The Corpse Reader

Description

As the months went by, Ci learned to tell the differences between accidental wounds and those brought about in an attempt to kill; among the incisions made by hatchets and daggers, kitchen knives, machetes and swords; between a murder and a suicide. Ci, a young scholar-turned-gravedigger in medieval China, has survived enough horrors and pain to last several lifetimes. He finally has the chance to return to his studies-only to receive orders from the Imperial Court to find the sadistic perpetrator of a series of brutal murders. With lives in jeopardy, Ci finds his gruesome investigation complicated by his old loyalties-and by his growing desire for the enigmatic beauty haunting his thoughts. Is he skilled enough to track down the murderer? Or will the killer claim him first?

A native of Spain, a former educator, and industrial engineer, Antonio Garrido has received acclaim for the darkly compelling storytelling and nuanced historical details that shape his novel The Corpse Reader. This fictionalized account of the early life of Song Ci, the Chinese founding father of forensic science, represents the author's years of research into cultural, social, legal, and political aspects of life in the Tsong Dynasty, as well as his extensive study of Song Ci's own five-volume treatise on forensics. In 2012, The Corpse Reader received the Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain (Premio Internacional de Novela Historica Ciudad de Zaragoza). Antonio's previous novel, La Escriba, was published in 2008. Garrido currently resides in Valencia, Spain.

"An engrossing mystery...this Chinese version of Sherlock Holmes is a captivating figure and the period he lives in is one we know relatively little about. You'll come away with a much better understanding of Chinese history, plus having read a very entertaining suspense story." -ILoveaMysteryNewsletter.Com "A refreshing break from the urban-noir fetish that is so common in conventional thrillers and crime books. It's a great novel to add to a summer reading list." -ArsTechnica.Com "Antonio Garrido's The Corpse Reader deserves to be called epic. It also deserves a space on the list of great adventure novels right next to Jerzy Kosinki's The Painted Bird and Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." -HorrorTalk.Com "Garrido has created well-developed and three-dimensional characters amongst the exotic backdrop of medieval China...I enjoyed The Corpse Reader and would recommend it to fans of forensic science dramas." -Surrounded by Books "A dynamic, thought-provoking historical suspense with a diverse plot and stunning characterization...I was engaged in the story from the first page and could not put it down." -FreshFiction.Com "This historical thriller is drawing comparisons to The Hangman's Daughter for its absorbing details of another time and received the Zaragoza International Prize for best historical novel published in Spain in 2012." -Historical Boys "This novel is exceptional in so many different ways... If you are into forensic sciences, this is a must read... History buffs...Also a must-read for those who enjoy a good forensic science suspense thriller, this will easily fulfill your interests. Highly Recommended!" -Book Reader's Heaven "If you'd like to know more about what life in China was really like during the Song Dynasty, if you find forensics interesting...then you should check out The Corpse Reader." -GeekSmash.Com