Qiu Xiaolong Books in Order

This reading order guide provides a complete list of Qiu Xiaolong books in order, from the first to the latest, and is always kept updated so you won’t miss anything!

About Qiu Xiaolong

Qiu Xiaolong is a well-known writer who was born in 1953 in Shanghai, China. Today, he lives in the United States and writes popular crime novels in English. He is most famous for the Detective Chen series, a group of mystery books set in modern-day Shanghai. These books show life in China and also mix exciting detective stories with poetry, history, and politics. Qiu is not only a novelist—he is also a poet, translator, and teacher. For example, he has translated many beautiful Chinese poems into English and published them in a book called Treasury of Chinese Love Poems.

Qiu first came to the United States in 1988 to study and write about the famous poet T.S. Eliot. But after the events in Tiananmen Square in 1989, he decided it was safer not to return to China. He stayed in the U.S. with his family and made a home in St. Louis, Missouri. There, he taught at the University of Missouri and continued writing. His wife’s name is Wang Lijun, and they have a daughter named Julia.

Qiu Xiaolong’s books are special because they bring together Chinese culture and American-style detective stories. Through Detective Chen, readers learn not only about crime but also about daily life, food, traditions, and the political system in China. His writing style is simple, thoughtful, and full of detail. Many of his books have been turned into radio dramas in the UK. He writes in English, but his stories are rich with Chinese feeling and ideas.

Whether you enjoy mystery, Chinese culture, or poetic writing, Qiu Xiaolong’s books offer something unique. He is a writer who builds bridges—between East and West, between past and present, and between poetry and crime fiction. That is why so many readers around the world continue to enjoy his work.