Bangkok Haunts

Sanchai Jipecheap #3: “Bangkok Haunts” by John Burdett. The title fooled me, thinking haunts referred to places, as in favorite haunts to visit. Instead, we’re talking supernatural haunts and ghosts. Yes, we’re still in Bangkok, Thailand, and surrounded by crooked police, strip bars, and prostitutes. This time the prostitute murdered was Damrong, an old lover of Sanchai’s who was murdered in a snuff film. Snuff films are x-rated porn movies in which someone is killed. The investigation leads Sanchai to a powerful British lawyer and an oriental banker with powerful friends. Plus, Sanchai’s boss, Colonel Vikorn warns the detective off the case because he’s blackmailing the banker himself. But the murdered prostitute comes to his dreams every night, and he must find her killers. An odd Cambodian Monk is also haunted by the girl, and puts himself in Sanchai’s path for some reason. The story comes to a violent end in an elephant compound in the jungle, Sanchai is held captive with two of the killers by the spirit of Damrong. A wild read, and lots of fun.