Murder at the Friendship Hotel — Charlotte Epstein

When an abrasive American woman whose controversial views on population control have made her a notorious figure in contemporary China is found knifed to death in her Beijing hotel room, another visiting American woman becomes involved in the murder investigation. Dr. Janet Eldine, who has recently returned to China and set up an English department in a provincial university, is asked to assist the Chinese police in tracking down Mary Allen's killer. The suspect list is as long as the many enemies the intrusive Mrs. Allen had made, ranging from a couple friends of Janet's to Mary's absentee husband. But before any significant progress can be made on the investigation, the killer strikes again, and Janet knows that speculation must give way to direct action before another murder takes place.