The Chinese Assassin

The Chinese Assassin by Anthony Grey. In this well-written intrigue, and twisting plot involving American CIA, Russian KGB, and Chinese agents, a British Sinologist named Richard Scholfield is approached by a Chinese in 1976 claiming to be the lone survivor of a plane crash in Mongolia in 1971. Calling himself Yang, he leaves 8 Folios detailing a deep plot against Mao Tse Tong’s chief rival in 1971. Lin Pao was purported to be on the plane when an explosive brought it down. But the plot is much thicker than what is on the surface, and Scholfield is being manipulated by the CIA, KGB, and Chinese agents. At the core of the plot is the planned assassination of China’s leader, Mao Tse Tong.

         Although on first sight this has the appearance of a men’s action novel of the period, but it is more closely related to the Bourne series. Schofield studied in China’s universities in the 1950s, and speaks Chinese fluently, as well as Japanese. He is a 4^th degree black belt in Kyoku-Shinkai karate, founded by the Korean, Mas Oyama. Even the cover features the beautiful Chinese agent, Tan Sui-ling. It would help draw readers’ attention. We do see Scholfield in a bit of action, but this novel is far more than what it appears.

         The author was a British reporter in China, and held prisoner for over two years as a hostage in exchange for Chinese prisoners in Hong Kong. He was familiar with China and its people, and the novel has a touch of reality as we follow the plot from Britain to America, and finally to China, where the plot unfolds deep underground where Mao Tse-Tong lies weakened, waiting for death. Top notch.