Jimm Juree #1: “Killed
At The Whim of A Hat” by Colin Cotterill. Jimm Juree is an out of work reporter
who has just moved with her family to the village of Maprao, on the coast of
southern Thailand. There is a lot happening in this 374-page murder mystery,
including skeletons discovered in a VW van buried on a farmer’s property, plus
the murder of an abbot at the temple. Jimm’s mother’s dog has been poisoned,
and renters have stolen everything out the room they were staying in. Wanting
her name back in press, Jimm investigates the mysteries, while trying to stop
her mother, Mair, from killing the person that killed her dog. In the first
half of the book we not only learn about the two big mysteries, but we get to
meet Jimm’s family and the town folks, as well as the local police. Although we
don’t see a lot of action, this is more literary than noir, the writing is
entertaining, and the characters are fun. Each chapter begins with a quote from
President George W. Bush, taken from one of his speeches. Jimm’s dissertation
at university was to select a famous speaker, and she was stuck with America’s
ex-president (I loved the quotes). The murder of the abbot will take many
turns, before the surprising case comes to a close. However, the mystery of the
submerged VW van with two skeletons doesn’t truly end till the final pages and
it, too, has a few surprises. A fun story, and highly recommended.
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