{"product_id":"the-emperors-pearl-a-judge-dee-mystery-9780226848723","title":"The Emperor's Pearl: A Judge Dee Mystery","description":"It all begins on the night of the Poo-yang dragonboat races in 699 A.D.: a drummer in the leading boat collapses, and the body of a beautiful young woman turns up in a deserted country mansion. There, Judge Dee-tribunal magistrate, inquisitor, and public avenger-steps in to investigate the murders and return order to the Tang Dynasty. In \u003ci\u003eThe Emperor's Pearl\u003c\/i\u003e, the judge discovers that these two deaths are connected by an ancient tragedy involving a near-legendary treasure stolen from the Imperial Harem one hundred years earlier. The terrifying figure of the White Lady, a river goddess enshrined on a bloodstained altar, looms in the background of the investigation. Clues are few and elusive, but under the expert hand of Robert van Gulik, this mythic jigsaw puzzle assembles itself into a taut mystery. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"If you have not yet discovered Judge Dee and his faithful Sgt. Hoong, I envy you that initial pleasure which comes from the discovery of a great detective story. For the magistrate of Poo-yang belongs in that select group of fictional detectives headed by the renowned Sherlock Holmes.\"-Robert Kirsch, \u003ci\u003eLos Angeles\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eTimes\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \"The title of this book and the book itself have much in common. Each is a jewel, a rare and precious find.\"-\u003ci\u003eAtlanta\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eTimes\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eRobert van Gulik\u003c\/b\u003e (1910-67) was a Dutch diplomat and an authority on Chinese history and culture. His many works include sixteen Judge Dee mysteries, a study of the gibbon in China, and two books on the Chinese lute.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Chicago Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50674751537426,"sku":"9780226848723","price":8.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_5c51b463-71db-40a8-bea1-51e56bb4866b.jpg?v=1733864693","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-emperors-pearl-a-judge-dee-mystery-9780226848723","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}