Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An) cover art

Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An)

An Authentic 18th-Century Chinese Detective Novel

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Celebrated Cases of Judge Dee (Dee Goong An)

By: Robert van Gulik
Narrated by: Mark Bramhall, Stefan Rudnicki, Lorna Raver, Yuri Rasovsky
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About this listen

 Long before Western writers had even conceived the idea of writing detective stories, the Chinese had developed a long tradition of literary works that chronicled the cases of important district magistrates. One of the most celebrated of these was Judge Dee, who lived in the seventh century.

This book, written anonymously in the 18th century, interweaves three of Judge Dee's most baffling cases: a double murder among traveling merchants, the fatal poisoning of a bride on her wedding night, and the suspicious death of a shop keeper with a beautiful wife.

The crimes take him up and down the great silk routes, into ancient graveyards where he consults the spirits of the dead, and through all levels of society, leading him to some brilliant detective work.

Public Domain (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Classics Historical Mystery Crime Fiction Detective Chinese Mystery
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Definitely worth a listen. This collection on intertwined stories is well read and very entertaining

Excellent study of Judge Dee. recommended

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The story/stories is very much a typical Judge Dee classic. It might be helpful if readers/listeners understand that the setting of the story is several hundred years ago and that the Chinese legal system of that period generally required confessions and put little or no restrictions on how confessions were obtained. The stories are not detective stories as we have become accustomed, nor are they whodunnits, they are more about tactics.

I read a lot of these stories many years ago but this is my first audio version. The accents and voices in this example are not great and the performances were wooden and lacking any nuance or subtlety.

Of its time and period

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Very clever, and an accurate depiction of traditional Chinese social, legal and judicial practices. All bound up in three intriguing cases.

Excellent

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extremely profound and amazing. loved it. characters are not balnd and tasteless as they are in agatha Christie or Doyle. this is a glimpse into a culture where science and mystical is intermingled to astonishing extent. great voice too.

judge Dee

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judge dee books are a great read. They capture a China echoes of which can still be seen today.

Great book great narration.

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