A Nail Through the Heart: A Novel of Bangkok

Timothy Hallinan's "A Nail Through the Heart" is a powerfully written novel set in Bangkok, a city of both beauty and degradation, where the senses are assaulted by the blare of vehicle horns, the traffic, the rush of people, the smells, the heat of the day and the neon of the night. Here the face of evil is both banal and horrific, encompassing individual depravity and the inhumanity of the Khmer Rouge regime. It is a story concerned with love and evil that ultimately asks if love can be a redemptive force, even in the face of great evil. A remarkable novel and impossible to put down, it is disturbing, challenging and beautifully plotted and written. The horrors of the past, the realities of the present and the promises of the future are seamlessly interwoven. Hallinan is a writer's writer.

I couldn't put it down. It's wonderful, my favorite book so far this year. I read it in one sitting. He took my into the heart of a world I knew nothing about and held my attention with engaging, interesting, original characters. It's a hair-raising adventure with a really scary villain, unexpected twists and turns, and a terrific finish. What's not to like? This looks like it will be a great series and I can't wait for the next one. He's a sensational writer.

I gobble up 2 or 3 books a week so I have some basis to compare. This is one of my favorites of the year. This book has everything you are looking for: exciting plot development, likeable characters that you become attached to, a bit of Thai philosophy and a feel (quite accurate) for the country. It holds your attention to the very last page. You really don't want it to be over. I would recommend it to anyone. It is a really great read. I can't wait for Tim's next one to come out. Steve

I have read every novel this author has written and loved them all, but with "A Nail Through the Heart," a Bangkok tale, Timothy Hallinan has hit a new level in his writing that is simply heart-wrenchingly beautiful. With a somber and poetic use of wit, metaphor and simile, this first story in Hallinan's new Poke Rafferty series is a doozy. All the characters are so clear. All of them have such depth. And thus, long after the book is finished, they still live in my head. And further, because the prose describing Bangkok is so sharp and detailed, I feel as though I was actually there, experiencing all its beauty and its degradation; all its humanity and its juggernaut evil; and all its fatalism and its hope. This is a great story about people and far-away places and how they survive, while still trying to do the right thing.

A Nail Through the Heart Though not a dyed in the wool mystery fanatic, I am a serious Timothy Hallinan enthusiast. I can honestly say I have enjoyed everything I have read of his since discovering his Simeon Grist mysteries. But I thought A Nail Through the Heart was on another whole level for him. I have always appreciated Hallinan's attention to detail. I don't know if he spends voluminous amounts of time researching his stuff or just has a gift for describing things so they look, sound & feel authentic. Whatever it is, it works. I also really get into Hallinan's characters. They're multi-dimensional people I get intimately involved with. I get sucked into caring what happens to them -- the good guys and the bad. And Hallinan just writes fantastic dialog. I wish I could write dialog like that. A Nail Through the Heart has all of that and more. While Hallinan's stories are always well constructed, this one is meticulously crafted. The attention to detail is stunning, and Hallinan penetrates deep into the Thai culture to deliver everything in Technicolor. For my money Timothy Hallinan has always been a good writer, professional in every sense. A Nail Through the Heart is the work of a great writer. Let's hope he has plenty more like this one coming. And, if you're not familiar with them already, treat yourself to his earlier books. I'll bet you'll be glad you did. Laren Bright