Hong Kong Noir: Fifteen true tales from the dark side of the city

"Most people, when they think of Hong Kong, picture shopping malls and glitzy hotels, but the city has another side and that’s what makes it interesting. There are seedy areas in Wanchai and Tsim Sha Tsui which are run openly by the local mafia or Triads. There are prostitution and gambling rings that fly underneath the police’s radar, and Hong Kong Noir sheds light on that darkness. It’s a collection of fifteen true stories about the underbelly of Hong Kong, including stories about prostitution, murder, and dismemberment by Triad members – the colourful side of Hong Kong, if you will. Feng Chi-shun is a retired pathologist so he had access to hospital records, and was personally in charge of some of the cases that he writes about in this fascinating book. They’re very active, although over the years they have expanded their business from the underworld to the upper world. They’re now best known for their role in the entertainment industry and they almost monopolise the movie business. That’s why a lot of movies in Hong Kong glorify the Triads, such as Infernal Affairs – which was later made into a Hollywood movie – or Election and the Young & Dangerous series. In those movies, Triad leaders are portrayed as heroes with their own code of conduct, treating each other like brothers. But now they are more likely to be businessmen who operate high-end retail chains across the city."