The Cook, the Crook, and the Real Estate Tycoon by the acclaimed prize-winning novelist Liu Zhenyun, is a gripping portrayal of contemporary China through the lens of one man's unexpected discovery. The protagonist, Liu Yuejin is a work site cook and small-time thief whose accidental find of a flash disk chronicling a web of high-level corruption sets off a convoluted chase. Set against the economic extremes of modern China, the novel navigates the murky waters of deceit and power, showcasing the stark divide between the super-rich and the migrant workers who fuel their success.

There are no heroes in this scathing, complex, and highly readable critique of the dark side of China's cutthroat capitalism, corruption, and the plight of the underclasses. The Cook, the Crook, and the Real Estate Tycoon, adapted for a movie and television series in 2008 in China, is a story that resonates across mediums and cultures.