Bangkok Tattoo
3 journalers for this copy...
I think this would be considered an UNcozy mystery; it's a look at the seamy side of Thailand through the eyes of Sonchai Jitpleecheep: detective with the Royal Thai Police and the son of a former Pat Pong prostitute and an American GI.
Sonchai also works part time at the bar/brothel co-owned by his boss and his mother - The Old Man's Club (inspired by those little blue pills); and he's in love with their top-earning bar girl, Chanya. When it appears that Chanya has killed a foreigner who turns out to be a CIA agent, Sonchai has to find out what really happened..and decide what to do about it.
I have Bangkok 8 also, and apparently I'm reading them in the wrong order, but everything is explained well enough that I don't think it matters.
There's a nice note in the back of the book reminding readers that there's a lot more to Thailand than the sex industry. (I have Anna and the King waiting to be re-read somewhere too..) Someday I hope to go there and see for myself, although I don't think I'll visit Soi Cowboy. ;)
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Sonchai also works part time at the bar/brothel co-owned by his boss and his mother - The Old Man's Club (inspired by those little blue pills); and he's in love with their top-earning bar girl, Chanya. When it appears that Chanya has killed a foreigner who turns out to be a CIA agent, Sonchai has to find out what really happened..and decide what to do about it.
I have Bangkok 8 also, and apparently I'm reading them in the wrong order, but everything is explained well enough that I don't think it matters.
There's a nice note in the back of the book reminding readers that there's a lot more to Thailand than the sex industry. (I have Anna and the King waiting to be re-read somewhere too..) Someday I hope to go there and see for myself, although I don't think I'll visit Soi Cowboy. ;)
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CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
This book set in Bangkok wants to see more of the world than just Hawaii, so it's going traveling in Erishkigal's Mystery with a Twistery bookbox. Go book, go!
This book set in Bangkok wants to see more of the world than just Hawaii, so it's going traveling in Erishkigal's Mystery with a Twistery bookbox. Go book, go!
Taken from Erishkigal's twistery mystery book box.
I'm delighted that I chose this book. It is by an author I had not heard of and the cover looked interesting. It exceeded my expectations.
Our hero with the unpronounceable last name (at least to me) is a different kind of detective. He understands that some things are not investigated but instead are covered up. It takes, perhaps, a lot more effort to cover up than to investigate, though, and eventually Sonchai investigates the hell out of it and actually solves the case. He is motivated as much by his love of the accused as by his own natural investigative instincts.
The final answer is quite a twisted one, and even shocking, yet oddly believable.
Beyond the mystery is the place from which it is written. The story is being told to "farang" (foreigner), with no identification beyond that, yet it is clear the foreigner is a westerner. There are numerous comparisons between western thinking and that of Buddhists or Muslims or just Thais. Most of the time the westerners come off as wrong-headed, empty, driven, lacking in understanding or interest in other cultures. The comparisons between prostitutes in the different countries, for example, are representative of Thai culture in general (although, as hyphen8 notes, the author points out that the sex industry in Thailand is actually quite small in comparison to the population). Although there is clearly a bias in favor of the Thai way of life, the perspective is more complex than that, more interesting, and very funny at times.
Our hero with the unpronounceable last name (at least to me) is a different kind of detective. He understands that some things are not investigated but instead are covered up. It takes, perhaps, a lot more effort to cover up than to investigate, though, and eventually Sonchai investigates the hell out of it and actually solves the case. He is motivated as much by his love of the accused as by his own natural investigative instincts.
The final answer is quite a twisted one, and even shocking, yet oddly believable.
Beyond the mystery is the place from which it is written. The story is being told to "farang" (foreigner), with no identification beyond that, yet it is clear the foreigner is a westerner. There are numerous comparisons between western thinking and that of Buddhists or Muslims or just Thais. Most of the time the westerners come off as wrong-headed, empty, driven, lacking in understanding or interest in other cultures. The comparisons between prostitutes in the different countries, for example, are representative of Thai culture in general (although, as hyphen8 notes, the author points out that the sex industry in Thailand is actually quite small in comparison to the population). Although there is clearly a bias in favor of the Thai way of life, the perspective is more complex than that, more interesting, and very funny at times.
Reserved for westofmars, who has it on her wishlist.
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Sent to westofmars. Surprise! tracking no.9102785091401327828113
Sent to westofmars. Surprise! tracking no.9102785091401327828113
I'm not sure if I knew this was coming or not, but I sure appreciate finding it in my mailbox this morning! I promise to pay this kindness forward; RABCKs are wonderful things.
