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constantreader471's review
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The author bio identifies the author as a non practicing lawyer who used to work for a British firm in Hong Kong. He now makes his living as a writer and has lived in France and Spain. I rate this book 4 stars for an intricate mystery with layers of surprises and an East Asian/Buddhist point of view. If you are an American, be prepared for a fair amount of criticism of western culture, especially the CIA.
The book opens with a very gory murder of a man at "The Old Man's Club" jointly owned by Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep's mother Nong and his boss Vikorn. The chief suspect is Chanya, the brothel's top earner. To add to the problems associated with the murder, the dead man worked for the CIA. Sonchai and Vikorn decide to cover up the killing and say that it was self defense by Chanya.
But then more problems arise. Muslims are worried that they will be blamed if the CIA undoes the coverup. The CIA sends several people to investigate. There is a tattoo artist who may have present during the murder.
How the mystery is resolved makes for a satisfying read.
One quote by Vikorn to Sonchai: The key to cover-ups is to leave the evidence alone, make thestory do the work. The trick is all in the the interpretation."
The book opens with a very gory murder of a man at "The Old Man's Club" jointly owned by Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep's mother Nong and his boss Vikorn. The chief suspect is Chanya, the brothel's top earner. To add to the problems associated with the murder, the dead man worked for the CIA. Sonchai and Vikorn decide to cover up the killing and say that it was self defense by Chanya.
But then more problems arise. Muslims are worried that they will be blamed if the CIA undoes the coverup. The CIA sends several people to investigate. There is a tattoo artist who may have present during the murder.
How the mystery is resolved makes for a satisfying read.
One quote by Vikorn to Sonchai: The key to cover-ups is to leave the evidence alone, make thestory do the work. The trick is all in the the interpretation."
grahampogo's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
nightchough's review
3.0
This was good, as good as the first one. One touch I liked in this was a journal written by a Thai character who leaves Thailand for a while. There's some development of the world and of the main character. Also I think James Ellroy fans would appreciate the ending - it's twisted.
Interesting enough that I will continue on to book 3. I've heard the 4th book is a clunker though.
Interesting enough that I will continue on to book 3. I've heard the 4th book is a clunker though.
aderby's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
wannabekingpin's review
3.0
All Reviews in One Place: Night Mode Reading
A CIA agent is killed and mutilated in a room of a bar girl. They had a one-sided love history and a romance, with kind enough parting between them. And Chanya just doesn’t seem to have a heart for such a violent act, even if circumstances seem to point at her. Yet due to him being an American CIA agent in Bangkok, and this world being set just after the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack, there’s a chance that if there’s any of those evil group members around – they wouldn’t have missed a chance either. But forwards come the Muslim community, prepared to do whatever it takes, whatever means necessary, to keep this blame off of them: it’d destroy the solid community out here. So Sonchai does what Sonchai does better, he picks up whatever strings are left for him, and heads out to see what tangles he can rustle up. What could get a man like that killed anyway?
Apparently, a tattoo. And it might just not be over. Out there, in the dark underground, a good classic / traditional tattoo artist is valued, and so are their works. To the point where murdering and skinning is almost a norm, for owning a piece is a sign of status. The agent had one. And so does Chanya. Yet she’s still alive.
In some dumb sense, Sonchai got too simple for my liking. He lost his fatalistic self, settling down, calming down. And since he’s the one telling the story, and he’s the main hero in it too, it hits the whole tale quality over the head. I can’t give it more than 3 out of 5, but I’m also not ready to give up on the series just yet.
A CIA agent is killed and mutilated in a room of a bar girl. They had a one-sided love history and a romance, with kind enough parting between them. And Chanya just doesn’t seem to have a heart for such a violent act, even if circumstances seem to point at her. Yet due to him being an American CIA agent in Bangkok, and this world being set just after the tragic 9/11 terrorist attack, there’s a chance that if there’s any of those evil group members around – they wouldn’t have missed a chance either. But forwards come the Muslim community, prepared to do whatever it takes, whatever means necessary, to keep this blame off of them: it’d destroy the solid community out here. So Sonchai does what Sonchai does better, he picks up whatever strings are left for him, and heads out to see what tangles he can rustle up. What could get a man like that killed anyway?
Apparently, a tattoo. And it might just not be over. Out there, in the dark underground, a good classic / traditional tattoo artist is valued, and so are their works. To the point where murdering and skinning is almost a norm, for owning a piece is a sign of status. The agent had one. And so does Chanya. Yet she’s still alive.
In some dumb sense, Sonchai got too simple for my liking. He lost his fatalistic self, settling down, calming down. And since he’s the one telling the story, and he’s the main hero in it too, it hits the whole tale quality over the head. I can’t give it more than 3 out of 5, but I’m also not ready to give up on the series just yet.
jet_nebula's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
harperv28's review
3.0
I did not like this second book as much as I liked the first. The first book was informative in a nice way. This on the narrator Sonchai kept talking to the farang audience and was putting the audience down like the narrator is better than the reader. I didn't like being criticized and being stereotyped. The story lost steam part way through as he spent too much time telling the reader who he assumes is a Caucasian male all the stupid things he does. Even though I am not a Caucasian male I still didn't need the author interrupting the story to tell me those things. I don't know if the author felt that since he was writing from the Thai perspective instead of his own he could get away with that or what. I bought the next book and hope I don't regret it.
mumay's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
tonythep's review against another edition
3.0
another fun, fast-paced thriller full of sex, violence and Buddhism.
cmrams's review against another edition
2.0
Even when I read the first one after just returning for a term teaching in Thailand, I felt it presumptuous of the author to address readers as 'farang' when he is a foreigner himself, writing as a Thai man. This rubs me the wrong way. The lecturing of the narrator, Thai detective written by a Western white man, gets to be a bit too much at times. Maybe it is because I have also spent time there that I feel annoyed at this aspect.
Originally I had no intention of reading any of these books after [b:Bangkok 8|706011|Bangkok 8 (Sonchai Jitpleecheep #1)|John Burdett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388333732s/706011.jpg|692291] but I was hit with a bout of Thai nostalgia and ran across the second in the series. While it does satisfy a little bit of my longing to go back, my version of Thailand was quite different than the majority of the corruption and sex trade displayed in these books. I feel that at least the level of corruption may be up played for dramatic purposes, as should be expected of a thriller/detective novel. That is why I enjoyed these stories at all, for the thriller/detective/mystery aspects. Even though I can't help but feel a little negative towards the author, for reasons stated above. I also have experienced enough of the negative sentiments about Westerners, and it's a little over done here.
The first book was better in ways of suspense and thrills. While I like the detective aspect, as well as the quick pace and the locale, I have mixed feelings overall. There is a lot of criticizing of Westerners and Western culture, it can feel as though a disgruntled westerner who has decided Asia is superior to all other societies is lecturing why this is true.
Originally I had no intention of reading any of these books after [b:Bangkok 8|706011|Bangkok 8 (Sonchai Jitpleecheep #1)|John Burdett|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1388333732s/706011.jpg|692291] but I was hit with a bout of Thai nostalgia and ran across the second in the series. While it does satisfy a little bit of my longing to go back, my version of Thailand was quite different than the majority of the corruption and sex trade displayed in these books. I feel that at least the level of corruption may be up played for dramatic purposes, as should be expected of a thriller/detective novel. That is why I enjoyed these stories at all, for the thriller/detective/mystery aspects. Even though I can't help but feel a little negative towards the author, for reasons stated above. I also have experienced enough of the negative sentiments about Westerners, and it's a little over done here.
The first book was better in ways of suspense and thrills. While I like the detective aspect, as well as the quick pace and the locale, I have mixed feelings overall. There is a lot of criticizing of Westerners and Western culture, it can feel as though a disgruntled westerner who has decided Asia is superior to all other societies is lecturing why this is true.