The honesty in his writing has earned Qin respect from Jiang Zhenyu, TV celebrity and lecturer at the China University of Political Science and Law. Jiang wrote the preface for Qin's book, saying: "Through these real case stories fused with professional knowledge and investigative wisdom, one sees the righteousness and optimism of the forensic work." 

The book first appeared on shop shelves in late September and became an instant hit. It topped the October bestseller list on Amazon China, and the publisher, CS-Booky, says the book will be distributed in Taiwan, and in South Korea soon. 

What appeals to readers is that Voice of the Dead is no ordinary thriller. 

Zhang Nan, a female reader from Henan province, says: "What fascinates me, apart from the stories, is the author's aversion to crime and injustice." 

But experts point out the imperfections about Qin's first novel. 

"There is space for a lot of improvement, on the control of narrative rhythm and his exploring of human nature," says Zhu Lili, professor at the School of Journalism and Communication at Nanjing University, Jiangsu province. 

"But writing from within the trade represents a segmentation of the cultural industry. I am optimistic about this phenomenon." 

Toys for big boys and girls	Mo Yan receives Nobel Prize