Midnight in Peking

How the Murder of a Young Englishwoman Haunted the Last Days of Old China

By: Paul French

Narrated by: Erik Singer

Length: 8 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's summary

In the last days of old Peking, where anything goes, can a murderer escape justice?

Peking in 1937 is a heady mix of privilege and scandal, opulence and opium dens, rumors and superstition. The Japanese are encircling the city, and the discovery of Pamela Werner's body sends a shiver through already nervous Peking. Is it the work of a madman? One of the ruthless Japanese soldiers now surrounding the city? Or perhaps the dreaded fox spirits?

With the suspect list growing and clues sparse, two detectives - one British and one Chinese - race against the clock to solve the crime before the Japanese invade and Peking as they know it is gone forever. Can they find the killer in time, before the Japanese invade?

Historian and China expert Paul French at last uncovers the truth behind this notorious murder, and offers a rare glimpse of the last days of colonial Peking.

©2012 Paul French (P)2012 Penguin Audio

Old Murder Still Mysterious

Would you consider the audio edition of Midnight in Peking to be better than the print version?

Can't say definitively-haven't seen the print edition, but based on the intricacies of the true story, I think the audible version may be better because the reader has made the details lively, where in print they might just appear as a paghe full of names dates and numbers.

Who was your favorite character and why?

the author, because he was determined to unearth all the f acts and follow up all the forgotten or neglected old leads in hopes of solving the case so many years later. He vividly conveys the atmosphere of old China, is complexity and its many layers of superstition, rumor and European snobbishness.

Have you listened to any of Erik Singer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No

Any additional comments?

My interest in this book derives from once knowing Michael HorJelski, and hearing of the murder of his girl friend from him in l938 or '39, when he looked me up in New York City.He was, understandably, quite disturbed by this unsolved murder and I never forgot his story. His father was a close school friend of my father when they were both boys in Poland. I had met Michael's father when I was a little girl, when he came to visit us during a business trip from China.

Lots of fun -- well done

Interesting story about interesting events and interesting people during an interesting time in an interesting place.

I found it held my attention and I cared about the outcome.

Forcefully narrated. Most of his pronunciation of Chinese names and place names was accurate (I speak the language.)

A winner.

Good mystery,fascinating look into a unique period

I bought this book as while I was working in China. For me the murder mystery is interesting but really a vehicle for a look into the unique world of 1930s China.

A country where the money and power was split between a host of foreign nations all looking to get out before the heavy work of defending it from an aggressive neighbor came due. People divided by culture, wealth, beliefs, habits, politics, gender.

China is an amazing study of contrasts and it is constantly shown that China's past was more confusing than the present.

I would recommend reading this book just for the glimpse it gives into how China and the West have interacted in the past (and often continue to do so in the present).

If you like things to be drawn out you’ll like it

So I got this because I like Chinese history, and I needed to branch out into some other kinds of books. The beginning where he describes who Pamela and her father were was absolutely necessary, but honestly this book is a bit too long. Compelling but unnecessarily long. The later chapters are so good, but it’s tedium to get there.

Midnight in Peking Disappoints

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

The story was tedious and repetitive and. although it was apparently nonfiction, the plot strained credibility at certain points.

What do you think your next listen will be?

"The Good Earth" by Pearl Buck

Which character – as performed by Erik Singer – was your favorite?

Pamela's father was the most sympathetic character.

If this book were a movie would you go see it?

No.

An Intriguing Mystery in Beijing

Gripping and very well written. An historical account of Pamela Werner told with an investigator's eye for detail plus the ironies and tragic nature of the investigation.

More than a little disturbing

(As posted in GoodReads)
It kind of took a while, and I'm not sure whether it was me or the book, but it was truly gripping in that there were questions all the way through and even after the end. I felt so bad for the girl and her father from start to finish.
I also enjoyed the review of history of China and Japan in the time before World War II! Now I have to go back and research details of said history because I really don't know the Asian background of the time. I never liked history in high school and always prided myself not having had to learn a significant amount of it. It's only now that I recognize how the knowledge could conceivably pull together apparently unlinked stories.

Mystery Meets History

French's book is a splendid mystery set in the twilight days of the pre-WWII China. In addition to a great story, the listener is given a wonderful insight into life in Peking in the late 1930s. The narration is good, though at times clinical, but the story keeps you wanting to listen.

Remarkable crime story …

Her story needed to be told. A young, beautiful woman, brutally murdered in a foreign backwater, which time had almost forgotten. But as the author reminds us, the murder was a sensational news story, even eclipsing the dire political situation of Peking in the early days of 1937. In subsequent interviews, he has mentioned the allure of the story and his fascination with the murder victim, 19 year old Pamela Werner. The research completed for the book is quite remarkable.

Every character within the book who is connected to the underlying mystery has a colorful and sordid past. These include nudists, asexual madams, opium addicts, criminals of all sorts, and failed diplomats. They all congregate in the ‘badlands’, the dirty and dark underbelly of Peking. The detectives involved in the case, one Chinese and one British, work under continuous pressure to deliver results and yet are stymied by colonial mandarins. In this state, the answers remain elusive. The murder remains unsolved.

The author ultimately provides his own speculative theory based on the meticulous detective work carried out by the victim’s farther, ETC Werner. On unearthing this volume of work, a reconstruction of the events leading to the murder is proposed. It is totally believable. Yet, it is still a theory. Sadly, only time knows the truth.

Great book.

Intriguing true story depicts pre-war China.

Would you consider the audio edition of Midnight in Peking to be better than the print version?

I haven't read the print version. The audio edition is excellent and kept my attention.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The development of the characters and their world captured my attention, as well as the details of the story itself. The story is written using some of the approaches used in fiction that reflect real life, like fore-shadowing and changes in characterization of individuals. Taking the tale to the very end of the characters lives was very important. Paul French provides a very convincing case with ample documentation that gives you a sense of what life was like for the characters.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Tragic story of a brutal murder; hard not to be sad.