Chickens and Dogs Are Not at Peace

Name: Chickens and Dogs Are Not at Peace
ISBN: 9787531358824

庄无邪Dec 2021

3.0

Word count: 115K words
Chapters: 47
ISBN: 9787531358824

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Summary

On North Avenue in Taobei City, a string of murders strikes in quick succession: first Qi Yong, a thug from the last century, is killed; then Old Persimmon and Doubao, two childhood friends of criminal police officer Zhao Yongnian—known as Niangao—are murdered one after another. As the investigation unfolds, layer upon layer of fog rises, and the increasingly tangled case breeds ever more suspicion...

Three seemingly accidental deaths in a row draw these people, each struggling to get by, back together. Yet as the investigation deepens, Zhao Yongnian discovers that matters are far more complicated than he imagined...

In a clamorous, noisy world, how does one soothe restless, uneasy hearts?

Editor's review

With three seemingly accidental serial murders set into the everyday texture of Beida Street in Taobei City, Chickens and Dogs in Turmoil pulls old people and old affairs back together: Qi Yong, a thug from the last century, is killed, and Zhao Yongnian's two childhood friends, Old Persimmon and Doubao, die one after another. The novel's strongest part is not the sensational case details but the way people each scrambling to make a living are forced to reunite because of the case; the deeper the investigation goes, the thicker the fog becomes, and readers, along with Niangao, keep weighing human ties against the truth. The title's “chickens and dogs in turmoil” points both to the clamor in the streets and to the restlessness of human hearts. The narration is rather cold and severe, with clues laid out layer by layer, making it suitable for readers who like social-school suspense and are willing to piece the puzzle together slowly through character relationships. It does not pursue fast-paced thrill, and is better read in one continuous stretch of time, with attention to old debts and hidden matters among the characters.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like social-school suspense and serial-case structures
Readers who prefer small-town street atmosphere and group-portrait relationships
Readers willing to follow the police detective's perspective and reason layer by layer
People interested in themes of old human debts and restless hearts

Not a good fit for

Readers who only want fast-paced, twist-heavy thrillers
Readers impatient with multi-threaded character relationships
Those expecting a light, healing reading experience

Reading tips

Before starting, briefly note the relationships among Qi Yong, Old Persimmon, Doubao, and Zhao Yongnian to make it easier to piece clues together later.
Don't just chase who the killer is; pay attention to each character's life circumstances behind every case.
Best read over two or three consecutive evenings; if set aside too long, characters and timeline are easy to confuse.

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FAQ

Are the three cases independent or connected?

According to the available information, the three seemingly accidental deaths in a row draw people who were each struggling to get by back together, and as the investigation proceeds, layer upon layer of fog rises and the case breeds ever more suspicion. They are not simply parallel incidents; they gradually interweave through personal relationships and the progress of the investigation. Noting old ties and past events will make them easier to sort out.

Is criminal police officer Zhao Yongnian the book's main perspective?

The information shows that the murder investigation unfolds around Zhao Yongnian; he is both the investigator and personally connected to the two murdered childhood friends. Readers will most likely enter the case through his perspective and feel the tension between personal emotion and professional investigation.

Is this book suitable for light bedtime reading?

Not really. The story involves a string of murders, the killing of a former thug, and the murder of childhood friends; the overall atmosphere is grim and suspenseful, and the character relationships are fairly complex. For easy bedtime reading, a lighter book would be better; this one is best read in uninterrupted stretches.

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About the author

庄无邪 Author

Zhuang Wuxie is an author about whom limited public information is available. What can be confirmed is that four works appear under this name, including First Reaction and Honey Badger Family and Chicken and Dog in Turmoil, the latter two also grouped under the series title Northern Realm Tales: Chicken and Dog in Turmoil, Honey Badger Family. In common classification, the works are placed under social fiction and classic works, suggesting a realistic orientation and a narrative approach that explores the relationship between people and their surroundings. Because details such as dates of birth and death, nationality, education, and personal experience cannot be verified, this note can only sketch the author's profile from the available records: the number of works is small, yet a recognizable focus on social themes emerges, and the series naming indicates a sense of structural design. Readers seeking to know the author should return to the texts themselves and discern in these stories a writing orientation attentive to social reality.