tolstoy, Orwell, Hemingway), this novel fails to ignite philosophical curiosity as some classics do.