Inspector Chen Novels Drama]

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

A Loyal Character Dancer

20151212

20180407 (R4)

Shanghai, early 1990s. A badly mutilated body turns up in Shanghai's Bund Park. It bears all the hallmarks of a triad killing.

Then former dancer and party loyalist Wen Liping vanishes in rural China just before she was to leave the country. Her husband, a key witness against a smuggling ring suspected of importing aliens to the US, refuses to testify until she is found and brought to join him in America.

The US immigration agency, convinced that the Chinese government are hiding something, send US Marshal Catherine Rohn to Shanghai to join the investigation.

Inspector Chen, an astute young policeman with twin passions for food and poetry, is under political pressure to find answers fast. When Catherine Rohn joins him he must tread very carefully.

Written by Qiu Xiaolong and dramatised by John Harvey

Starring Jamie Zubairi as Inspector Chen.

Chen - Jamie Zubairi

Yu - Dan Li

Catherine Rohn - Pippa Bennett-Warner

Party Secretary Li - Daniel York

Peiqin - Sarah Lam

Wen Liping - Liz Sutherland

Old Hunter - David Hounslow

Qian - Caolan McCarthy

Lihua - Sam Dale

Qiao - Debra Baker

Liu - Chris Pavlo

Director: David Hunter

Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai, China. As well as writing the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, he is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He lives in St. Louis, USA with his wife and daughter.

1990s Shanghai crime drama. Chen pursues a Triad killing and a missing character dancer.

Death Of A Red Heroine

20151205

Shanghai, May 1990. The body of a national model worker is found in Baili Canal. So begins the first of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels. Poet and translator turned detective Chen Cao now heads the Special Case Squad, an assignment that brings political scrutiny with every move. Dramatised by Joy Wilkinson.

Dramatisations of the second and third books in the Inspector Chen series, A Loyal Character Dance and When Red is Black, will follow.

'Death Of A Red Heroine grabbed my imagination, took me on a slowly, intricately built journey that nevertheless felt sexy and slick, and kept me turning the pages deep into the night . . . A refreshingly brave exploration into political China, woven around a tense thriller...'

Huffington Post.

Crime drama set in 1990s Shanghai. The first case for Qiu Xiaolong's poet detective.

Don't Cry, Tai Lake

20180512

20190818 (R4)

Poet and gourmand Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau returns in another drama based on Qiu Xiaolong's crime novels. Chen's lakeside holiday is interrupted by the violent death of the boss of the Wuxi Number One Chemical Company. Will his blossoming relationship with a young environmental engineer compromise his covert investigation? Dramatised by Joy Wilkinson.

Song composed by Neil Brand

Don't Cry, Tai Lake' is the seventh of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 10 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1m copies and been translated into 20 languages.

Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph.

A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer.

Crime drama set in modern China. The director of a chemical company has been murdered.

Enigma Of China

20180519

20190901 (R4)

Poet and gourmand, Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau is called in to oversee the investigation into the death of the Director of The Shanghai Development Committee while under house arrest. He has to negotiate the power of the Party, an internet campaign and a new potential romance. Dramatised by John Harvey.

Director: David Hunter

Enigma of China' is the eighth of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1million copies and been translated into 20 languages.

Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph

A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer.

Crime drama set in modern China. The Shanghai Development Committee director is dead.

Hold Your Breath, China

20190811

20190817 (R4)

by Qiu Xiaolong dramatised by Joy Wilkinson

Inspector Chen has fallen from the Party's grace thanks to his anti-corruption investigations but he is back on the case when a serial murderer is on the loose in the ever-thickening smog of Shanghai.

Chief Inspector Chen - Jamie Zubairi

Detective Yu - Dan Li

Detective Qin - Liz Sutherland-Lim

Lou/Huang - Andrew Leung

Shanshan - Rebecca Boey

Zhao - David Hounslow

Qiang - Sean Baker

Bian - Chris Pavlo

Bei - Kenny Blyth

Neighbour - Debbie Korley

Director: David Hunter

HOLD YOUR BREATH, CHINA is the 10th of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1 million copies and have been translated into 20 languages.

Crime drama set in modern China. Inspector Chen investigates seemingly unconnected murders

Shanghai Redemption

20180526

Inspector Chen finds himself 'promoted' sideways from the Shanghai Police Bureau before narrowly escaping a night-club trap and exposing a web of financial and sexual corruption. Dramatised by John Harvey.

Director: David Hunter

Shanghai Redemption' is the 9th of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 20 langauges.

Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph

A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer.

Crime drama set in modern China. Inspector Chen once again pitted against the system.

When Red Is Black

20151219

20191020 (R4)

Inspector Chen: When Red is Black

by Qiu Xiaolong

dramatised by John Harvey

Crime drama set in early 1990s Shanghai. When Chen agrees to do a translation job for a property developer he is given a laptop, a 'little secretary' to provide for his every need, and medical care for his mother. There are, it seems, no strings attached . . . and then the murder of a dissident writer is reported.

Inspector Chen - Jamie Zubairi

Detective Yu - Dan Li

Peiqin - Sarah Lam

Gu - Ewen Bailey

Old Liang - Gerard McDermott

Party Secretary Li - Daniel York

Huang - Richard Pepple

Lanlan - Tina Chiang

Qiao Ming - Chris Pavlo

Peng - Debra Baker

White Cloud - Elizabeth Chan

Jia - George Watkins

Boa Hung - Leo Wan

Director: David Hunter

The third dramatisation in the Inspector Chen series, following on from Death of a Red Heroine & A Loyal Character Dancer.

When the murder of a dissident writer is reported Sergeant Yu is forced to take charge of the investigation. The victim, a middle-aged teacher with a dissident past and a book notorious in the West, has been found dead in her tiny room in a converted multi-family house. It is only when Chen, on leave to complete a lucrative translation project gets involved, and the past excavated, that the murderer is eventually found.

Crime drama set in 1990s Shanghai. Chen investigates the murder of a dissident writer.

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
A Loyal Character Dancer	20151212	20180407 (R4)	Shanghai, early 1990s. A badly mutilated body turns up in Shanghai's Bund Park. It bears all the hallmarks of a triad killing. Then former dancer and party loyalist Wen Liping vanishes in rural China just before she was to leave the country. Her husband, a key witness against a smuggling ring suspected of importing aliens to the US, refuses to testify until she is found and brought to join him in America. The US immigration agency, convinced that the Chinese government are hiding something, send US Marshal Catherine Rohn to Shanghai to join the investigation. Inspector Chen, an astute young policeman with twin passions for food and poetry, is under political pressure to find answers fast. When Catherine Rohn joins him he must tread very carefully. Written by Qiu Xiaolong and dramatised by John Harvey Starring Jamie Zubairi as Inspector Chen. Chen - Jamie Zubairi Yu - Dan Li Catherine Rohn - Pippa Bennett-Warner Party Secretary Li - Daniel York Peiqin - Sarah Lam Wen Liping - Liz Sutherland Old Hunter - David Hounslow Qian - Caolan McCarthy Lihua - Sam Dale Qiao - Debra Baker Liu - Chris Pavlo Director: David Hunter Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai, China. As well as writing the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, he is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He lives in St. Louis, USA with his wife and daughter. 1990s Shanghai crime drama. Chen pursues a Triad killing and a missing character dancer.
Death Of A Red Heroine	20151205		Shanghai, May 1990. The body of a national model worker is found in Baili Canal. So begins the first of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels. Poet and translator turned detective Chen Cao now heads the Special Case Squad, an assignment that brings political scrutiny with every move. Dramatised by Joy Wilkinson. Dramatisations of the second and third books in the Inspector Chen series, A Loyal Character Dance and When Red is Black, will follow. Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai, China. As well as writing the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, he is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He lives in St. Louis, USA with his wife and daughter. 'Death Of A Red Heroine grabbed my imagination, took me on a slowly, intricately built journey that nevertheless felt sexy and slick, and kept me turning the pages deep into the night . . . A refreshingly brave exploration into political China, woven around a tense thriller...' Huffington Post. Crime drama set in 1990s Shanghai. The first case for Qiu Xiaolong's poet detective.
Don't Cry, Tai Lake	20180512	20190818 (R4)	Poet and gourmand Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau returns in another drama based on Qiu Xiaolong's crime novels. Chen's lakeside holiday is interrupted by the violent death of the boss of the Wuxi Number One Chemical Company. Will his blossoming relationship with a young environmental engineer compromise his covert investigation? Dramatised by Joy Wilkinson. Song composed by Neil Brand Don't Cry, Tai Lake' is the seventh of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 10 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1m copies and been translated into 20 languages. Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph. A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer. Crime drama set in modern China. The director of a chemical company has been murdered.
Enigma Of China	20180519	20190901 (R4)	Poet and gourmand, Inspector Chen of the Shanghai Police Bureau is called in to oversee the investigation into the death of the Director of The Shanghai Development Committee while under house arrest. He has to negotiate the power of the Party, an internet campaign and a new potential romance. Dramatised by John Harvey. Director: David Hunter Enigma of China' is the eighth of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1million copies and been translated into 20 languages. Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer. Crime drama set in modern China. The Shanghai Development Committee director is dead.
Hold Your Breath, China	20190811	20190817 (R4)	by Qiu Xiaolong dramatised by Joy Wilkinson Inspector Chen has fallen from the Party's grace thanks to his anti-corruption investigations but he is back on the case when a serial murderer is on the loose in the ever-thickening smog of Shanghai. Chief Inspector Chen - Jamie Zubairi Detective Yu - Dan Li Detective Qin - Liz Sutherland-Lim Lou/Huang - Andrew Leung Shanshan - Rebecca Boey Zhao - David Hounslow Qiang - Sean Baker Bian - Chris Pavlo Bei - Kenny Blyth Neighbour - Debbie Korley Director: David Hunter HOLD YOUR BREATH, CHINA is the 10th of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1 million copies and have been translated into 20 languages. Crime drama set in modern China. Inspector Chen investigates seemingly unconnected murders
Shanghai Redemption	20180526		Inspector Chen finds himself 'promoted' sideways from the Shanghai Police Bureau before narrowly escaping a night-club trap and exposing a web of financial and sexual corruption. Dramatised by John Harvey. Director: David Hunter Shanghai Redemption' is the 9th of Qiu Xiaolong's Inspector Chen novels, all 9 of which have been dramatised for BBC Radio 4. They have sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 20 langauges. Witty and thrilling' The Daily Telegraph A welcome alternative to Scandi-noir' The Observer. Crime drama set in modern China. Inspector Chen once again pitted against the system.
When Red Is Black	20151219	20191020 (R4)	Inspector Chen: When Red is Black by Qiu Xiaolong dramatised by John Harvey Crime drama set in early 1990s Shanghai. When Chen agrees to do a translation job for a property developer he is given a laptop, a 'little secretary' to provide for his every need, and medical care for his mother. There are, it seems, no strings attached . . . and then the murder of a dissident writer is reported. Inspector Chen - Jamie Zubairi Detective Yu - Dan Li Peiqin - Sarah Lam Gu - Ewen Bailey Old Liang - Gerard McDermott Party Secretary Li - Daniel York Huang - Richard Pepple Lanlan - Tina Chiang Qiao Ming - Chris Pavlo Peng - Debra Baker White Cloud - Elizabeth Chan Jia - George Watkins Boa Hung - Leo Wan Director: David Hunter The third dramatisation in the Inspector Chen series, following on from Death of a Red Heroine & A Loyal Character Dancer. When the murder of a dissident writer is reported Sergeant Yu is forced to take charge of the investigation. The victim, a middle-aged teacher with a dissident past and a book notorious in the West, has been found dead in her tiny room in a converted multi-family house. It is only when Chen, on leave to complete a lucrative translation project gets involved, and the past excavated, that the murderer is eventually found. Qiu Xiaolong was born in Shanghai, China. As well as writing the award-winning Inspector Chen series of mystery novels, he is also the author of two books of poetry translations, Treasury of Chinese Love Poems (2003) and Evoking T'ang (2007), and his own poetry collection, Lines Around China (2003). Qiu's books have sold over a million copies and have been published in twenty languages. He lives in St. Louis, USA with his wife and daughter. Crime drama set in 1990s Shanghai. Chen investigates the murder of a dissident writer.