The Motion Picture Teller by Colin Cotterill

 

First Lines: There were two worlds. There was the real world, where Supot delivered letters for the Royal Thai Mail service, where everyone he met was an unlikely character even for fantasy.

 

It's 1996. Supot, a mail carrier for the Royal Thai Mail service, hates his job. The only bright spot in his life is the time he spends in his friend Ali's video store watching movies. These movie buffs love the old Western movies, especially the actresses, and bemoan the sorry state of the Thai film industry... until they find a mysterious cassette labeled Bangkok 2010. 

After watching it, Supot and Ali are immediately obsessed and declare it to be the best Thai movie ever made. There's just one slight problem. No one else has ever heard of the movie, its director, its actors, or any of its crew members. Who would make a movie like this and then never release it-- and why? Determined to find the answers, Supot's journey takes him deep into the Thai countryside where he learns that some powerful people are just as determined to keep the film buried.

~

I am a long-time fan of Colin Cotterill. I love his series of historical mysteries featuring the septuagenarian coroner of Laos, Dr. Siri Paiboun. Cotterill has a double-edged sense of humor that can be gentle with humans yet skewer political ideology. I don't know how he does it, but over the years, he's made me laugh while simultaneously seeing the truth of things. I jumped for joy when I came across The Motion Picture Teller because it has been a long three years since his last book.

Supot and Ali are the lovable yet hapless characters that Cotterill creates so well. While readers can be amused at their feckless ways, they're also learning about life in Thailand, both the average Thai's daily life as well as how the country's politics affects everyone. In The Motion Picture Teller, Thai life under military regimes is touched upon subtly yet powerfully. So much so that readers may wonder how the people of Thailand can be so well known for their smiling faces.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Being with Supot and Ali in the video store was like a trip down Memory Lane for this movie buff, and Cotterill's descriptions of Western movie posters being "translated" for the Thai audience certainly had me cringing and laughing. But once Supot decided to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Bangkok 2010, the story unraveled a bit, leaving me vaguely dissatisfied. Even though I didn't find The Motion Picture Teller to be a complete success, it was still wonderful to spend time in Colin Cotterill's world again. Please don't make me wait another three years for a new book!

The Motion Picture Teller by Colin Cotterill

eISBN: 9781641294362

Soho Press © 2023

eBook, 241 pages

Amateur Sleuth, Standalone

Rating: B-

Source: Net Galley

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.

The Amok Runners by Colin Cotterill

First Line: Sergeant Chat had ridden to the crime scene on his personal Honda Dream.

Jimm Juree and her brothers Arny and Sissy have found work as extras on an American movie complete with Hollywood stars that's being filmed in northern Thailand. If filming a movie isn't chaotic enough, Jimm's Burmese friend wants help with an ancient treasure hunt. But when Jimm stumbles upon a murder, her focus quickly changes to finding a killer.

I love both of Colin Cotterill's series which feature ex-journalist Jimm Juree and Dr. Siri Paiboun. He has a wonderful sense of humor, and I've learned so much about the people and culture of Thailand and Laos. Unfortunately, The Amok Runners is a bit of a hot mess. Let me explain after a short digression.

When I was growing up "running amok" was a frequently used phrase. (It means to behave in a frenzied, out-of-control, or unrestrained manner.) I liked the sound of it and always said that I'd like to run amok at least once in my life, so when I saw the title of this book, it made me smile. Jimm and her brothers Arny and Sissy get to run amok as extras in the crowd scenes being filmed in the movie. Since the crowd scenes involve attacking armies and innocent bystanders, they get to do a lot of uncontrolled screaming and running. I enjoyed those "insider" scenes during filming. I also liked the two mysteries of the treasure hunt and the murders. I love how quick Jimm's mind is at putting together disparate clues. Now for the hot mess.

The synopsis on the back of the book says The Amok Runners is a prequel to the previous three Jimm Juree mysteries, all of which I've read and enjoyed. However, Prologue 2-- which is Jimm's letter to Clint Eastwood, a running joke in the series-- mentions events that happen much later in the series. This is such a glaring oversight that I had to go back and reread the first pages of the book to make sure my brain hadn't slipped a cog. It hadn't. I'm still wondering how this could come through the entire writing/editing/publishing process without being caught.

It put me off-balance for the entire book, which is a shame because there is a lot to like in The Amok Runners. All you Jimm Juree fans beware and be prepared. For all of you readers who are new to Jimm, chances are you won't notice a thing. Just sit back and read. From the chill-down-the-spine Prologue 1 to the end, you'll get to watch the most eccentric trio of siblings in crime fiction solve not one but two mysteries.

The Amok Runners by Colin Cotterill

ISBN: 9781533265289

DCO Books © 2016

Paperback, 270 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #4 Jimm Juree mystery

Rating: C+

Source: Paperback Swap

 

The Jimm Juree Case Files by Colin Cotterill

Colin Cotterill writes two mystery series that I enjoy very much: the excellent historical series featuring the national coroner of Laos, Dr. Siri Paiboun, and the Jimm Juree series set in southern Thailand. I'd noticed that there'd been no more Jimm Juree books for a while...and then in one fell swoop, I discovered a prequel (The Amok Runners) and a series of short stories that continue this intrepid journalist/ amateur sleuth's story.

I think it's the age-old publishing story of "We don't want you anymore" as far as Jimm Juree is concerned, and I will admit that the series isn't for everyone. Cotterill's humor is wide-ranging, and he's even been known to poke a bit of fun at-- gasp!-- the United States and a U.S. president or two. He also has some unique characters. One of Jimm's brothers is a transvestite computer hacker living in Chiang Mai. Another is a bodybuilder who's in love with a woman old enough to be his mother. Speaking of mothers, Jimm's is suffering from dementia, which is the main reason why everyone but the older brother moved to southern Thailand to run a run-down coastal resort. And don't forget Jimm's grandfather. He's an old retired traffic cop who is seldom seen and speaks even less, but when he does, he's usually instrumental in solving Jimm's case.

Jimm could have had a brilliant career in Chiang Mai as an investigative reporter on the crime beat, but family is all-important. She may no longer be in the big city, but she certainly doesn't have a problem finding crimes to solve, so I was happy to find out that these short stories are an on-going project for Cotterill. The Jimm Juree Case Files is a series of seven (so far) short stories, each one dealing with one of her investigations.

"The Funeral Photographer" is all about how a group of poor countryfolk seeks revenge on the rich people who swindled them. (B+)

"When You Wish Upon a Star" shows Jimm trying to find out what really happened when a man's wife dies in a car accident. (B+)

"Highway Robbery" shows how Jimm figures out a complicated armored car robbery. (A)

"The Zero Finger Option" features a series of cryptic messages that puts Jimm on the trail of a killer. (B+)

"Trash" shows what can happen when Jimm's grandfather (whose hobby is picking up trash that washes up on the beach) finds a tin can with a note inside. (A)

"Spay With Me," or how taking her mother's dog to the vet leads Jimm to solve a bank robbery. (A)

"Sex on the Beach" leads to murder on the beach, and Jimm is just the person to solve it. (B+)

All the stories are enjoyable, and all show Cotterill's talent with ingenious puzzles, humor, and a wide range of characters who prove that all people, no matter their circumstances, have value. I'm definitely looking forward to Jimm's next case.

The Jimm Juree Case Files by Colin Cotterill

DCO Books © 2017-2018

A series of seven digital short stories.

Approximately 280 pages.

Short Story, Jimm Juree mysteries

Overall Rating: A-

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton

First Line: When the phone rang, Ava woke with a start.

Ava Lee works for a mysterious businessman she calls "Uncle." Uncle's business is tracking down large sums of money that have disappeared, and he relies on Ava because she's very, very good at what she does. As a forensic accountant, she can track down money anywhere and get it back, usually without violence (which is something she's almost got Uncle trained not to resort to).

This time, one of Uncle's friends has requested help for his nephew, who needs to recover five million dollars from a business deal that went sideways. Ava steps in and finds herself on a journey from Seattle to Hong Kong to Bangkok to Guyana and the British Virgin Islands. In Guyana, she might have met her match: Captain Robbins controls the police, the politicians, and the criminals-- and he's decided that he wants the lion's share of Ava's five million dollars.

Over the past few years, I've kept hearing rave reviews about this series from a very trusted source, and I finally decided that now was the time to sample Ian Hamilton's wares. Shall I just say that I'll be back for seconds, thirds, fourths, and more? I've always been a fan of heist books and films, especially when the loot is being stolen from despicable algae masquerading as human beings. That's exactly what Ava does here, and not only from the original thief, but also from Captain Robbins who has an idea that Ava Lee is really good at what she does, but he still thinks he can keep the upper hand on this pretty little lady.

Besides being a top forensic accountant, Ava Lee is also a martial arts expert. Do not mess with her. She's super-intelligent, she's cool, she's unattainable, and if she needs to, she will take you out. What I liked about her is that she usually took people out without using violence. When television and movies began showing women being able to win knock-down drag-out fights with men, I was happy and did a little bit of cheering, but those fight scenes get really old, really quick. Don't get me wrong, I do like a good fight now and then, but I prefer intelligence over physical strength. Ava does, too. The only thing that I didn't care for is the fact that every man who met Ava started drooling and wanting her to go out with him. Show some self-respect, guys! (Besides, you're drooling up the wrong tree; Ava is gay.)

Hamilton's story is fast-paced, with unexpected flashes of humor, and plenty of tension and suspense. An added bonus that I loved was the fact that Ava Lee is an excellent tour guide. I felt as though I were in each of those countries with her, and I was just as happy to leave Guyana as she was. Yes indeed-- character, story, setting... they all make this a book to savor. Now I'm going to begin savoring the rest of the series!

The Water Rat of Wanchai by Ian Hamilton

APA The Deadly Touch of the Tigress
ISBN: 9781250032270

Picador Books © 2014

Paperback, 400 pages

Private Investigator, #1 Ava Lee mystery

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.


 

The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel by David Casarett

First Line: The frail woman sitting alone below in the courtyard was sad.

Nurse ethicist Ladarat Patalung and Detective Wiriya Mookjai are still basking in the afterglow of their successful investigation in Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness. Although Ladarat is in the middle of scouring records to ensure that all the patients who died in her hospital had the dignity of a "good death,"  the detective believes he's found another case and wants her help. Wealthy foreign travelers are disappearing all over Thailand, and he's worried that a killer is at large. When the two discover that the missing tourists have nothing in common except for short stays at a resort known as the Magic Grove Hotel, Ladarat agrees to investigate.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness, and looked forward to this one with a great deal of anticipation. Unfortunately, The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel was a bit of a disappointment. The characters and the setting are still strong, and the mysteries are intriguing, but this second book in the series really needed more editing and tightening up.

The mysteries took forever to get moving-- mainly due to the fact that too much emphasis was placed on food in the first half. Casarett has definitely tickled my taste buds with his descriptions of Thai food, but having Ladarat attempt to learn to cook was overkill. Once all the food descriptions stopped, the pace picked up and my flagging interest was re-engaged.

There were also too many mysteries to solve: drugged bus passengers, a smuggling ring, tourists disappearing from a strange hotel, a doctor who's acting strangely... and why are so few people dying in the palliative care unit of the hospital? When there are so many investigations screaming for attention, they oftentimes do not get all the attention they deserve, and that's what happened here.

Yes, The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel does have a problem or two, but I'm still looking forward to the next book. There is a wit and humor and gentleness in these two books that just plain makes me feel good. Learning about all the many variations of Thai smiles and feeling good are two excellent reasons to keep reading, don't you agree?
 

The Missing Guests of the Magic Grove Hotel by David Casarett

ISBN: 9780316270694

Redhook Books © 2017

Paperback, 384 pages

Cozy Mystery, #2 Ethical Chiang Mai Detective Agency mystery

Rating: C

Source: Purchased from The Poisoned Pen.

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


 

Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness by David Casarett

First Line: "I have come to see you, Khun Ladarat, about a matter of the utmost urgency."

Ladarat Patalung is the nurse ethicist for Sriphat Hospital in Chiang Mai, Thailand, so when something strange happens in the emergency room, her expertise is called needed.

Two nights ago a young woman brought her husband into the emergency room where he passed away. The problem? A guard remembers the same woman coming in before-- but with a different husband who also died.

Now Ladarat has no alternative but to conduct an investigation. Is there a serial killer on the loose in her hospital? If there is, she is determined to do everything in her power to stop this person.

Through the talents of writers such as Timothy Hallinan, Colin Cotterill, and now David Casarett, I am learning a great deal about the wonderful people of Thailand. How many other cultures do you know of that have names for all of the many different types of human smiles? 

I quickly fell under Ladarat Patalung's spell. She is a truly solitary woman whose life revolves around the hospital. She takes her job as an ethicist very seriously, but outside of her job, the only interactions she has are with the person running the food cart in her neighborhood and her cat. (By the way, those stops at that food cart made me ravenous for Thai food!) Ladarat travels to and from the hospital in a forty-year-old Volkswagen Beetle, and the year she spent studying in Chicago means it's easier for her to bridge the cultural gap between East and West when patients and their families need her.

It doesn't take long for us to know what's happening with the woman and her serial husbands; the pleasure is in watching the way Ladarat tracks down this black widow. Ladarat does do something very ill-advised that in other books would make me accuse the main character of being too stupid to live, but in Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness, Ladarat's actions prove her to be as naive as only the truly good-hearted can be. I don't quite know how Casarett managed my volte-face, but kudos to him! 

There's more to this book than a nurse ethicist's investigation. Besides the mouth-watering food, there's an extremely important inspection that she needs to get ready for, and a severely injured newlywed couple and their parents who need her skills. I also learned a bit more about the role of Chinese immigrants in Thai history.

This is a book that's perfect for the armchair traveling amateur sleuth. Exotic location. Food. Culture. Intriguing mystery. And a main character who will have you eagerly awaiting the next book in the series-- just as I am.
 

Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness by David Casarett

ISBN: 9780316270632

Redhook Books © 2016

Paperback, 368 pages

Cozy Mystery, #1 Ethical Chiang Mai Detective Agency mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.  


 

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 

The Forgotten Highlander by Alistair Urquhart

First Line: As one of the last survivors of my battalion of the Gordon Highlanders, the majority of whom were either killed or captured by the Japanese Imperial Army in Singapore, I know that I am a lucky man.

The life of World War II veteran Alistair Urquhart almost beggars belief. As a hard-working young man with a bright future ahead of him in Aberdeen, Scotland, Alistair is drafted into the Gordon Highlanders and shipped with his fellow soldiers to Singapore.

Urquhart, along with so many of his fellows, is captured when the Japanese overrun Singapore, and they all are packed into boxcars and shipped to work on the Death Railway between Thailand and Burma. Tens of thousands of natives and POWs died in its construction, but Urquhart managed to survive. He was then crammed aboard a Japanese hell ship that was torpedoed by an American submarine. After five days, Urquhart was picked up by Japanese fishermen and taken to another work camp at Omuta. Two months later he was ten miles away from Ground Zero when the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki. In August of 1945 he was freed by the U.S. Navy. 

When I first read the synopsis of this book, two thoughts ran through my mind. (1) Alistair Urquhart went through even more than Louis Zamperini, an American POW made famous by Laura Hillenbrand's Unbroken. (2) A line from an old television variety show-- "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." What an incredible will that man must have!

Although the quality of writing isn't nearly as high as Hillenbrand's in Unbroken, I enjoyed this book more. It has everything to do with Urquhart's voice. In The Forgotten Highlander, you get it direct, unfiltered by someone else. His rage, though well-tempered from the passage of years, comes through loud and clear, and it's not just directed at the Japanese. This man is a Scot, and Scots are known for treating everyone as though they're standing on a level playing field. He had no use for the prejudice and colonialism he found in Singapore, and he found things so badly run that he was surprised that the Japanese hadn't taken over long ago. He also points the finger at himself. He was far from being all sweetness and light during his years as a POW, and when his behavior was detrimental to himself and others, he lets us know about it. His honesty brings this story to an even higher level.

This man was forced to endure a hell that you and I can't even begin to imagine. What Urquhart finds completely unacceptable is that young Japanese know very little about how their own country conducted itself in World War II. Those growing up in Germany know their true history, and Urquhart believes Japanese children should, too. (I'll rework Santayana a bit to say "Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.")

The Forgotten Highlander is ugly. It's brutal. Above all, it's honest. It even has flashes of humor-- and it's stories like these that are vital in our understanding of World War II. Alistair Urquhart is an incredible man, and I am fortunate to have read his story. 

The Forgotten Highlander: An Incredible WWII Story of Survival in the Pacific 

by Alistair Urquhart

eISBN: 9781616081522

Skyhorse Publishing © 2010

eBook, 312 pages

Non-Fiction, Standalone

Rating: A

Source: Purchased from Amazon 

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 Axe Factor by Colin Cotterill

First Line: I write.

Jimm Juree still misses the bright lights of Chiang Mai. Forced to move with her family to the dilapidated Gulf Bay Lovely Resort and Restaurant in rural Thailand, she has become the sole support of her family. She cooks and cleans and has taken on two part-time jobs to make sure there are at least a couple of coins to clang together at the bottom of the family coffer. 

The online journal for the Chumphon Gazette (one of those part-time jobs) sends Jimm to interview a local British mystery writer, Conrad Coralbank. She's also been asked by a friend to look into the disappearance of the local doctor who never returned from a conference. It doesn't take long for Jimm to learn that the doctor isn't the only woman who's gone missing-- no one's seen Conrad Coralbank's young, pretty Thai wife either. Jimm's grandfather is suspicious, Conrad has a gleam in his eye every time he looks at Jimm, and there's a major storm moving in. There just might be a hot time at the Gulf Bay Lovely Resort and Restaurant....

Colin Cotterill is one of the sneakiest writers I know. Author of the superb Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries and now the Jimm Juree mysteries set in rural Thailand, Cotterill is a master at writing books so filled with wit and whimsey that you may not realize that you're actually learning something as you read. With the Jimm Juree books, you learn how a Westernized Thai city girl gets used to life out in the country. You learn about the political atmosphere in Thailand. You learn how poor people survive with no real help from the government. You also learn how a family-- rather bizarrely comprised of a mother with dementia, a retired traffic cop grandfather who seldom speaks, a twentysomething bodybuilder son who's in love with a woman bodybuilder in her late fifties, and a daughter who still longs to be a big city crime reporter-- live together, argue with each other, and (most importantly) love each other. And I didn't even mention the sister who's a transsexual former beauty queen and erstwhile computer hacker who refused to move out of the city. As I read each Jimm Juree novel, I wonder if a dysfunctional family like that can love and support each other, why do so many "normal" families have such a problem doing it?

With family members like these, you know that Cotterill is playing it for laughs, and there are plenty of those. One of Jimm's part-time jobs is as a translator for anyone who wants their signs accurately translated from Thai to English. Each chapter heading is an example of a poorly translated sign, and they alone are worth the price of admission. Then there's Jimm's ongoing correspondence with Clint Eastwood. She's determined to sell him a screenplay, and I love watching her try to make her dream come true.

Cotterill ups the anty in The Axe Factor with two things: a thinly veiled version of himself as Conrad Coralbank, and pages from a serial killer's journal that are truly chilling. No laughs where those pages are concerned because Cotterill can do scary very well, too. As Jimm falls deeper under Coralbank's spell, and as her grandfather becomes more suspicious, those journal pages are enough to really make readers fear for Jimm's life-- and it's a life that we become better acquainted with in this book, particularly her insecurities.

The Axe Factor is the perfect blend of chills and laughter-- and one of the best examples of misdirection I've ever read. It also ends with a nice little cliffhanger. On the surface, Cotterill's books all appear to be light and breezy, but don't be fooled; there's real depth to be found in them as well. I make it a habit never to miss a single one.
 

The Axe Factor by Colin Cotterill

ISBN: 9781250043368
Minotaur Books © 2013
Hardcover, 304 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #3 Jimm Juree mystery
Rating: A
Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen.


 

Grandad, There's a Head on the Beach by Colin Cotterill

First Line: "Grandad?"

Jimm Juree was well on her way to becoming the primary crime reporter for a major Thai newspaper, but when her mother sold the family home and bought a dilapidated beach "resort" in southern Thailand, Jimm, her brother, and her grandfather had little choice but to follow. Jimm's brother is busy with his bodybuilding career and his much older girlfriend, Jimm's ex-traffic cop grandfather seldom speaks, and her mother spends most of her time off in her own little world. It's up to Jimm to do most of the maintenance work pertaining to the business.

When a mother and daughter rent one of the cabins for an extended period, Jimm is thrilled at the chance to earn some real money, but she knows immediately that these two women are hiding something. And what about the head she finds washed up on the beach? There's a story there, too, but the police don't seem to care. Well, if they won't find justice for that head, it's up to Jimm Juree to do what's right. If all works out well, she'll have a story that will have everyone at her old newspaper rueing the day she left.

It should be no surprise to anyone that Colin Cotterill's way with words has translated easily from the Laos of the 1970s in his Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries to modern-day Thailand. From the mind of a wily and rebellious old Communist, we now get to enjoy following Jimm Juree, a Westernized Thai woman who has a talent for rooting out stories and surviving one family calamity after another.

Although I love Cotterill's humor-- and there is plenty to be found here-- he also deals with serious topics such as corrupt policemen and the plight of poor Burmese citizens coming to Thailand in hopes of work. Even that mysterious mother and daughter staying at the Gulf Bay Lovely Resort and Restaurant have important things to teach us. Each of these topics blend into the story seamlessly and add their own elements of suspense and danger.

The first book in the series, Killed at the Whim of a Hat, angered some American readers by using flubbed lines from speeches made by former President George Bush as chapter headings. Even though those quotes tied into the story, the perceived insult to a president was not appreciated. This time, Cotterill heads each chapter with a line from a song that has been phonetically translated by Thai karaoke and lounge singers. Several are absolutely hilarious, and the author does provide the correct lyrics at the back of the book. Once again, these lyrics do tie into the story, and this time in a very exciting way. Clint Eastwood also plays a part, but you'll have to read Grandad, There's a Head on the Beach to find out what it is.

Colin Cotterill has long been a favorite of mine for teaching me how other cultures perceive the world, for his sense of humor, and for his storytelling ability. It's my hope that you'll read his books and come to a similar appreciation.

Grandad, There's a Head on the Beach by Colin Cotterill

ISBN: 9780312564544

Minotaur Books © 2012

Hardcover, 336 pages

Amateur Sleuth, #2 Jimm Juree mystery

Rating: A

Source: Purchased at The Poisoned Pen

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

Killed at the Whim of a Hat by Colin Cotterill

Title: Killed at the Whim of a Hat
Author: Colin Cotterill
ISBN: 9780312564537
Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2011
Hardcover, 384 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth, #1 Jimm Juree mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Amazon Vine

First Line: Old Mel hired one of Da's nephews-- the slow-witted one with the dent in his forehead-- to sink a well in his back acre.

Young Jimm Juree has the life she wants as a crime reporter for the Chiang Mai Daily Mail, but when her mother suddenly sells the family business, familial obligation means that Jimm follows her mother, grandfather and brother to rural southern Thailand to run a decrepit resort on the coast. How in the world is she ever going to become the first female senior crime reporter in the Chiang Mai Daily Mail's history when she lives all the way out in the sticks?

Running the resort takes up a good portion of her day. Let's face it: she's not getting much help from her family. Her mother, who's showing signs of dementia, spends most of her time either restacking cans in the small giftshop or taking in stray dogs. Her grandfather, a retired traffic cop, scarcely says a word and disappears for long periods of time. Jimm's brother's life revolves around body-building and trying to find a decent gym out in the back of beyond. Only Sissi, Jimm's transgendered, former beauty pageant queen, computer hacker, former older brother had the good sense to stay in the city.

It's only when a van containing the skeletal remains of two hippies is unearthed in a local farmer's field that Jimm knows this is her chance to get back to the city and the life she wants. Then when an abbot at a nearby Buddhist temple is murdered, Jimm knows she's got to solve both crimes.

I love Colin Cotterill's Dr. Siri mystery series, which is set in 1970s Laos and features a spry and wily septuagenarian national coroner and a marvelous cast of secondary characters. When I learned that this book was the start of a contemporary series set in Thailand, I thought that Christmas had come early. I still do.

I've read other books set in Thailand. John Burdett's series features a Thai policeman with rather traditional cultural beliefs and values. Timothy Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series has an Anglo writer who's fallen in love with the Thai culture and wants to become a part of it. In Cotterill's book, we get to see Thailand from yet another perspective: that of a young, thoroughly Westernized Thai woman. Each series gives readers a different view of a fascinating country.

Both the crimes in Killed at the Whim of a Hat are puzzlers. Cotterill undoubtedly planted clues throughout the book, but I didn't pick many of them up. Jimm Juree may be an amateur sleuth, but this is not what's usually termed a "cozy" mystery. In particular, the killer of the Buddhist abbot is very depraved and vicious.

But this book is not just about solving mysteries. It's about a young woman coming to grips with what she really wants in life. It's about a young woman who is finally in a situation that makes her really get to know the members of her family. As a mystery, as a glimpse into life in rural Thailand, as a study of human behavior, this is an enjoyable, strong work of fiction-- even though it's not always for the faint-hearted.

It's also not always for those who are easily offended. The book title and chapter headings are all quotes from our former President, George W. Bush. If you're a fan of our 43rd President's eloquence, or if you find it offensive when people in other countries poke some gentle fun at the United States, you may want to pass on this book. All the quotes do tie into the plot, the characters, and the motivations, however.

Of course the immediate comparison for this book is going to be Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series set in Botswana. The only things they really have in common are a light tone, excellent casts of characters, and exotic locations. There is more depth and a more fully developed mystery in Cotterill's book.

I am one very happy reader now that I have both Dr. Siri and Jimm Juree to look forward to.

Learn More from Amazon.

Learn More from The Book Depository.

Learn More from Your Indie Bookseller.

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.

Bangkok Haunts by John Burdett

Title: Bangkok Haunts
Author: John Burdett
ISBN: 978-0-593-05544-1, Bantam Press, 2007
Genre: Police Procedural, #3 Sonchai Jitpleecheep mystery
Rating: C

First Line: Few crimes make us fear for the evolution of our species.

To read John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep mysteries is to immerse yourself in the culture and mindset of Thailand. Westerners are not always understood or appreciated there, but if you're thick-skinned enough to withstand a bit of cultural bashing, you will be paid back in some marvelous reading.

Sonchai is a police detective in Bangkok. Now living happily with Chanya, a former prostitute who's pregnant with his child, Sonchai at one time had had a passionate affair with a Cambodian beauty named Damrong. When he comes across a copy of a snuff film in which Damrong is murdered, he joins with American FBI agent Kimberley Jones to find the killer. While Sonchai's superior, Colonel Vikorn, has his detective set up a porn film business, the list of suspects in Damrong's murder grows to include a banker, a teacher, a Buddhist, and an exclusive men's club called the Parthenon.

Once again-- as with the previous two books in the series-- I was immersed in the culture of Thailand, which is fascinating and so different from my own. I have to admit that one of the reasons why I enjoy these books so much is because I have the chance to see my own culture through the eyes of others.

I enjoyed the convoluted plot, the further machinations of the wily Colonel Vikorn, and the glimpse across the border into Cambodia. Ultimately, however, the book fell flat for me because of the murder victim, Damrong. I felt only great indifference toward her, which really dampened my enjoyment of the book.

Although this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, your mileage could definitely vary-- and the first two books in the series, Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo are both superb. The fourth book in the series, The Godfather of Kathmandu, will be released in January, 2010, and I'm looking forward to reading it.

There are many mystery series based in other countries. Usually the setting only serves to provide a whiff of the exotic, without nudging the reader fully into another culture. John Burdett's Thailand not only provides an exotic setting, the reader is dragged out of his comfortable chair and out into the streets of Bangkok-- out into a world where the people have different customs, a different religion, and an entirely different way of seeing the world. John Burdett takes the reader out of his comfort zone and makes him think about more than just whodunit, and I like that.

[Source: Paperback Swap.]