The Chinese Maze Murders
A Judge Dee Mystery
9780226848785
9780226849096
The Chinese Maze Murders
A Judge Dee Mystery
Poisoned plums, a cryptic scroll picture, passionate love letters, and a hidden murderer with a penchant for torturing and killing women lead Judge Dee to the heart of the Governor’s garden maze and the answers to three interwoven mysteries. The Chinese Maze Murders represents Robert van Gulik’s first venture into writing suspense novels after the success of Dee Gong An, his translation of an anonymous Chinese detective novel from the sixteenth century.
Table of Contents
First Chapter
A strange meeting takes place on a lotus lake; Judge Dee is attacked on his way to Lan-fang
Second Chapter
Judge Dee opens the first session of the tribunal; He discovers in the archives an unsolved problem
Third Chapter
The judge witnesses a quarrel on the market; A young man forecasts his father’s murder
Fourth Chapter
Tao Gan reports on a mysterious old mansion; An ingenious trap is set in the dark tribunal
Fifth Chapter
Twenty ruffians attack in the dead of the night; Judge Dee sets out on a dangerous excursion
Sixth Chapter
Four guildmasters are received in the main hall; Mrs. Yoo visits the tribunal with an old picture
Seventh Chapter
Three roguish monks receive their just punishment; A Candidate of Literature reports a cruel murder
Eighth Chapter
An old General is murdered in his own library; Judge Dee goes to visit the scene of the crime
Ninth Chapter
Judge Dee ponders alone in a dead man’s room; The autopsy brings to light the cause of death
Tenth Chapter
Judge Dee pays a visit to an eccentric young man; He presides an artistic meeting in the tribunal
Eleventh Chapter
Tao Gan has an adventure in an old temple; Ma Joong meets his math in a drinking bout
Twelfth Chapter
Judge Dee discusses the secrets of two pictures; A young girl discovers passionate love letters
Thirteenth Chapter
Yoo Kee entertains a distinguished guest to tea; Judge Dee decides to revisit the General’s studio
Fourteenth Chapter
A strange clue is found in a dead man’s room; Judge Dee sends his men to arrest a criminal
Fifteenth Chapter
Painter Woo reveals his secret in the tribunal; Judge Dee orders a search of the Eastern city
Sixteenth Chapter
Ma Joong investigates the licensed quarter; He is made a partner in a nefarious scheme
Seventeenth Chapter
Mrs. Yoo pays a second visit to the tribunal; A queer discovery is made in an old mansion
Eighteenth Chapter
Judge Dee decides to consult an old hermit; Ma Joong catches his man in the Drum Tower
Nineteenth Chapter
A recluse discourses on the purpose of life; Judge Dee learns the old Governor’s secret
Twentieth Chapter
A rebel chieftain confesses under torture; A mysterious stranger is at last identified
Twentyfirst Chapter
Judge Dee closes the case of the murdered General; Chiao Tai relates the story of a military disaster
Twentysecond Chapter
Judge Dee explains the murder of General Ding; He reveals the secret of the scroll picture
Twentythird Chapter
The judge leads his men to the heart of the maze; A gruesome discovery is made in a secret pavilion
Twentyfourth Chapter
A young girl goes to visit a famous artist; A criminal is caught in an unexpected place
Twentyfifth Chapter
Two depraved criminals suffer the extreme penalty; Judge Dee learns the secret of an abstruse couplet
A strange meeting takes place on a lotus lake; Judge Dee is attacked on his way to Lan-fang
Second Chapter
Judge Dee opens the first session of the tribunal; He discovers in the archives an unsolved problem
Third Chapter
The judge witnesses a quarrel on the market; A young man forecasts his father’s murder
Fourth Chapter
Tao Gan reports on a mysterious old mansion; An ingenious trap is set in the dark tribunal
Fifth Chapter
Twenty ruffians attack in the dead of the night; Judge Dee sets out on a dangerous excursion
Sixth Chapter
Four guildmasters are received in the main hall; Mrs. Yoo visits the tribunal with an old picture
Seventh Chapter
Three roguish monks receive their just punishment; A Candidate of Literature reports a cruel murder
Eighth Chapter
An old General is murdered in his own library; Judge Dee goes to visit the scene of the crime
Ninth Chapter
Judge Dee ponders alone in a dead man’s room; The autopsy brings to light the cause of death
Tenth Chapter
Judge Dee pays a visit to an eccentric young man; He presides an artistic meeting in the tribunal
Eleventh Chapter
Tao Gan has an adventure in an old temple; Ma Joong meets his math in a drinking bout
Twelfth Chapter
Judge Dee discusses the secrets of two pictures; A young girl discovers passionate love letters
Thirteenth Chapter
Yoo Kee entertains a distinguished guest to tea; Judge Dee decides to revisit the General’s studio
Fourteenth Chapter
A strange clue is found in a dead man’s room; Judge Dee sends his men to arrest a criminal
Fifteenth Chapter
Painter Woo reveals his secret in the tribunal; Judge Dee orders a search of the Eastern city
Sixteenth Chapter
Ma Joong investigates the licensed quarter; He is made a partner in a nefarious scheme
Seventeenth Chapter
Mrs. Yoo pays a second visit to the tribunal; A queer discovery is made in an old mansion
Eighteenth Chapter
Judge Dee decides to consult an old hermit; Ma Joong catches his man in the Drum Tower
Nineteenth Chapter
A recluse discourses on the purpose of life; Judge Dee learns the old Governor’s secret
Twentieth Chapter
A rebel chieftain confesses under torture; A mysterious stranger is at last identified
Twentyfirst Chapter
Judge Dee closes the case of the murdered General; Chiao Tai relates the story of a military disaster
Twentysecond Chapter
Judge Dee explains the murder of General Ding; He reveals the secret of the scroll picture
Twentythird Chapter
The judge leads his men to the heart of the maze; A gruesome discovery is made in a secret pavilion
Twentyfourth Chapter
A young girl goes to visit a famous artist; A criminal is caught in an unexpected place
Twentyfifth Chapter
Two depraved criminals suffer the extreme penalty; Judge Dee learns the secret of an abstruse couplet