Bangkok 8: A Royal Thai Detective Novel (1)

The thing I enjoyed most about this unusual novel is that it works on multiple levels, certainly as a thriller, but also as a modern morality tale and, more subtly, as a spoof of American noir detective stories a la Dashiel Hammet and Raymond Chandler. The hero is a Thai policeman who is, not incidentally, a devout Buddhist and who finds himself in the thick of a tangled plot by a debauched American mogul who is hung up on jade and a lethal --at least for the women involved --sexual fetish. While the overall subject matter of the plot is most definitely not funny, John Burdett somehow manages to weave some very comic asides and angles into the plot, most of them revolving around the cultural and religious differences between the Thai police hero and several American FBI agents. The agents, as one might expect, are so very Western in their thinking that half of the time they haven't a clue as to what the Thais are saying to them outright, let alone the motivations of the Thai characters. Yet the Thai characters are not portrayed simplistically as superior to the Westerners. Indeed, some of them -- notably the mother of the policeman hero -- are quite decadent, although practically so. Burnett seems to want us to understand that the mother comes from a place, both geographically and intellectually, which requires certain utilitarian attitudes if one is to survive. She accepts that reality and works within it, rather than gnash her teeth over things she cannot change, as the Western characters are wont to do. This holds true for her detective son as well, a meditator and serious believer who nevertheless manages to avoid throwing up his hands and surrendering to fatalism. I won't attempt a cogent summary of the plot, since it is too bizarre to wrap into a sentence or two. But it all makes sense in the end and it leaves the reader with some serious things to ponder -- about love, loyalty and the way culture shapes them both. I am eager to move on to the next novel in this startling and inventive series.

If you are going to Bangkok there are two things that you should have for your flight: a seat cushion for the 23-hour flight and `Bangkok 8'. This is one of most gripping detective thrillers I have read in years. Not only is it a startling exoticum, but Burdett sheds cultural insight regarding the seamy streets of Bangkok better that any guide I took with me. When I arrived in the city of 10 million, Bangkok was more than a grid locked, sprawling Asian city, as much as it was the setting for this story. Strange but true. John Burdett delivers characters like that of Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep, son of a prostitute, and one of the few honest cops in Bangkok, that are fantastically unique. So much that you may want to look him up while you're there. Good luck. His writing mixes Buddhism and brothels, incarnations and transvestites, all of these, and a very attractive FBI agent (Kimberly Jones), stay with you to the end. Within a few pages you will be thick into the mire and mystery. Burdett throws you a murder so macabre, so bazaar, that you wonder how did he ever think this up. The last chapter is anti-climatic, but the novel's integrity is solid. He is a master tale-spinner and I am looking forward to his next intriguing novel. Highly recommended

Sonchai is an honest police detective in the totally corrupt police department of Bangkok. But, hey, that's the way things work there. People pay the police, things get done, and everybody is happy. Sonchai is not cheered by his present situation, however. His best friend and partner has just been killed in a bizarre event following a murder. His prostitute mother is going to open a bar, and an assertive blonde lady FBI agent has been assigned to help him solve his case. Her American personality and flirtatious manner is somewhat unsettling to his placid Buddhist nature, but they work together somewhat efficiently. Gems, snakes, and an American evildoer make up the plot. The murdered man was a marine who was living with a statuesque Thai woman, and seems to have been involved in the jade trade. Sonchai has some difficulty in pursuing the case because he begins to bump into some of those police payoff areas. The unlikely investigating couple continue their work, however, and it leads to a few choice surprises. This book flows smoothly, and is well written. The characters are well developed, and the reader is happily immersed in Thai culture. Well, Thai culture as it applies to the police, prostitution and drugs that is. This novel is for readers who want something different than the normal mystery novels written by authors who seem unacquainted with descriptive adjectives, and the human personalities and cultural contexts of their stories.

I just finished reading it, and couldn't put it down. Very suspenseful and also poignant, as the main character is the son of a Thai prostitute and a white American soldier. He gives a moving picture of life in the ... trade, life as a half caste in Thailand, and life as a Thai Buddhist. This last was fascinating and a big part of why I recommend this book. It's a page turner of a murder mystery, starting with a dead marine and a beautiful suspect, but the best part is following what we have come to think of as a standard story through the viewpoint of a Buddhist cop working in a corrupt, if "compassionate" culture. It's hilarious at times, and at times heartbreaking, and if you happen to guess who the murderer is, you'll still never guess why. To people who say the ending is a letdown, well, that is one of the drawbacks of this type of book. It's always a letdown to solve a tantalizing case and end a compelling read. This book was definitely worth it, and I've already bought another of his books to read asap.

Great Surreal, yet gritty Portrait of Bangkok, a "why'd-they-do-it", magical, Spicey, with a fresh, funky ending. Does not follow dogmatic, petrified-wood thriller formula. Ignore the folks complaining this is anti-American or whatever....I think most people can tell by the book title that it's about Bangkok. If you want a really, really patriotic American story....I don't know, maybe look for a book that doesn't have Bangkok in the title.You have 2 childhood friends, Sonchai and Pinchai, troublemakers sent to the Bhuddist Monastery for a year by their prostitute mothers, then placed on the police force. They are so spiritual, devout, they could ascend to heaven now, but resist to pay for their sins. Being in the monastery apparently rewired their delinquent brains, as they seem to be more sensitive to the environment, people, and possibly, the nonvisible universe. Yet, for all his straining for spiritual ideals, he is accidentally always around westerners, drawn to top-of-the-line clothing and perfumes. He has a yearning for connection to his mysterious caucasian father, and that the only males to spend quality time with him were westerners.They are sent to tail a US Marine, only to find him murdered in a freaky revenge killing, and our lead's pal is accidentally killed. For all his buddist values, he vows deadly revenge. There's a lot of atmosphere building, lots of background which is fascinating, especially the lifestyle and treatment of prostitutes, and their children, especially the half-asian ones.He and the FBI team to work on this case, only it starts to get sticky politically, starts reaching far up the American foodchain. He is paired up with some americans but eventually ends up with MS. FBI who seems to be pursuing this in her own vendetta, and she has twisted the facts in order to pursue the culprit against top-brass orders.It is interesting to see the clash of styles in personal dynamics between Ms. FBI and him. He's used to female Thai behavior, their flirting, approachability and sexuality. She is slow to warm up, very business-like and assertive, which to him is manlike. It is very interesting to see them alternately flirting, then offending each other, getting turned off, yet still being drawn to each other, despite what they think is commonsense, and their pride and mutual stereotypes get in the way. He can't see it at all, which is rather funny. They do hammer each other with their dumb mutual stereotypes of what America & Americans are like vs. Thailand and Thai folks are like. (This happens at my work too, when one Thai guy says that Thai schools are so much better, so I "innocently" ask if everybody can fight like Jackie Chan & fly through the air.)They are both conflicted about themselves. He's supposed to be free of desires, yet lonely, can't seem to not flirt or allow physical proximaty. She's supposed to be professional, robot-like, yet very lonely, alternately wanting professionalism yet starv