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

Sad

Would you listen to Midnight in Peking again? Why?

No, very rarely a repeat listener.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Sadness, a life interupted is always a sad and tragic moment. Those close to it can never recover.

What three words best describe Erik Singer’s voice?

Fit the mood

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

Peking - the Legation Quarter and how the foreign police had to work with the Chinese police.

Any additional comments?

This was an interesting story, and the author's description of the city, the spaces, and the people gives it a richness and brings the reader to the place, time and movements.

Fascinating

Tragic story set against the backdrop of pre war China. Colonial presences, international figures, Chinese history and traditions, British imperialism, murky figures and characters. If you like that kind of story this is for you.

Evocative

The historian author painstakingly reveals the details of a murder mystery in Peking just prior to the Japanese invasion. The book reveals the seamy side of the colonial/expat community. It describes a time in Chinese history I knew little about and appreciated becoming more familiar with.The description of the political climate of the time and the conquest of China by Japan adds urgency and interest to the tale as does the description of the unflagging devotion of the father, despite changing governments and armed conflicts to identify the murderer of his daughter.

midnight in Peking

Any additional comments?

I really liked this book. I was concerned because I had heard it was hard to heel for the murdered girl. I didnt feel that, I feel like the book was more about the men who tried to bring her justice, and I felt for these men. I dont feel like I really needed to identify with the victim. I identified with the flawed haunted father. Truth is really stranger than fiction. Well done.

A REAL detective - and historian

This is very interesting- Mr French researched so much - he actually solves this crime for Pamela and her father- never knew Peking is Beijing- maybe it willl come up on Jeopardy someday- very enjoyable

Doesn't go anywhere

I love history and hate fiction, it's just a waste of time, whoever when history / nonfiction is at it's best it reads like a novel, just without wizards and peoples goblins and all that nonsense. Anywho a good murder mystery, that is based on real events, in a setting like this should be a homerun, but it's not. The author uses way too much conjecture for the story to have much in terms of credibility. Also the account of the book is taken from the father who isn't exactly an unbiased arbitrator of the truth. You get scenarios that are based on nothing, just the author making up something, it's not based on police reports or anything, and you have the flat ending, which I won't get into as to not spoil the book. Finally you have the author making up dialog, which again is based on nothing.

In closing this book reads like fiction, but not in a good way, in a way where much of the content is made up since it's not based on anything - and the parts that are based on something come from an extremely biased source. The more I write this review, the more I look at my 3-star rating and think I need to lower it to 2-stars, however I think I'll keep it at 3 since I wasn't exactly bored during the book and I made it to the end without a problem. But getting to the end, that was based on there being a big ending, the big reveal, and there wasn't one. Had I know the ending of the book there is no way I would have sat through it.

On the positive side I guess is the setting. It gives you a very generic overview of the time and setting but really doesn't use the setting for much. There are interesting characters in the book, so that is good, however I do wonder how much flavor is made up, either by the author or by the source. Also the book moves mostly at a good pace, so again, I wasn't bored.

The reader does a good job, gives a professional reading. As always I listen to audiobooks at 1.25x speed since it knocked over an hour and half off the listening time while not affecting my ability to follow everything in the least. If you don't listen at 1.25x speed, you should, it can make really bad readers tolerable, and can make mediocre readers seemingly have more range while not really taking away anything except for time.

Enjoyed listening

Intriguing story. I enjoy non-fiction that reads like a novel. History and a mystery combined.

enthralling look into 1930s China

I am so glad Audible recommended this one! Loved it. The gruesome parts weren't gratuitous, there was just enough to tell the story. I appreciated that. The story is riveting! I looked up pictures of the streets and main character after it ended. It sucked me in.

Mesmerizing story

Where does Midnight in Peking rank among all the audiobooks you???ve listened to so far?

Midnight in Peking is a fascinating story about what was happening in Peking in the late 1930's and the story of a father's devotion to his daughter even in death. The horrible story of what happened to her possibly happened to others. Without his persistence, the killers would have gotten away with it. Because of his persistence, they had to stop their "sport" and disband. Wonderful story and mystery, but so sad because it was true.

Haunting, suspenseful

Would you listen to Midnight in Peking again? Why?

Yes. The story is set in Peking just before WWII erupts. The foreign community lives in an enclave that seems to attract or breed decadent westerners who think they are entitled to do whatever they want. The British embassy officials are more interested in preserving face and prestige than in seeing the brutal murder of a young British woman solve. The local Chinese police are corrupt, and protect the drug dealers, pimps and other low lifes in the "Badlands." The murdered girl's father, an irascible former British diplomat, won't give up and investigates how and why his daughter died. Meanwhile the tension mounts as the Japanese close in.

Who was your favorite character and why?

The father. He's a maverick, speaks his mind, which gets him in trouble. When his daughter is murdered persists in trying to solve the mystery of who murdered his daughter, in the face of ridicule, and danger from the British embassy, the local corrupt police, and the underworld.

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

No, but he's very good.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

When a young woman is murdered, her father risked it all to find her killers.