The Chinese Parrot: A Charlie Chan Mystery

by Earl Derr Biggers

Book Overview

1926. The character of Charlie Chan was based in part on the experiences of two Chinese detectives, Chang Apana and Lee Fook, who Biggers had read about in a Honolulu newspaper while on vacation. Biggers wrote six Charlie Chan mysteries. The Chinese Parrot is the second book in the series and begins: Alexander Eden stepped from the misty street into the great, marble-pillared room where the firm of Meek and Eden offered its wares. Immediately,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0897335783
• ISBN13: 9780897335782
• Release Date: October 2008
• Publisher: Academy Chicago Publishers
• Length: 286 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Romance and Mystery in the Purple Desert

"Trifles sometimes blossom big. Detective business consist of one unsignificant detail placed beside other of same. Then with sudden dazzle, light begins to dawn." -- Charlie Chan to Bob Eden Charlie's first trip to the Mainland is a sparkling adventure full of mystery and old-fashioned romance that will take Earl Derr Biggers' Honolulu detective from the exciting San Francisco of the 1920's to the purple desert. As in the first Charlie Chan novel, The House Without a Key, Biggers wrote a wonderful mystery and romance in which Charlie was an integral element yet most decidedly not the focus. Beginning with Behind That Curtain, Charlie would be more at the forefront with the romantic style of Biggers used to frame the mystery rather than the other way around. While they are wonderful, I must confess a special affection for the first two Charlie Chan novels featuring Charlie as the secondary lead. In The Chinese Parrot, it will be a young Bob Eden who works hand in hand with our favorite Hawaiian detective from China, finding adventure and romance in one of Charlie's most perplexing cases. San Francisco's Bob Eden has been a young man about town until his father brokers Sally Jordan's expensive string of pearls and he is sent to meet her former houseboy, Charlie Chan who is bringing them across the ocean on the President Pierce. From the moment he's shadowed at the dock, the young man without a care in the world finds himself in the greatest adventure of his life. He and Charlie will head to the desert to meet the buyer, famous and powerful businessman J.P. Madden. With Charlie posing as a Chinese cook, they decide to stall rather than part with the pearls after the words of a Chinese parrot indicate something terrible may have happened prior to their arrival, despite outward appearances to the contrary. Charlie is sure of their course when the parrot expires suspiciously, and has Eden hold off the insistent Madden long enough to investigate further. Harboring suspicions that a man has been murdered in this purple desert, the difficulty for Bob and Charlie rests in discovering who the victim was and who did the deed. Just as John Quincy was at the heart of the action in The House Without a Key, so Bob Eden finds adventure and mystery far from home with help from Charlie Chan. Romance is found as well with Paula. She is a location scout for the movies and their romance is breezy and old-fashioned in that way of the 1920's and early 1930's. Biggers always had a fascination with the movies and it is interesting in The Chinese Parrot he has the murder weapon be a pistol given Madden by silent western star William S. Hart. A male secretary who has something on Madden, a gambling house, a dead man's clothes, and a second murder with a tangible body make up a complex and confusing mystery which has Charlie and Bob Eden stumped. Reporter Will Holley becomes an ally but just when they think they know who was killed at the ranch, and why, their theory i

A must for detective fiction fans

I have read all the books written by Biggers' narrating Charlie's adventures and I am posting this review to all of them in general.Biggers' writing style is unique and easily distinguishable,his characters amusing and very realistic and his star detective (Charlie Chan) one of the most balanced individuals in crime fiction;this guy will make you laugh and he will make you think harder on the values of life,he will praise patience yet he will deliver justice swiftly and effectively,he will be kind and he will be cunning.Having read contemporary as well as older works of crime fiction,I recommend every single one of this books hands down.Just read it!Thank you for reading this review.

Enjoyable reading.

This was the second Charlie Chan book I read. I thought it was interesting. Easy and quick reading. I like Biggers style of narrating the story. He seems to focus on a main character other than Charlie Chan. Charlie is kind of a supporting character who helps the leading character solve the mystery.

THE PARROT THAT SQUAWKED ONCE TOO MANY TIMES...

In this, the second of the six Charlie Chan books that the author wrote, the enigmatic Detective Chan of the Honolulu police, undertakes a special mission for Honolulu heiress, Sally Jordan, now down on her luck. Ms. Jordan has just sold a string of valuable heirloom pearls through the venerable firm of an old friend, Alexander Eden. She entrusts Detective Chan, along with Mr. Eden's son, Bob, to deliver the pearls to its new owner, millionaire businessman, P. J. Madden, who has bought the pearls for his daughter, Evelyn. Along the way, things do not appear to be what they seem, so delivery is delayed and another mystery is thrust upon Detective Chan. This is not one of the best of the Charlie Chan mysteries, but it is, nonetheless, still enjoyable. The problem with the book is simply that those hungry for Charlie Chan will find that in this book he plays more of a secondary role. The focus tends to be more on Bob Eden, who is busy doing some investigating himself, as well as falling in love with the lovely Paula Wendell, a location finder for the film industry. There is also a murder to be solved, but the question is whose? This book was written in 1926, so the reader should keep in mind the historical context out of which it arose. Some of it is a little anachronistic, as well as politically incorrect, reflecting the social mores and customs of a bygone era. While fans of Charlie Chan may be disappointed at his somewhat secondary role in this book, they will still find it worth reading, as Charlie Chan is one of the best fictional detectives ever created.

Charlie Chan Meets a bilingual Parrot

Sally Jordan is a Honolulu heiress who is forced to sell a valuable set of pearls. The pearls are sold to Wall Street financier P.J. Madden through a local jeweler named Alexander Eden. The plan is to deliver the pearls to Madden in New York City. Charlie Chan and the jeweler's son Bob are selected to make the delivery. Charlie and Bob learn en route that there has been a change of plans and the pearls will now be taken to Madden's ranch in the California desert. Charlie is suspicious and decides to send Bob ahead to the ranch without the pearls while he arrives later disguised as a Chinese cook. The Chinese Parrot was produced as a silent film by Universal in 1926 with the role of Chan played by Kamiyama Sojin, a Japanese actor.