The Chinese Parrot

The Chinese Parrot
The second Charlie Chan mystery, The Chinese Parrot moves the Honolulu detective to mainland California for his first case abroad. Wealthy widow Sally Jordan plans to sell a string of famous pearls through San Francisco dealer Barry Kirk. To safeguard the transaction, Chan is sent to accompany the gems to Jordan’s desert estate. There, Chan adopts the disguise of a humble Chinese servant to investigate quietly. He soon uncovers a tangle of greed, deception, and hidden identities, involving Jordan’s eccentric household, a suspicious neighbor, and a murder tied to the pearls. The “Chinese parrot” of the title is a witness of sorts, repeating a crucial phrase that helps Chan piece together the truth. Balancing sharp deduction with cultural observation, the novel deepens Chan’s character, portraying him as wise, patient, and unassuming yet formidable. The Chinese Parrot expanded Biggers’s series, blending exotic settings, romance, and classic fair-play mystery.