Inspector O

Inspector O is the protagonist of James Church's spy fiction series set in North Korea. A reluctant detective in Pyongyang, he solves crimes while dodging political dangers across six novels.

Inspector O is the main character of James Church’s spy fiction series set in North Korea. He works as a detective in Pyongyang’s Ministry of People’s Security, though he has little enthusiasm for the job. His real passion is woodworking, and he’d happily spend his days in his shop if his superiors would leave him alone.

What makes O interesting is the impossible position he occupies. He is good enough at his job to be useful, which means he keeps getting assigned to cases that are politically dangerous. Solving the crime is only half the problem; the other half is figuring out which powerful people want the case solved and which ones want it buried.

Across six novels, O works cases that take him from the streets of Pyongyang to China, Europe, and beyond. You can follow his full story in the Inspector O series reading order.

Reading Order

See the complete Inspector O reading order for all books in the series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Inspector O?

Inspector O is a fictional North Korean detective created by James Church. He works in Pyongyang’s Ministry of People’s Security and would rather be doing woodworking than investigating crimes, but he keeps getting assigned to politically sensitive cases that put him in danger.

What books is Inspector O in?

Inspector O appears in all six books of the Inspector O series by James Church, starting with A Corpse in the Koryo (2006) and ending with The Gentleman from Japan (2016).

What makes Inspector O different from other fictional detectives?

Inspector O is one of the very few fictional detectives set in North Korea. Unlike most mystery protagonists, he has to solve cases while also surviving a totalitarian political system where his investigations can easily get him killed or sent to a labor camp.

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