📖 About Inspector Chen

Inspector Chen is a series universe written by Qiu Xiaolong. The complete collection runs to 17 books across 3 series, published between 2000 and 2024.

The main series is Publication Order of Inspector Chen Books with 13 books. It opens with Death of a Red Heroine (2000) and currently runs to Love and Murder in the Time of Covid (2023).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with Inspector Chen

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: Death of a Red Heroine (2000), book 1 of Publication Order of Inspector Chen Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 3 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 Inspector Chen Books in Order

Publication Order of Inspector Chen Books
13 books
1
Death of a Red Heroine book cover1Death of a Red Heroine2000Buy on Amazon
A Loyal Character Dancer book cover2A Loyal Character Dancer2002Buy on Amazon
When Red is Black book cover3When Red is Black2004Buy on Amazon
A Case of Two Cities book cover4A Case of Two Cities2006Buy on Amazon
Red Mandarin Dress book cover5Red Mandarin Dress2007Buy on Amazon
The Mao Case book cover6The Mao Case2009Buy on Amazon
Don't Cry, Tai Lake book cover7Don't Cry, Tai Lake2012Buy on Amazon
Enigma of China book cover8Enigma of China2013Buy on Amazon
Shanghai Redemption book cover9Shanghai Redemption2014Buy on Amazon
Hold Your Breath, China book cover10Hold Your Breath, China2020Buy on Amazon
Becoming Inspector Chen book cover11Becoming Inspector Chen2021Buy on Amazon
Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder book cover12Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder2021Buy on Amazon
Love and Murder in the Time of Covid book cover13Love and Murder in the Time of Covid2023Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Inspector Chen Collections
2 books
2
Poems of Inspector Chen book cover1Poems of Inspector Chen2016Buy on Amazon
Inspector Chen and Me book cover2Inspector Chen and Me2018Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Judge Dee Investigation Books
2 books
3
The Shadow of the Empire book cover1The Shadow of the Empire2022Buy on Amazon
The Conspiracies of the Empire book cover2The Conspiracies of the Empire2024Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many Inspector Chen books are there?
There are 17 books in the Inspector Chen collection, organised into 3 series and published between 2000 and 2024.
What is the first Inspector Chen book?
The first book is Death of a Red Heroine, published in 2000.
What order should I read the Inspector Chen books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the Inspector Chen books?
The Inspector Chen books were written by Qiu Xiaolong.
Is the Inspector Chen series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of Inspector Chen Books, has 13 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the Inspector Chen series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 2000, and the most recent in 2024.