Book 2

Paper Butterfly

by Diane Wei Liang

Published 2 May 2008

In the outback of China, a political activist, arrested after the Tiananmen massacre, is judged to be a reformed character and released. But Lin is a changed man in more ways than one; haunted by memories of his time in prison, and the events (and people) that put him there, he heads for the country's capital, where he hopes to confront his demons once and for all. Mei Wang, meanwhile, is struggling to juggle the desires and demands of her family alongside the pressures of running her detective agency, and when her sister recommends her for a new case - the disappearance of a gorgeous young starlet called Kaili - she feels obliged to accept. It's a risky business, however, investigating the truth in a society that is still catching up with the secrets of its past.

'Mei Wang is a splendid heroine, brave and sensible. As she interviews witnesses and makes her deductions she shows her readers a fascinating glimpse of the China visitors don't see' Literary Review


The Eye of Jade

by Diane Wei Liang

Published 6 April 2007

Mei is a modern, independent Chinese woman; she runs her own business in Beijing, working as a private investigator, owns a car, and even has that most modern of commodities, a male secretary. One day, `Uncle' Chen -- no relation but a close friend of her mother's -- approaches Mei and asks her to find the Eye of Jade. A Han dynasty artefact of great value, the Eye of Jade was taken from a museum during the years of the Cultural Revolution, when Red Guards swarmed the streets.

The case forces Mei to delve into a dark part of China's history -- Mao's labour camps and the countless deaths for which no-one was ever held responsible -- and exposes the agonising choices made during the Revolution. But Mei's investigations also reveal a story that has far more to do with the past, and her own family history, than she could ever have expected.

Liang has captured Beijing's bustle and noise perfectly and, with its rich cast of characters, The Eye of Jade offers a fascinating glimpse of city life in modern China.