 First edition | |
| Author | Robert van Gulik |
|---|---|
| Series | Judge Dee |
| Genre | Gong'an fiction,Mystery,Detective novel,Crime |
| Published | Heinemann Press |
Publication date | 1965 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 183 pp |
| OCLC | 310157995 |
| 823/.914 20 | |
| LC Class | PR9130.9.G8 W55 1993 |
| Preceded by | The Monkey and the Tiger |
| Followed by | Murder in Canton |
The Willow Pattern is agong'andetective novel written byRobert van Gulik and set inImperial China (roughly speaking theTang dynasty). It is a fiction based on the real character ofJudge Dee (Ti Jen-chieh or Di Renjie), amagistrate andstatesman of theTang court, who lived roughly 630–700.
As the author says in a postscript, the use of theWillow Pattern as a motif in the book was a consciousanachronism. The book features 15 illustrations by the author.
Judge Dee is now a senior member of the Chinese government and has been appointed the Chief Judge in the Tang capital ofChang-An. One of the city's oldest, and most important aristocratic families becomes the subject of investigation. Three murders are committed and Judge Dee must find the connection.
"The opening scene carries out thein medias res advice: a beautiful young girl in dishabille is arranging an old man's corpse to look like accidental death. The next brings on Judge Dee, in his usual philosophizing mood and flanked by the faithful Chiao Tai as they discuss the plague-stricken, half-deserted city. In the heat of summer, Dee has to discover the motive and agent of three murders, each separate but also related. Typically good Van Gulik".[1]
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