Spring Is in the Air: Death of A Red Heroine by Qiu Xiaolong

Our next book follows the story of Chief Inspector Chen—a former poet, a translator of T.S. Eliot, and the symbol of new capitalist ideals—who is assigned by the government to work at the Shanghai Police Bureau. There, he is tasked with investigating the murder of Guan Hongying, a National Model Worker and the epitome of old-guard socialism. The push and pull of both Guan and Chen’s ideological differences, as well as Chen’s moral struggles as he tries to be honest while also remaining loyal to the reigning political party, come together to create a rich examination of the complex societal, political, and economic forces that still exist within China today.