THE INSPECTOR CHEN MYSTERIES: A CASE OF THE TWO CITIES

On December 15, 2015, BBC Radio broadcast the first of ten episodes of The Inspector Chen Mysteries, beginning with Qui Xiaolong's Anthony Ward-winning novel Death of a Red Heroine.  The fourth episode of the radio series featured the fourth novel in the series, 2006's A Case of the Two Cities.  (For some reason, the internet was very reluctant to give me an air date for this episode, and I was too lazy to spend more than fifteen minutes trying to find it,  C'est la vie.)

Inspector Chen Cao is a poetry-spouting member of the Police Bureau in Shanghai of the 1960s.  Qui's 13 novels about Chen have proven to be very popular.  The books and radio program offer a fascinating look both old and new Shanghai.  Actor Jamie Zubeiri plays Chen in all ten BBC episodes.  The series was directed by David Hunter (who directed this episode) and Toby Swift,  This episode was dramatized by John Harvey, himself the author of the highly popular Charlie Resnick mystery novels.

In this episode, "The head of the Shanghai anti-corruption squad is found dead in compromising circumstances.  Inspector Chen is drafted in as 'Special Envoy to the Emperor with an Imperial Sword.' "

Enjoy this unusual mystery.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rayGb-A7Hbc&list=PLRgmctpa6b8RG1IYyMuFw1Mqow6uPvs-h&index=4