Vulture Peak

Sonchai Jipecheap #5: “Vulture Peak” by John Burdett. Bangkok’s GMP GNP is prostitution and drugs, but occasionally more vulgar crimes surface. But this is where the police are as corrupt as the worse criminals, and this includes District 8, ruled over by Colonel Vikorn, head of the police. His only honest cop, Sonchai Jipecheap, is delegated the crimes that must be solved to keep the colonel in good with American FBI and CIA. In fact, the Americans want to elevate Colonel Vikorn to Mayor of Bangkok, on his way up to governor. But his nemesis, General Zinna is running against him, so Vikorn’s top detective must solve a big case this time. It must be a case big enough to put Vikorn at the very top of the political field. The colonel points him towards the gruesome trade in body parts, run by Lily and Poly Yip, twin sisters from Hong Kong, who are operating across Asia. China is providing executed prisoners, while the twins gather customers around the world. Already billionaires, they have much power in Asia, and are under the protection of General Zinna. It’s up to Sonchai and Detective Chan from Hong Kong to bust the case, but Chan is a little bit crazy, and the beautiful prostitute named, Om, sidetracks Sonchai. The case seems to lead back to a mountain mansion in Phuket, called Vulture Peak. A fun series, well written, with a descriptive look at Bangkok.

The Godfather of Kathmandu

Sonchai Jipecheap #4: “The Godfather of Kathmandu” by John Burdett. The murder of a rich American filmmaker appears ritualistic, but a film discovered shows it was a suicide. Still, Sonchai isn’t satisfied, and won’t be until he solves the case. Working with him is Detective Sukum, who doesn’t like Sonchai, but wants a promotion. When the investigation leads to a rich Chinese woman of high education and power in Bangkok, Sukum isn’t too anxious to pursue the case further. In the meantime, a mysterious Tibetan religious man is offering forty million dollars worth of heroin to Vikorn and Zinna, as neither can come up with the case on their own. This means they will have to form a partnership in the transaction. To make matters worse, Vikorn, who is a fan of the American Godfather movies, makes Sonchair a consigliere. How can a true Buddhist stoop to such low deeds? This was another fascinating murder mystery in the worldly Bangkok.

Bangkok Tattoo

Sanchai Jipecheap #2: “Bangkok Tattoo” by John Burdett. A lot is going on in this second novel of the series. Sanchai is training a new partner on the District 8 Royal Thai Police, Lek, who is a woman trapped in a man’s body. Sanchai is also working for his mother at The Old Men’s Bar; catering to older Americans from the Vietnam era who come to Thailand on tours. One of the prostitutes returns from a trick with blood all over her, and high on Opium, claiming to have killed the customer. Sanchai discovers the body of a huge American has been castrated, and the skin on his back cut off. The prostitute, Chanya Phonychit is told by Colonel Vikorn to sign a false statement, and then disappear; the dead man is a CIA agent. Sure enough, the CIA wants to know what happened, and if Vikorn has any information he isn’t sharing the truth with them. The victim was only the first, however, for soon other men are found also castrated and their skin ripped off their back. The clues lead Sanchai to a famous Japanese tattooist living in Bangkok, but what’s behind the murders, and is Chanya in this deeper than she’s telling? This was another good mystery, though a bit slow in the beginning, as we are introduced to all the prostitutes and nightlife in Bangkok. Plus, even though two of the victims were CIA agents, this was merely a red herring, as were other leads. Of course, we shouldn’t have been fooled, as the title gives the case away, it has something to do with the tattoos, of course. Still, a good read, with interesting characters, and the author doesn’t try to teach you about Bangkok, instead he gives you a guided tour of the city and it’s people. Lots of fun.

Bangkok 8

Sanchai Jipecheap #1: “Bangkok 8” by John Burdett. Bangkok detectives, Sanchai Jipecheap and Pichai Aparidee are following a black American Marine, William Bradley under orders from Colonel Vikorn, but they don’t know why. They lose track of the embassy marine several times in the heavy Bangkok traffic, once when he picks up a girl somewhere, and finally when they have to radio in asking for traffic to report the position of the marine’s car when seen. They are soon notified that the car has been reported stopped under a bridge, and proceed to that location. Arriving, they watch a group of Khmer gangsters leave on motorcycles while locals are gathered around the car. Inside, they see a huge python wrapped around the marine’s neck, and there are blocks in the door, locking them shut. Pichai shoots through the window killing the snake, and then works the door open and pulls Bradley out. Unnoticed by the police detectives there are over a dozen cobras also in the car, many within the sergeant’s clothing; one bites Pichai in the eye. Sanchai shoots the rest of the snakes, but it’s already too late for his partner. The girl is not in the car.

Wow. If we could give more than a 5-Star rating, this book would easily get a 6-Star review. Not only is the narrative and dialogue enjoyable, the writing is excellent: smooth, tight, fast, and a page-turner. Bangkok is a city of prostitutes and corrupt police; the main source of economy is the sex trade. The author shows us the streets and bars, and seedy atmosphere of the city, yet we never see a sex scene, and the profanity is few in this 431-page novel. The mystery is topnotch, and the characters three-dimensional. There is some violence, but again, it’s about the story, not the violence. For iexample, Sanchai and FBI agent, Kimberly Jones attend a Muay Thai boxing tournament, but arrive at the end of the bout. We do learn the real story behind Muay Thai martial arts (not the regulated sport), which was very interesting.

Sanchai and Pichai were the only incorruptible police in District 8, maybe all of Bangkok, for that matter. With Pichai now dead, that leaves only Sanchai unblemished. Sanchai is a half-breed, half Thai, half white-American: His mother is a prostitute, and during the Vietnam War, American soldiers often came to Bangkok for R&R. He never knew his father. They had married, and he took her to the states, but his family did not approve of her, so she returned to Thailand to raise her son, often living with other men, while Sanchai learned the hard facts of life. But he feels a need to find the murderer of his dear friend, and vows vengeance, sensing it favorable in Buddha’s teaching. But he soon learns there is more to the case than even he can imagine, and it will engulf Southeast Asia and America. This is a novel hard to put down, and definitely a fun read.

Brannan's Run

Brannan’s Run by Stephen Cord. Joe Brannan, ex-pat now living in Thailand had served with 1^st Battalion British Parachute Regiment, but now operates a dive boat in the sea around Pattaya, Thailand. When he learns about a sunken Khmer Rouge boat loaded with gems in Cambodia water, the promise of wealth is too good to pass up. But others want the treasure too, including Cambodian Navy/pirates and the Russians, and either is willing to kill for them. Then throw in a beautiful rich Russian woman with long legs and flaming red hair, and Joe just might take the chance after all. This was an exciting action adventure in the mold of those paperback originals of the 1950s, when tough men operated around the Java Sea and Asian Ports, looking for that one strike to make it rich, if they don’t get killed in the process. Then throw in some Muay Thai martial arts for fun. Except for the mature language, this would have fit easily into those early ARGOSY and ADVENTURE pulp magazines of a bygone era. We could use more of this genre today, reminiscent of the past when bold adventure created living legends of action heroes and dangerous dames. It’s also fun returning to the streets of Bangkok and the mysterious East, where beautiful women and death wait hand in hand for an unwary stranger. Highly recommended for the action and adventure lovers everywhere. OK