Street Music by Timothy Hallinan

First Lines: "OH-ho," Says the woman at the cash register, looking at the baby formula and the stacks of disposable diapers. "How old?"

The most cantankerous member of the small gang that hangs out at the Expat Bar has gone missing under suspicious circumstances. Poke Rafferty has never felt any deep friendship for the man, but he commits to looking for him anyway.

It's a fraught time in the Rafferty household. Rose has given birth to a son. Their cramped apartment is filled with females giving Rose help and companionship. Their adopted daughter Miaow tries to bury her feelings about the newborn baby (how will Rose and Poke feel about her now that they've got a child of their own?). Even Poke isn't sure what kind of father he's going to be.

Yes, the Rafferty household is filled with emotional landmines, but little does Poke know that he's about to meet someone who has the power to tear his family apart.

I know all good things must come to an end, but there are still times that I'd dearly love to postpone an ending or two. This last book in Timothy Hallinan's superb Poke Rafferty series is one of those times. From Poke sleeping on a lumpy couch to the overload of estrogen caused by all of Rose's friends gathering around her to Miaow's concern over her place in the family now that the baby is here, I felt like a member of the family, too.

All along, Hallinan has told us that this series really isn't about Poke; it's all about Miaow and how a small child living on the streets of Bangkok becomes an integral part of Poke's unconventional intercultural family. It's been eight years since Poke and Rose adopted Miaow, and she's grown into a phenomenal young woman. What better way to shed more light on her than to give readers a look into the part of Miaow's story that we've never heard?

Street Music can make you think. It can make you laugh. It can make you cry. I only wish Miaow would become a private investigator or something so we could continue to watch her grow as a person (and see Poke, Rose, and the baby as well). It is a fitting ending to a marvelous series. If you haven't read any of these books, you have to do something about that as soon as possible. Get your hands on A Nail Through the Heart and enjoy yourself all the way through Street Music. You can thank me later.

Street Music by Timothy Hallinan

eISBN: 9781641291248

Soho Crime © 2020

eBook, 384 pages

Private Investigator, #9 Poke Rafferty mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

Fools' River by Timothy Hallinan

First Line: The blinds are drawn the way they've been drawn forever, with the inside edges of the slats tilted upward to block his view of the sky and the fall of sunlight through the window, which means he has no idea what time it is.

You can almost take it to the bank. During a time when all you want to do is stay close to home with your pregnant wife, someone will come to you with an emergency. That's what has happened to Poke Rafferty. Edward Dell, the almost-boyfriend of Poke's teenage daughter Miaow, needs help. His father has disappeared. Buddy Dell is a late-middle-aged womanizer who moved to Bangkok for its sex trade, and when his son is asked if Buddy couldn't just be off on one of his benders, Edward says no. This disappearance follows none of the patterns of his father's other jaunts... and money is being siphoned out of his bank and credit card accounts.

When Poke begins to investigate, he quickly learns that Buddy has been captured by killers who prey on Bangkok's "sexpats," and when his money is gone, he'll be found dead in a canal-- like at least a dozen other men. Poke estimates that he's got two days to find Buddy before the man's money runs out.

Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series brings readers right into the heart of Bangkok to make them think and to make them feel. In this eighth book in the series, Hallinan tries some new things to tell his story of the effects of Bangkok's world-famous sex trade. Fools' River is told from several different points of view, and the action takes place within a two-day time frame. The limited time frame ratchets up the tension, and the multiple points of view bring depth and clarity to the story.

Through the narrative, readers come to know one of the murderers which adds a level of ambivalence. Normally killers do not rate mixed feelings in crime fiction, but one of Hallinan's aims in his writing has always seemed to be helping readers understand humans' complex emotions and behaviors. It's something he does extremely well. Fools' River not only has an exciting story to tell, it also shares insights into Poke's wife Rose and a new character, Lutanh, whom I really grew to care for.

This Poke Rafferty series is perfect for readers who enjoy strong storytelling, a strong sense of place, and moral complexity. Poke's world is not black and white; it is filled with shades of gray-- and the stories are all the stronger and more brilliantly colored for it. I'd no more forget to read a new Poke Rafferty mystery than I'd forget to put on my glasses first thing in the morning.

Fools' River by Timothy Hallinan

ISBN: 9781616957506

Soho Crime © 2017

Hardcover, 368 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #8 Poke Rafferty mystery

Rating: A

Source: the publisher


 

The Hot Countries by Timothy Hallinan

First Line: The dusty braid of Christmas lights in the tiny window has been there for decades and has been plugged in all year round.

Poke Rafferty's wife, Rose, and his daughter, Miaow, are addicted to British television programs, and in self defense Poke now finds himself spending more time at the Expat Bar on Patpong Road. Back when Poke first arrived in Bangkok, Thailand, some of the old-timers at the Expat helped him make sense of the city.

Many of these men have been living in Bangkok since the Vietnam War, and now they've grown old-- and in some cases frail. They accept newcomer Arthur Varney into their midst without suspicion, not realizing that he's using them to get information about Poke.

Varney wants two things: money that Poke doesn't have and a person Poke will not turn over, and there is nothing Varney will not do to achieve his goals. As his actions threaten the very heart of Poke's life in Thailand, Poke finds some unexpected allies who are more than willing to give him a helping hand: those old-timers of the Expat Bar. But is their help going to be enough?

Timothy Hallinan's first Poke Rafferty book, A Nail Through the Heart, blew me away, and I've been a fan ever since. Rafferty has changed over the years. Where once he was a bit of a smart aleck, now as a husband and a father (and with a baby on the way), his thoughtfulness, compassion, and ability to think through difficult situations have come to the fore. In addition, his adopted daughter Miaow, a former street child, never fails to surprise or tug at the heartstrings. She gives every appearance of being a typical self-absorbed teenager, but don't let her fool you.

Hallinan deftly adds touching personal details about the lives of his characters amid chill-inducing action sequences. As we learn why Poke is reluctant to leave a too-small apartment and why the adoption his policeman friend is considering is fraught with problems, in the back of our minds lurks the deadly Varney. He's a man capable of anything, and it shows the caliber of man Rafferty is when-- at the first sign of danger-- the first thing he does is get his wife and daughter out of harm's way.

The Hot Countries resolves the story of Haskell Murphy, an unofficial trilogy begun in The Fear Artist; however, it's not a permanent resolution. His daughter Treasure, who's suffered tremendous abuse in her short life, is now a part of the lives of Poke, his family, and his friends. And Treasure is a young girl who inspires great compassion and great distrust. She is one more reason-- among many-- for me to continue being enthralled with the evolution of this series.
 

The Hot Countries by Timothy Hallinan

eISBN: 9781616954475

Soho Crime © 2015

eBook, 336 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #7 Poke Rafferty mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley 

For the Dead by Timothy Hallinan

First Line: The river is wider than it should be and it's the wrong color.

Poke Rafferty's thirteen-year-old adopted daughter Miaow is friends with Andrew, a Vietnamese diplomat's son. When Andrew loses his second iPhone in two weeks, he knows his father is going to turn it into a learning experience, which he wants to avoid at all cost. Miaow, a former street child, takes him to the Little India section of Bangkok where they purchase an identical phone. 

But when Andrew starts scrolling through the photos on the phone, there are pictures of two former dirty cops-- men who are murdered a couple of days later. Now both families are in mortal danger, and Poke may have to rely on someone who has already betrayed them in the past to save his family.

I can remember being blown away by the first book in this series, A Nail Through the Heart, and each successive book gets even stronger. If the fourth book in the series, The Queen of Patpong, can be considered Rose's book, then For the Dead is Miaow's. Hallinan does a superlative job at portraying an extremely vulnerable teenage girl, filled with self-loathing, who has her carefully invented persona ripped from her. And when she believes that Poke and Rose are keeping an important, life-changing secret from her, where is she going to go? What is she going to do? I literally feared for Miaow as the story progressed. The men who are looking for her will stop at nothing. They will kill as many people as it takes to get the result they want.

At the beginning for the safety of the two children, Poke has to rely primarily on two sources: one trusted, the other new and unknown. Thai police officer Arthit helps him as much as he can-- as he always does. When asked how he can put up with the widespread corruption on the Thai police force, Arthit says that it's because, once in a while, he's allowed to do the right thing. Just the type of person you want when you're in a tight spot, especially when you're dealing with a murder-for-hire ring that had been operating inside police headquarters. The other source Poke must rely on is young Andrew's father, and I enjoyed how this man's character was revealed as the story progressed.

One of the strengths of this book (and the entire series) is its honest portrayal of Thailand, both from Poke Rafferty's outsider's point of view and from Thais like Rose, Miaow, and Arthit. Thai culture is ancient and highly stratified, and Hallinan is very adept at showing it in its depths of ugliness and in its overwhelming beauty. 

Even though there are repeat characters from previous books in the series, For the Dead can easily be read as a standalone for those of you who don't want to get involved with an entire series. For those who love rich characters and settings as I do, don't be surprised if you read this one and immediately start looking for the others. 

This is one of the finest crime fiction series going right now, and For the Dead is the best one yet. Two scenes linger on in my mind: the confrontation between Rose and Miaow is so emotionally powerful that it brought tears to my eyes. Rose's humor and wisdom are sublime-- and Miaow is every bit as special as Rose. The second scene? The one in which Poke sits in a room in their apartment and listens to two women laughing. What a simple scene that conveys so many layers of emotion! 

Tim Hallinan, thank you from the bottom of my heart for creating these characters. They are, quite simply, wonderful.  

For the Dead by Timothy Hallinan

ISBN: 9781616951146

Soho Crime © 2014

Hardcover, 352 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #6 Poke Rafferty mystery

Rating: A+

Source: the publisher 

The Fear Artist by Timothy Hallinan

First Line: Two two-gallon cans of paint weigh about five times as much as he'd thought they would.

Rose and Miaow are out of town visiting relatives, and all Poke Rafferty has planned is getting the apartment painted while they're gone. But, like all best laid plans, everything goes downhill fast when Poke leaves the local hardware store with his paint.

There's noise, shouting, and a man barrels into Poke, sending them both down on the pavement. Holding the man in his arms, Poke realizes the man has been shot, and the stranger only has time to choke out three words before he dies: Helen Eckersley. Cheyenne.  Within seconds the police arrive and deny that the man was shot. That same night, Poke is interrogated by Thai secret agents who insist on knowing what the dead man said, but he can't remember. When he is finally allowed to go home, he finds that the apartment has been ransacked. Not long after that, Poke knows that he's being followed.

The second time men in uniform show up at the door, Poke manages to give them the slip, and thus begins his life as a fugitive. It's not easy hiding from everyone who's looking for him, and as Poke tries to fly beneath the radar, he manages to gather bits and pieces of information and put them together. He's caught in the margins of the war on terror, and his opponent is a master artist whose medium is... fear.

I love Timothy Hallinan's books because he writes beautifully, with intelligence, and from the heart. As he said at the 2012 Poisoned Pen Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona, the mystery is important, but at the heart of any story-- first and foremost-- are the people. Hallinan's characters are some of the very best in crime fiction, and his fast-paced stories give an outsider's unforgettable view of Thailand and its people.

Poke Rafferty's life as a fugitive on the streets of Bangkok kept my pulse rate elevated. The people fighting the war on terror are deadly serious and seem to think nothing of employing any and all methods to obtain the information they want. As one character says in the book, "We're using bad people to fight bad people, and you do not want to be in the middle of that." Are Americans sometimes the bad guys in Timothy Hallinan's books? Yes. But so are Thais and people from many other countries.

Speaking of any and all methods leads me to one of the scariest villains I've met in a long time, the fear artist himself, "Red" Murphy, who's been operating his business since Vietnam, when he learned how the application of varying degrees of fear (and pain) will give him anything he desires. The more I learned about Murphy, the less I wanted Poke to meet him until I reached the point where I wanted my favorite writer in Thailand to put this monster out of business. Permanently. (And all the poor guy wanted to do was paint his apartment!)

That's what happens when you enter the world of Poke Rafferty and Timothy Hallinan. You fall in love with Thailand, and you're besieged by the rich tapestry of characters this very talented writer has created to people his landscape. Open the cover of one of his books, and you're not only investing your time, you're investing your mind and your heart.

The Fear Artist by Timothy Hallinan

ISBN: 9781616951122

Soho Crime  ©2012

Hardcover, 342pages

#5 Poke Rafferty mystery

Rating: A

Source: Publisher

A Nail Through the Heart by Timothy Hallinan

Title: A Nail Through the Heart
Author: Timothy Hallinan
ISBN: 9780061257223
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks, 2008
Paperback, 352 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth, #1 Poke Rafferty
Rating: A+
Source: Paperback Swap

First Line: Moon and river.

Poke Rafferty had been making his leisurely way around the world, writing a series of travel books for young and terminally bored males. First came Looking for Trouble in the Philippines, then Looking for Trouble in Indonesia, but when it was time to write Looking for Trouble in Thailand, he found the country had an unbreakable hold on him in the form of two women: beautiful former go-go dancer Rose, whom he wants to marry, and Miaow, a tiny young girl Poke rescued from the streets, whom he wants to adopt.

Unfortunately he was once very lucky in finding someone, and that luck has come to haunt him. Poke reluctantly agrees to try to locate an Australian woman's missing uncle, and even more reluctantly takes on the assignment of locating a blackmailer. He needs the money to speed the adoption of Miaow. To top it all off, that tiny urchin insists that he take another street child under his wing-- a very scary young boy known as Superman. Things are about to become very, very complicated. Not only is Poke not a real investigator, he really doesn't understand the country in which he's living, and that is a volatile and dangerous combination.

I could go on and on about characters that immediately latched on to my heart, a setting that I could taste and smell and feel, and a plot that flowed smoothly to its conclusion, but I won't.

What struck me most forcibly in reading A Nail Through the Heart was a true feeling for the culture of the people of Thailand. I have long been a fan of the novels of John Burdett which are also set in Bangkok. Featuring Royal Thai detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, they also are fascinating portraits of the Thai culture. In them, however, I will never be anything other than a farang-- an outsider, a foreigner, a crass American who will never truly understand the Thai people. Although keeping me at that remove is a good thing for maintaining necessary humility, I found Poke's sometimes bumbling attempts to understand a very different culture made me an ally who was more willing to open her mind and her heart. As Poke learned, so did I.

Heart. Not only is heart in the title of this book, it is also on every page. As each chapter flowed into the next, I felt that Hallinan wrote this with a great deal of heart, of emotion... of love. As a result Thailand became alive to me in a way that it never had before.

Timothy Hallinan, you are jai dee.