The Emperor's Pearl

London: Heinemann, 1963. First Edition. First Impression. Octavo (19cm); blue paper covered boards titled in gilt on spine; illus.; map endpapers; dustjacket; 185pp. The rear board in slightly bowed; mild foxing to outer textblock; Very Good+. The dustjacket is unclipped (priced 13s 6d net) with faint foxing some scattered soil and light edgewear; Very Good+. Dustjacket and illustrations by the author. A Gong'an detective novel based on the real character of Judge Dee (Ti Jen-chieh or Di Renjie) who is attending the Dragon Boat races accompanied by his three ladies. The sudden death of a young student crewing one of the boats turns out to be deliberate murder. Throw in an apparently cursed Imperial treasure and a perverted madman and the Judge has his hands full. Tenth book in the Judge Dee series of historical mysteries. HUBIN, p.415; BARZUN 2126.