Skeleton God by Eliot Pattison is the most recent in his Inspector Shan Tao Yun series. Shan is now Constable of the remote Tibetan village of Yangkar. For the most part, Shan’s duties are mundane and boring. Boring, that is, until the day his tiny village is invaded by soldiers- led by a Public Security official named Jinhua- transporting Tibetans being taken for ‘reeducation’ who need a place to stay overnight. Then comes the report of a dead American whose body was found in the disturbed tomb of a holy lama, along with the body of a Chinese soldier who predeceased the American by decades. To all the residents of Yangkar, this area where the tomb was found, is considered forbidden and protected by terrible demons. Shan becomes determined to solve the mystery of the dead American, though to do so he must solve the mystery of the guardian demons, all without treading on the toes of proper government.

This was my first Inspector Shan story, and while it wasn’t what I initially expected, it was quite an enjoyable read. I went in thinking that it was set centuries earlier than it really was. I’m not normally a fan of Communist-era centred fiction. Getting a glimpse into Tibetan culture was great, especially since that’s what I was looking for with my prior expectations. Seeing it through this unique lens was at times so sad, especially reading about the desecrations of spiritual sites, and artifacts, and the utter destruction of some of these sites, and structures.

Shan was an interesting character. He has to tread such a careful line between what is expected of him as a ‘proper’ Chinese official, and his true self who is sympathetic to the Tibetans, and respectful of their culture. I admit, I was a little confused with his relationship to Colonel Tan, which seems at times extremely antagonistic, and at others companionable. I think that would clear up if I read the rest of the series in order! Aside from this relationship, though, other aspects of Shan’s life thus far are explained well enough that skipping the earlier books wasn’t detrimental at all.

I really liked Jinhua. He starts out as a sort of unlikable character, but that quickly changes. Given his position and rank, Jinhua becomes an invaluable ally for Shan. He seems so young and insecure at times, yet he’s very devoted to his values and is determined to avenge his deceased partner. What really made the story for me were the cast of native Tibetans- from Nyima, Dorchen, and young Lodi, to the feral family that Shan repeatedly helps. Of course, it is through them that we get the rich Tibetan culture that I so enjoyed.

***This book was reviewed for the San Francisco Book Review