"Having her own detective agency would give her the independence she had always longed for. It would also give her the chance to show those people who shunned her that she could be successful. People were getting rich. They owned property, money, business, and cars. With new freedom and opportunities came new crimes. There would be much that she could do." Present day, Beijing. Mei Wang is a modern, independent woman. She has her own apartment. She owns a car. She has her own business with that most modern of commodities -- a male secretary. Her short career with China's prestigious Ministry for Public Security has given her intimate insight into the complicated and arbitrary world of Beijing's law enforcement. But it is her intuition, curiosity, and her uncanny knack for listening to things said -- and unsaid -- that make Mei Beijing's first successful female private investigator. Mei is no stranger to the dark side of China. She was six years old when she last saw her father behind the wire fence of one of Mao's remote labor camps. Perhaps as a result, Mei eschews the power plays and cultural mores -- guanxi -- her sister and mother live by...for better and for worse. Mei's family friend "Uncle" Chen hires her to find a Han dynasty jade of great value: he believes the piece was looted from the Luoyang Museum during the Cultural Revolution -- when the Red Guards swarmed the streets, destroying so many traces of the past -- and that it's currently for sale on the black market. The hunt for the eye of jade leads Mei through banquet halls and back alleys, seedy gambling dens and cheap noodle bars near the Forbidden City. Given the jade's provenance and its journey, Mei knows to treat the investigation as a most delicate matter; she cannot know, however, that this case will force her to delve not only into China's brutal history, but also into her family's dark secrets and into her own tragic separation from the man she loved in equal parts. The first novel in an exhilarating new detective series, The Eye of Jade is both a thrilling mystery and a sensual and fascinating journey through modern China. Read less About the author Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.  Diane Wei Liang Follow Diane was born in Beijing and spent part of her childhood with her parents in a labour camp in a remote region of China. She has a BA from Peking University and a MBA and a Ph.D from Carnegie Mellon University. She was a former award-winning business professor in the USA and the UK. Diane is the author of a memior, LAKE WITH NO NAME, and two novels featuring Beijing private detective Mei Wang: THE EYE OF JADE and PAPER BUTTERFLY. Her novels have been translated into 23 languages and published in 28 countries and territories. THE EYE OF JADE was shortlisted for The Shamus Award for Best First P.I. Novel. Diane is a commentator on China and appears regularly on the BBC, Sky News, Channel 4 and ITV. She has written for The Times, Prospect Magazine and The Financial Times. She is a contributor for Conde Nast Traveler. She lives in London. www.dianeweiliang.com

ISBN: 9781416549567