Midnight in Peking is a gripping true murder mystery by Paul French

THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER - AS HEARD ON BBC RADIO 4

'A first-rate murder story, a thrilling narrative. Hurtles along from one cliffhanger to the next' Spectator

Peking, 1937:

The teenage daughter of a British consul is brutally slaughtered. The police investigation is botched; as war looms British and Chinese authorities close ranks. A grieving father vows to uncover the truth - alone.

Seventy-five years later, historian Paul French uncovers a stash of forgotten documents revealing the killer's identity . . .

For those who loved The Suspicions of Mr Whicher and Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil this is a riveting and evocative true crime classic.

'Gripping, spellbinding . . . drawing the reader from the very first pages into an unwholesome, macabre world' Guardian

'Part historical docudrama, part tragic opera . . . it is French's enormous achievement that he pieces together the puzzle. He tells this tale with the skill of an Agatha Christie' Financial Times

'Fascinating and irresistible. I couldn't put it down'
John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

'Vivid, pulsating, riveting. It is the storytelling flair that marks Midnight in Peking so highly: with its false leads and twists . . . it sucks the reader in like the best fiction' Scotsman

Born in London, Paul French has lived in China for more than 10 years. He is a widely published analyst and commentator on China; his books include a history of North Korea, a biography of Shanghai adman and adventurer Carl Crow, and a history of foreign correspondents in China.

About the Author
Born in London, Paul French has lived in China for more than 10 years. He is a widely published analyst and commentator on China; his books include a history of North Korea, a biography of Shanghai adman and adventurer Carl Crow, and a history of foreign correspondents in China.

Reviews
An instant true crime classic. Grips from the first page to the last -- David Peace, author of Red Riding and The Damned United
Fascinating and irresistible. I couldn't put it down -- John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Written in the style of a gripping murder mystery, but all the facts are true -- Kirsty Lang * BBC Radio 4 (Book of the Week) *
Engrossing true crime whodunnit... A terrific read -- Andrew Holgate * Sunday Times *
Not only does Mr French succeed in solving the crime, he resurrects a period that was filled with glitter as well as evil * The Economist *
French has an easygoing prose style... well chosen quotes bring a new vigour and crispness... [He] succeeds in giving voice to a tragic quest for justice * Sunday Telegraph *
It is the storytelling flair that marks Midnight in Peking so highly above the run-of-the-mill true crime stories: with its false leads and twists, it sucks the reader in like the best fiction * The Scotsman *
The shocking true tale, combined with prose you can't drag yourself away from, makes Midnight in Peking a work of non fiction as compulsive as any bestselling crime novel. It also brings justice at last for a young woman whose murder nearly went unsolved * Sunday Express *
Terrific, engrossing ... a gruesome tale of a hitherto forgotten case, and of the sheer tenacity of a grieving father -- Caroline Sanderson * The Bookseller *


Awards
Winner of CWA Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction 2013.



Book Information
ISBN 9780241957172
Author Paul French
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 202g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 128mm * 16mm