One of the weirder detective novels I have read. It is published by an academic/scientific publisher because it is a scholarly translation of detective stories written in the 18th century about a historical figure from the 7th century.

Let’s just say that Judge Dee does a lot of unconventional things to solve the cases in relation to other detective stories. And then there is a very good essay at the end of the book explaining how the justice system worked in China at the time the stories are set, and then it at all kind of makes sense.

(anybody who likes weird detective fiction should send me their recommendations in the comments…)