The Chinese Phantom

The Hunt for the World's Most Dangerous Arms Dealer
Christoph Giesen, Philipp Grüll, Frederik Obermaier, Bastian Obermayer (trans. Simon Pare)

“This gripping piece of investigative journalism follows its authors’ attempts to uncover the truth about one of the world’s most dangerous men and his involvement in Iran’s ballistic missile program … The Chinese Phantom invokes a parallel world of deceit and lies … This is a thrilling and eloquent read which will appeal to a wide audience.”

New Books in German

“A fast-moving account about people and events which one day could rapidly lead to an even more dangerous world.”

Stuart Parkes, NBG Reader

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“A thrilling and globe-spanning account of the search for the world’s most wanted man. The authors delve into the murky worlds of arms smuggling, sanctions-busting and espionage. In their hunt for the Chinese phantom, they encounter suspicious police, atomic experts, and former spies, as well as a perplexing wall of silence from the Israeli and US governments. The book delves into international rivalries, and explores a shifting game of realpolitik featuring Beijing and Washington, Tehran and Moscow, London and Munich. Lucid, compelling, and vividly written.”

Luke Harding, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Invasion

A gripping, real-life thriller following the authors’ attempt to uncover the truth about one of the world’s most wanted men.

Karl Lee, alias Li Fangwei, plays a key role in the secret struggle between the world powers, bypassing Western sanctions to supply dictators with the weapons they need to wipe out their neighboring countries—or even to trigger a third world war.

For almost two decades, intelligence agencies have been hunting for Karl Lee. The FBI has put a $5 million dollar bounty on his head, but nobody has been able to catch him. Now, four award-winning investigative journalists set out to find him. Following the routes of his deliveries and his money, the authors track down Karl Lee’s businesses in China and uncover his network of shell companies. During their investigation, they get embroiled deeper and deeper in the shady world of the Chinese phantom, and realize that Karl Lee is just a pawn in a much bigger game of modern warfare and international espionage.

New Books in German

“A fast-moving account about people and events which one day could rapidly lead to an even more dangerous world.”

Stuart Parkes, NBG Reader

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Details

Format:Paperback

Size: 8.5in × 5.3in

Extent:288pp

ISBN (13):9781964992013

RRP:$22.00

Pub date:6 Jan 2025

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AUTHORS

Christoph Giesen

Christoph Giesen is the China correspondent of the German magazine Der Spiegel.

Philipp Grüll

Philipp Grüll is a weapons expert and editor at Germany’s leading public broadcaster ARD.

Frederik Obermaier

Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer won the Pulitzer Prize for their ground-breaking reporting on the Panama Papers.

Bastian Obermayer

Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer won the Pulitzer Prize for their ground-breaking reporting on the Panama Papers.

TRANSLATOR

Simon Pare

Translator Simon Pare studied French and German at the University of Cambridge. His previous translations include The Panama Papers by Frederik Obermaier and Bastian Obermayer. He lives in Switzerland.