Murders of Old China Audiobook By Paul French cover art

Murders of Old China

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Murders of Old China

By: Paul French
Narrated by: Paul French
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One country rich in history, 12 unsolved murders. Reopening the archives on China’s long forgotten past.

Why did a remote police station, built to combat pirates, find itself at the centre of a murder-suicide after a constable went on the rampage? How did Chinese gangsters avoid conviction after serving a deadly dinner to Frenchtown’s elite? And why is the Foreign Office still withholding a key document to solving a murder that took place in the Gobi desert in 1935?

By delving deep into 12 of China’s most fascinating murder cases, Murders of Old China delivers a fast-paced journey through China’s early 20th-century history - including its criminal underbelly.

Uncovering previously unknown connections and exposing the lies, Paul French queries the verdict of some of China’s most controversial cases, interweaving true crime with China’s chaotic and complicated history of foreign occupation and Chinese rival factions.

An illuminating new perspective on China’s murder archives, perfect for fans of Peter Frankopan, Simon Sebag Montofiore and Simon Schama.

©2019 Paul French (P)2019 Audible, Ltd Asia China
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This is a special book that delves into 20th C Chinese legal history that involves murders of Chinese by westerners.

Special Reading for People interested in China

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Twelve individual stories in easy to digest chunks. Lots of focus on Shanghai and its large and varied ex-pat community but with some additional cases from Hong Kong, Yunnan, and other places. I wish there was an accompanying pdf because some of the cases I would have liked to google more on my own, but even with a basic knowledge of how Chinese words/names are translated into the Roman alphabet, I couldn't always catch the names and places. Someone with zero knowledge of Mandarin would have an even harder time.

Easy listening about early 20th Century China

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The China of today is connected to pre-Communist China by 百年耻辱, or the 100 years of humiliation. Stories of trials in the foreign legations and the disparities of justice meted out to foreigners of the time help round out understanding that history. This book neatly illustrates individual instances of that history in a succinct and entertaining fashion. The Murders of Old China stands as a testament as to how history can be relearned with greater understanding as to where all of us stand today. Excellent read and listen.

Excellent overview of justice in pre-WWII China

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The fan of true crime, the fan of Chinese history, and anyone who enjoys fun storytelling will enjoy "Murders of Old China." Paul French is firmly in his wheelhouse as he tells us about 12 murders in the late Qing Dynasty and the first half of the 20th century. It's just long enough to engage the listener without being so extensive that it causes the listener to look at the time code and wonder when this finishes. Highly recommended.

A delight for the ears and the mind

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