John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade (USA 2013)

From the Publisher:
The body of an elderly Chinese importer of rare jade lies on the carpet of a quietly expensive house in Pasadena, California. In a rough semicircle around his head rest four pieces of jade; protruding from the heart is a fifth -- the Ya-Chang ritual knife.

Who murdered the importer? Was it Yumeko, the beautiful half-black, half-Japanese girl who lived with him? Johnny Wu, a rich Chinese-American? Another customer? Or a political enemy from overseas?

Black homicide detective Virgil Tibbs finds himself in the middle of a deadly situation involving hard drugs, Communist Chinese agents, and the exotic settings of the jade trade as he coolly tracks down the murderer.

The son of a scientist, John Ball was born in Schenectady, New York, and grew up In Milwaukee. He attended Carroll College in Wisconsin. He subsequently worked as a science staff writer on Fortune, a music critic and feature writer for the Brooklyn Eagle, a daily columnist on the New York World-Telegram & Sun, a broadcaster for a Washington radio station, and a Director of Public Relations for the institute of Aerospace Sciences. His In the Heat of the Night was awarded a Mystery Writers of America "Edgar' for the Best First Mystery Novel of the Year, and since had been followed by The Cool Cottontail, also featuring his African-American detective, Virgil Tibbs. Mr. Ball has also authored a number of notable young adult books.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade. A Virgil Tibbs Mystery. Speaking Volumes, ISBN: 9781612329765 (September, 2013), 286 p., $15.95, eBook $9.99.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade (USA 1985)

From the Publisher:
The body of an elderly Chinese importer of rare jade lies on the carpet of a quietly expensive house in Pasadena, California. In a rough semicircle around his head rest four pieces of jade; protruding from the heart is a fifth-the Ya-Chang ritual knife.

Who murdered the importer? Was it Yumeko, the beau-tiful half-black, half-Japanese girl who lived with him? Johnny Wu, a rich Chinese-American? Another customer? Or a political enemy from overseas?

Black homicide detective Virgil Tibbs finds himself in the middle of a deadly situation involving hard drugs. Communist Chinese agents, and the exotic settings of the jade trade as he coolly tracks down the murderer.

"A nice tight murder puzzle." -- Times Literary Supplement
"A taut, dramatic yarn." -- Charlotte Observer

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade. A Virgil Tibbs Mystery. Perennial Library, ISBN: 0060807520 (April, 1985), 277 p., $3.50.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade (USA 1973)

From the Publisher:
Virgil Tibbs scores again! That smooth black sleuth takes on his hottest caper since In the Heat of the Night
The Fifth Piece of Jade
was found embedded in the corpse's heart. It was more than just a work of art. And more than just a murder weapon.

Virgil Tibbs
california's brilliant black detective takes on his newest and most explosive case. A high-tension homicide riddle that leads Mr. Tibbs to a beautiful Afro-Japanese woman -- and the secret of the world's deadliest drug....

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade. Bantam Books #S7509 (April, 1973), 166 p., ¢75.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade (UK 1972)

From the Publisher:
On the carpet of a quietly expensive house in Pasadena, California, lies the body of Wang Fu-sen, an elderly Chinese importer of rare jades. In a rough semicircle on each side of Mr Wang's head rest four pieces of jade; protruding obscenely from his heart is a fifth the Ya-Chang ritual knife.

Who murdered Wang Fu-sen? Was it Yumeko, the beautiful ainoko -- half-black, half-Japanese girl who lived with Mr. Wang? Or Johnny Wu, the rich Chinese-American, or any other of Mr Wang's customers? Or a political enemy from far-off China?

All this and more must be solved by Virgil Tibbs, the cool, skilled, black homicide detective of the Pasadena police force, who swiftly finds himself in the middle of a murderous situation involving the deadliest kinds of hard drugs and agents from Red China all against the exotic setting of the world of jade.

Taut, dramatic, brilliantly woven, Five Pieces of Jade is Virgil Tibbs most gripping adventure since In the Heat of the Night.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade. London: Michael Joseph, 1972, ISBN: 0718110374, 224 p., £2.00.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade (USA 1972)

From the Publisher:
On the carpet of a quietly expensive house in Pasadena, California, lies the body of Wang Fu-sen, an elderly Chinese importer of rare jades. In a rough semicircle on each side of Mr. Wang's head rest four pieces of jade; protruding obscenely from his heart is a fifth: the Ya-Chang ritual knife.

Who murdered Wang Fu-sen? Was it Yumeko, the beautiful ainoko -- half-black, half-Japanese girl who lived with Mr. Wang? Or Johnny Wu, the rich Chinese-American, or any other of Mr. Wang's customers? Or a political enemy from far-off China? All this and more must be solved by Virgil Tibbs, the cool, skilled, black homicide detective of the Pasadena police force, who swiftly finds himself in the middle of a murderous situation involving the deadliest kinds of hard drugs -- and agents from Red China -- all against the exotic setting of the world of jade.

Taut, dramatic, brilliantly woven, Five Pieces of Jade is Virgil Tibbs' most suspenseful adventure since In the Heat of the Night.

John Ball has served on the editorial staff of Fortune magazine, as assistant curator of the Hayden Planetarium in New York City, music and recordings columnist for the New York World-Telegram, and director of public relations at the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences. In 1963 he began a full-time writing career, his work including In the Heat of the Night (adapted for a motion picture which won the Academy Award for Best Picture, 1967), The Cool Cottontail, Miss One Thousand Spring Blossoms, Johnny Get Your Gun, Last Plane Out, Dragon Hotel, and The First Team.

John Ball: Five Pieces of Jade. Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1972, ISBN: 0316079480, 277 p., $5.95 (?).