The Witchhunters Scandal, Secrets and a Death that Shocked Hong Kong

Hong Kong, 1980. A British police officer minutes away from being arrested by colleagues for sex crimes is found dead in his locked bedroom. There are multiple wounds to his chest; his used service revolver by his side. There's only one possible conclusion: suicide. Yet a painstaking reinvestigation uncovers a different story: one involving a secret pedophile ring servicing the city's most powerful men, high-level cover-ups, international geopolitics and the involvement of a secretive unit of police officers tasked with tracking down and arresting homosexuals—the Witchhunters. The operation ultimately resulted in the tragic death of police inspector John MacLennan—a watershed moment leading to the eventual decriminalization of homosexual acts in Hong Kong in 1991. For decades, many people have suspected that the young officer died because of information he possessed. This book reveals for the first time what MacLennan knew.

Simon J. Blake is the pen name of an experienced security professional. Born and educated in England, he joined what was then the Royal Hong Kong Police Force after graduation, serving in various units including the Criminal Investigation Department.  Nury Vittachi has written a wide range of books, from nonfiction to novels. His journalism has appeared in many publications, from The New York Times to Reader's Digest.