She named a top ten list of Asian crime fiction for the Guardian.
Number One:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj_qji40scZDas-G-dF2dXPaLlOAR0aPHAbqYh2ebLb8g7zvtkHJwoqLgv0hVsmjUlB_-xvRhZcaRzef7emSHZrzuLnLApMOXLTBIMt4OmtGPw4s0Kijz8ywzwcTgOKlPICKQLitZl2A/s320/qiu.gif)
Death of a Red Heroine by Qiu XiaolongRead about the other nine titles.
Qiu is a Chinese writer now living in America. His Detective Chen is an inspector in the Shanghai police force. When a female model worker is found dead, Detective Chen investigates, and the trail leads him onto dangerous political ground. The book has a gentle feel to it which makes the violence of murder even more shocking. It is a vivid description of present day Shanghai, and the satisfying ending is utterly believable.
Visit Catherine Sampson's website.
--Marshal Zeringue