A best seller in China, this first-class procedural offers an intriguing setting and exquisite portrait of a modern country grappling with its past. The smooth translation renders the narrative well. Both fans of Qiu Xiaolong's "Inspector Chen" mysteries and Sinophiles will want to add this social crime novel to their reading lists.
— Library Journal(USA)

Rooting contemporary crimes in government-sanctioned corruption is nothing new for American writers, but Ying's tale marks something new and welcome in Chinese fiction.
— Kirkus Reviews(USA)

★ Translation rights have been successfully sold to Vietnam and the United States, and a traditional Chinese edition has been published in Taiwan. The English edition was previously published by St. Martin's Press in the US—the same house that published Keigo Higashino's "The Devotion of Suspect X"!
★ The author, Song Ying, is a leading figure in Chinese social mystery fiction, he pioneered the social mystery genre in China.
★ This book was selected for the "Best Mystery & Thriller of 2016" list by the US "Library Journal". Song Ying is the only Chinese author to date to have been included on this prestigious list! It was also praised by"Kirkus Reviews" as "something new and welcome in Chinese fiction"!
★ The original Chinese edition created a publishing sensation, with coverage by over a hundred Chinese media outlets and serialization in several major newspapers lasting for seven months!
★ In pursuit of authenticity, the author immersed himself in a Chinese police department for several months to experience life there. This meticulous attention to detail lends convincing realism to the investigative procedures and logical deductions in the story. The narrative opens with two intricately planned contemporary murders of wealthy magnates, cleverly unraveling a collective tragedy buried for 28 years. The dual-timeline plot is masterfully woven, brimming with suspense!
★ This is more than just a tale of revenge; it is a profound exploration of historical trauma, the crime of silence, and personal redemption. If you appreciate the works of Japanese social mystery master Seicho Matsumoto, you should not miss this "Chinese version of 'The Castle of Sand'"!
★ English translation samples available.

Song Ying

A National Class-A Writer in China and a pivotal pioneer of Chinese social mystery fiction, he is respected for the rigorousness of his craft and his profound insight into society and history.
He is the author of six full-length novels, including "Apricot's Revenge" "The White Giant Tower" and "The White Fog" ,his works have won numerous national awards.
His representative work "Apricot's Revenge",is widely recognized as "China's first social mystery novel". Its international achievements are particularly notable: the English edition was published by the globally renowned St. Martin’s Press and was selected for the Library Journal's "Best Mystery & Thriller of 2016" list. Song Ying is the first and, to date, the only Chinese author to receive this international honor, which fully demonstrates the transcendent narrative power and literary value of his work across cultures and borders.

Prologue
Chapter 1: Mist over Xiaomeisha
Chapter 2: Dihao Mansion
Chapter 3: The Three Beneficiaries
Chapter 4: "Alibi"
Chapter 5: The New Leader
Chapter 6: Blurred Shadows of Flowers
Chapter 7: The Second Victim
Chapter 8: The Tip of the Iceberg
Chapter 9: Fire! Fire! Fire!
Chapter 10: Reconstructing the Scene
Chapter 11: The Melancholy Sound of a Zither
Chapter 12: Death on Blue Sparrow Ridge
Epilogue
Postscript