{"product_id":"the-shadow-of-the-empire-9781448307395","title":"The Shadow of the Empire","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e'Brilliant' -\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e Starred Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe legendary Judge Dee Renjie investigates a high-profile murder case in this intriguing companion novel to \u003c\/i\u003eInspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder\u003ci\u003e set in seventh-century China.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJudge Dee Renjie, Empress Wu's newly appointed Imperial Circuit Supervisor for the Tang Empire, is visiting provinces surrounding the grand capital of Chang'an. One night a knife is thrown through his window with a cryptic note attached: '\u003ci\u003eA high-flying dragon will have something to regret!\u003c\/i\u003e' \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eMinutes after the ominous warning appears, Judge Dee is approached by an emissary of Internal Minister Wu, Empress Wu's nephew. Minister Wu wants Judge Dee to investigate a high-profile murder supposedly committed by the well-known poetess and courtesan, Xuanji, who locals believe is possessed by the spirit of a black fox. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhy is Minister Wu interested in Xuanji? Despite Xuanji confessing to the murder, is there more to the case than first appears? With the mysterious warning and a fierce power struggle playing out at the imperial court, Judge Dee knows he must tread carefully . . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnthony Award-winning author \u003cb\u003eQiu Xiaolong\u003c\/b\u003e was born in Shanghai and moved to Washington University in St Louis, US, to complete a PhD degree in comparative literature. After the Tiananmen tragedy in 1989 he stayed on in St Louis where he still lives with his wife. Qiu's sold over two million copies of his Inspector Chen mysteries worldwide and been published in 20 languages. He is also a prize-winning poet.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Severn House","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50653838541074,"sku":"9781448307395","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_16c632b2-7640-4d76-af09-8c57e7b33e5f.jpg?v=1754897190","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-shadow-of-the-empire-9781448307395","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}