Qiu Xiaolong Reading Order

3 books (2003–2015)

Qiu Xiaolong edited three complete anthologies between 2003 and 2015, spanning poetry translations and international flash fiction. These collections should be read in publication order, beginning with Treasury of Chinese Love Poems. The series concludes with Flash Fiction International and includes the poetry collection Evoking Tang. Each anthology represents distinct literary curations that showcase translated and international works across genres including mystery and literary fiction.

Start with Treasury of Chinese Love Poems and read in order.

#	Title
1	Treasury of Chinese Love Poems 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Evoking Tang 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Flash Fiction International 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

15 books (2000–2026)

The Inspector Chen series comprises 14 mystery novels written by Qiu Xiaolong, beginning with Death of a Red Heroine in 2000 and continuing through 2026. This ongoing series should be read in publication order to follow the detective's development across the interconnected cases. Blending mystery and literary fiction, the novels track Inspector Chen's investigations against the backdrop of contemporary China.

Start with Death of a Red Heroine, the first of 14 books in the Inspector Chen series.

#	Title
1	Death of a Red Heroine 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	A Loyal Character Dancer 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	When Red is Black 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	A Case of Two Cities 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Red Mandarin Dress 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Mao Case 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Don't Cry, Tai Lake 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Enigma of China 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Shanghai Redemption 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Hold Your Breath, China 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Becoming Inspector Chen 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Inspector Chen and the Private Kitchen Murder 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Love and Murder in the Time of Covid 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	The Secret Sharers 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Secret Sharers(With: Xiaolong Qiu) 2026Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2016–2018)

This two-book mystery series by Qiu Xiaolong was completed between 2016 and 2018. The books should be read in publication order, beginning with Poems of Inspector Chen followed by Inspector Chen and Me. Combining elements of mystery, thriller, and literary fiction, this collection offers a complete narrative arc across both installments.

Start with Poems of Inspector Chen and read in order.

#	Title
1	Poems of Inspector Chen 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Inspector Chen and Me 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2022–2024)

Qiu Xiaolong's Judge Dee Investigation series is an ongoing mystery collection featuring two novels published between 2022 and 2024. Readers should follow the books in publication order, beginning with The Shadow of the Empire, as the series continues to expand. This literary mystery series blends classic detective fiction with contemporary storytelling in Xiaolong's signature style.

Start with The Shadow of the Empire and read in order.

2 books (2003–2006)

Qiu Xiaolong's two-book poetry collection series spans from 2003 to 2006 and is now complete. These works should be read in publication order, beginning with Classic Chinese Love Poems followed by Poems of Tang and Song Dynasties. The series offers literary exploration through verse, complementing the author's better-known work in mystery and thriller fiction.

Start with Classic Chinese Love Poems and read in order.

#	Title
1	Classic Chinese Love Poems 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Poems of Tang and Song Dynasties 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2003–2012)

Qiu Xiaolong's completed collection of three short story books spans from 2003 to 2012 and should be read in publication order beginning with Lines Around China. The series combines mystery and thriller elements with literary fiction across these interconnected volumes: Lines Around China, Years of Red Dust, and Disappearing Shanghai: Photographs and Poems of an Intimate Way of Life.

Start with Lines Around China and read in order.

#	Title
1	Lines Around China 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Years of Red Dust 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Disappearing Shanghai: Photographs and Poems of an Intimate Way of Life 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible