Elsa Hart's Jade Dragon Mountain
Here's something a little unusual, at least in America--a mystery set in China during the early days of the Qing Dynasty. It features an exiled librarian, who finds himself at the edge of the kingdom--just days before the Emperor is supposed to visit. And THEN he finds himself trying to solve the murder of an elderly Jesuit priest. Really interesting stuff here on culture, religion, astronomy, storytelling, etc, and there are a few good red herrings. Although the author is a white lady, things don't seem to veer too much into Orientalism (though I am not an expert and may just not have noticed). Definitely an enjoyable and entertaining read. A-.
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