Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flower Net | 1997 | Lisa See | Buy |
| 2 | The Interior | 1999 | Lisa See | Buy |
| 3 | Dragon Bones | 2002 | Lisa See | Buy |
The Red Princess series by Lisa See is a mystery trilogy that follows Liu Hulan, a Chinese detective, and David Stark, an American attorney. Flower Net (1997) introduces the pair as they investigate a murder that connects Beijing and Los Angeles. The Interior (1999) takes Hulan into rural China to investigate the death of a worker at an American-owned factory, and Dragon Bones (2002) involves archaeological discoveries along the Yangtze River.
The series uses the mystery format to explore contemporary Chinese society, government corruption, and the tensions between modernization and tradition. See’s detailed knowledge of Chinese culture and politics gives the books an authenticity that distinguishes them from typical international thrillers.