Set in Laos, 1976, just after the Communist revolution Dr Siri Paiboun at 72 years of age was looking forward to retirement when the Ministry decrees that he is now the Coroner - he knows about what is wrong with living people, how different/difficult can it be to find out why/how people died? With a sly and cynical sense of humour the light crime of the this drama is almost secondary to the enjoyable imagery and subversive characters that the author conjurers up. Dr Siri does work out who killed the wife of the party official and why two Vietnamese soldiers and civil servants were found dead in a lake apparently tortured. The surreal supernatural thread is handled with care and does help move the story on. Those of us who read the book enjoyed it and would recommend it to others.
Have a look at Colin Cotterill's website: Colin Cotterill
Marks out of 10 between 7 - 9
Words used to describe it: interesting, subversive, enjoyable, dead pan!
Next Book
Of Human Bondage by Somerset Maughan
Next Meeting
14 June 2012 - High Tea in Mosul with the Author Lynne O'Donnell at 126 Harbord St
5 July - to discuss Of Human Bondage venue to be confirmed.
