Gunpoint

Name: Gunpoint
ISBN: 9787543861572

Xu DahuiJun 2023

3.5

Word count: 186K words
Chapters: 12
ISBN: 9787543861572

Report an error Find this book

Summary

A foreign businessman, Somchai, is suddenly killed in the street with a police firearm, a death that links back to the loss of a gun by a procuratorate officer years earlier. Romantic, financial, or revenge motives—for a time it is hard to tell. Detectives making their rounds discover something strange: before his death, Somchai had been searching for something on White Wolf Mountain with a detector. Sixty years ago, Japanese military policeman Isamu Inoue buried gold that had not yet been shipped away beneath a temple, and sixty years later a bizarre and bloody case arises from it. A twisting and mysterious tale of suspense, the secret of buried gold, human greed, and a life-and-death struggle between justice and evil assemble into an eerie picture.

Editor's review

Gunpoint opens with foreign businessman Somchai shot dead in the street with a police firearm, drawing in an old case from years earlier in which procuratorate officers lost their guns. With motives for a crime of passion, robbery, or revenge impossible to tell apart, the suspense keeps the story uncertain from the very start. During their inquiries, detectives discover that Somchai had been using a metal detector on White Wolf Mountain to search for something, and the trail shifts to gold that Japanese military police officer Isao Inoue never had time to carry off sixty years ago. The buried-gold legend and the present-day killing together form an eerie picture. The novel blends mystery investigation with a secret tale of hidden treasure, unfolding the struggle between human greed, justice, and evil through a twisting, elusive plot that is both intriguing and propulsive. It suits readers who like police suspense interwoven with folk legends and historical shadows. When reading, mark the three threads—the lost gun, the treasure hunt, and the old case—separately, to see more clearly how the author draws seemingly unrelated clues together.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who enjoy police suspense and detective fiction
Readers interested in buried-treasure lore and old historical cases
Readers who prefer intricate plots driven by multiple clues
Those looking for a tightly paced suspense novel for leisure reading

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer rigorous fair-play puzzle mysteries
Readers sensitive to violent killings and depictions of human greed
Readers who dislike multi-thread narratives and easily confuse clues

Reading tips

While reading, mark the three threads separately—the lost gun, the treasure hunt on White Wolf Mountain, and the buried gold from sixty years ago—to keep their intersections clear.
When a motive is unclear, note the doubt first rather than rushing to judge whether it is a crime of passion, robbery, or revenge.
After finishing, revisit the passage where Somchai searches with a metal detector to see how the clues were planted in advance.

第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
第五章
第六章
第七章
第八章
第九章
第十章
第十一章
第十二章

FAQ

What is the core mystery of the story?

The core revolves around the murder of foreign businessman Somchai with a police firearm, which also brings up an old case from years earlier in which procuratorate officers lost their guns. Detectives discover that Somchai had been using a metal detector on White Wolf Mountain to search for something, and the trail points to gold that Japanese military police officer Isao Inoue never had time to carry off sixty years ago, linking the old case to the present killing.

What drives the suspense in this book?

Mainly the suspension of motive and the interweaving of multiple clues. Whether it is a crime of passion, robbery, or revenge cannot be determined at first, while the lost gun, the treasure hunt, and the buried-gold legend all entangle with one another. The story advances through twists and uncertainties, and readers piece the picture together as the detectives conduct their inquiries.

Can I read this directly without having read the author's other works?

Yes. The information shows that this is a standalone suspense story that begins with a street killing and requires no prior reading. Just follow the case clues and you can enter the plot without worrying about missing characters or background.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Xu Dahui Author · Chinese · 1956

Xu Dahui, who also writes under the pen names Yanweizi and Zhengyan, was born in September 1956 in Shuangliao, Jilin. He is a member of the China Writers Association and holds a second-level literary creation professional title. He graduated from the Jilin Writers Advanced Study College in 1987 and has served as deputy editor-in-chief of the magazine Guandong Writers and as vice chairman and secretary-general of the Siping Writers Association. He began publishing in 1976 and has written 42 novels, including Undercover, Fleeing, The Rival and Snow Wolf, several of which have been adapted for television. His work spans otherworld fantasy, social fiction, mystery and suspense, and documentary literature. Representative titles include Risking Life, Snow Wolf, Huazi House, Control, Betrayal, Gunpoint, The Last Opium Pipe and Wolf Smoke, with 22 titles held in the collection. His writing tends toward tight plotting and sharp conflict, often moving between suspense and social reality.