A historical mystery romance series written by Jeannie Lin set in Pingkang Li, an infamous pleasure district in the Tang Dynasty capital of Chang'An. Each novel follows two characters connected in some way to the Pingkang Li, who team up to solve a mystery and fall in love in the process. Also known as the Pingkang Li Mysteries. Includes the following books:
- Capturing the Silken Thief (2012)
- The Lotus Palace
(2013): follows Yue-ying, a maidservant in the prestigious Lotus Palace courtesan house, and Bai Huang, an aristocratic playboy who may be more than he seems - The Jade Temptress (2014): follows courtesan Mingyu, Yue-ying's former mistress, and Wu Kaifeng, the no-nonsense head constable of eastern Chang'An
- The Liar's Dice (2017): a novella introducing Lady Bai Wei-ling ("Wei-wei"), Bai Huang's younger sister, and her first encounter with shady street hustler named Gao
- The Hidden Moon (2020): follows Wei-wei and Gao as they team up to untangle a high-profile assassination
- Death of a Sorcerer (2022): a follow-up novella featuring Wei-wei and Gao after the events of "The Hidden Moon"
- Red Blossom in the Snow (2022): follows Song Yi, another Pingkang courtesan, and Li Chen, the young and accomplished magistrate of eastern Chang'An
- Love, Death & Lanterns (2023): a novella following Pearl, Song Yi's courtesan-sister, and former scholar Lu Xian, three years after the events of Red Blossom in the Snow
This Series Includes Tropes:
- Deliberate Values Dissonance: as expected from a series set in Tang-era China, where practices such as indentured sex work, concubinage, and interrogation via torture were common and accepted.
- Elite Man–Courtesan Romance: Invoked with Bai Huang (the son of a nobleman) and Yue-ying, formerly a Hooker Witha Heartof Gold who now just attends to a courtesan; played straight with magistrate Li Chen and courtesan Song Yi
- Gentleman and a Scholar: present in spades, since much of the pleasure houses' clientele are Tang Dynasty scholar-officials and young men hoping to become them
- Good Is Not Nice: love interests Wu Kaifeng and Gao are rough around the edges, but both go out of their way to protect people they care about and fulfill their duties as constables without succumbing to corruption
- Good Is Not Soft: Magistrate Li Chen is courteous, fair, and refuses to take bribes or overlook wrongdoing; this also means he won't hesitate to bring down the full force of the law when needed.
- High-Class Call Girl: Mingyu, Song Yi, and Pearl
- Miss Kitty: Both the Lotus Palace and the House of Heavenly Peaches (where Song Yi works) are run by women
- Never One Murder: "The Hidden Moon" features two main murders and a slew of collateral damage
- Red Light District: what Pingkang Li is known for.
- Uptown Girl: Wei-wei is the treasured only daughter of the noble Bai family; her love interest Gao is a common street hustler. He later becomes Head Constable under Li Chen, a slightly more respectable rank but still leagues below the Bais
