Killed at the Whim of a Hat: A Jimm Juree Novel (Jimm Juree 1) [Kindle Edition]

Although I read a lot of crime novels I generally avoid those written in a comic tone. With most authors I have always found that the humour wears a bit thin pretty quickly. But the Dr Siri novels of Colin Cotterill have slowly become one of my favourite series so I was intrigued to try his new character.

And I think it is a bit of a gem. As its the first of the series the author has the usual problem of how to provide the back story to explain the set-up and its a mark of Cotterill's understated elegance that he can do this without any loss of momentum. And its an interersting set-up. Unlike with the Dr Siri books where the author has the problem of how to keep such a free spirit functioning inside such an oppressive regime, he now has the problem facing all Private Investigators of how Jimm Juree, an ex-crime desk reporter now languishing in the very south of Thailand, gets enough information to progress her cases. So far it works well with just enough conning of officialdom and relying on her transvestite internet proficient sister living in Bangkok etc. etc. for the reader to go happily along with all.

And this is a good plot. Lots of interlocking mysteries and the detection all done with great charm.

Smashing. Bring on the next !

First Sentence: Old Mel hired one of Da's nephews--the slow-witted one with the dent in his forehead--to sink a well in his back acre.

Jimm Juree is a crime reporter with aspirations for greatness until her mother announces the family is moving to rural Southern Thailand and she fears her reporting days are over. Not when a 1972 VW camper is found buried with the driver and passenger still in place and no apparent cause of death immediately evident. Additionally, a Buddhist monk, inexplicably wearing an orange hat, is brutally murdered. Life in the south isn't nearly as dull as Jimm feared it would be.

The first book in a new series by Cotterill greets you with a fascinating and effective opening which catches you off-guard when it changes gears. The author's trademark wry humor is very much in evidence..."Shot four times in the face over a period of twenty minutes? Don't rule out suicide."..."Like Scotch whiskies, bougainvilleas were at their happiest without water." Cotterill has such a wonderful way with language--wonderful similes--one finds oneself going back and re-reading passages; not due to lack of understanding, but for the pure pleasure of re-reading the line or contemplating the concept created by it.

His very visual use of language makes every sentence a pleasure to read. For that, however, there is a surprising lack of sense of place. It all felt quite Westernized and, what description was provided, would not inspire one to want to visit there.

Jimm and her family may take awhile for one to warm to, but there are layers there not apparent at first glance. They are not, by any means, your average family, but they are well developed and sincere on their own and in their relationship to each other. By the end of the book, one can't help wanting to visit them again and know them better.

There are references to Western culture offset against Buddhist philosophy. Cotterill opens every chapter with a quote (gaffe) from George W. Bush. While some might be offended by these, they are actual quotes and do have a tie-in to the story, particularly the title.

At the beginning, one could mistake the plot as being quite cozy. However, halfway through the story becomes much darker and shows a side of human we would prefer not to acknowledge. The plot was the weak spot of the book. It did seem to take a back seat to the characters; it wandered and bogged down at times. The resolution of both cases was not, perhaps, what die-hard mystery fans would have preferred but it did suit the characters and the book.

It's impossible not to compare this book to Cotterill's other series with Dr. Siri. There, you felt Cotterill has real affection for his characters; that feeling is not conveyed here. This seems more an exercise in seeing how unusual and dysfunctional one can make characters and still have readers read them.

"Killed at the Whim of a Hat" is an interesting new direction for Mr. Cotterill but lacks the charm, thoughtfulness or gentle philosophy of his other series. It was readable, but not completely enjoyable.

KILLED AT THE WHIM OF A HAT (Lic Inv/Jour-Jimm Juree-Thailand-1980/Cont) - Good
Cotterill, Colin - 1st of new series
Minotaur Books, ©2011, US Hardcover - ISBN: 9780312564537

This is comic and light hearted murder mystery set in Thailand. The main protagonist is Jimm Juree, a thirties-something Thai newspaper crime reporter, who moves south with her family from the city to a quiet and under-developed resort on Thailand's Gulf coast. There she lives with her family which is a mix of comic characters including her mother (Mair), who is showing signs of early senility, her grandfather a retired ex-policeman with a quiet inner wisdom, and her body building brother. Her sister, actually a trans-sexual former brother, remains behind in the city. In her new home Jimm Juree encounters two mysteries, one involving two bodies discovered in a buried VW Kombi van, and the second the savage murder of a Buddhist monk. The book also introduces a range of other characters, many of which are rather comical, including a camp police Lieutenant. The book has some good moments but really tries too hard to be funny, and some of the humour seems somewhat forced and the eclectic mix of characters really rather unconvincing. The cover reviews draw parallels to the Alexander McCall Smith No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, which I can certainly see, although whereas Botswana is really brought to life in this series and the characters quite credible and written with AMS's understated and subtle style of humour and piquant observation, here the humour seems more sledgehammer and the characters lacking depth and credibility. In many cases they seem to be inventions just to hang a few jokes around. Although the writer lives in Thailand I didn't really feel the atmosphere created was a very authentic one. The plot solutions as they unwind offers one of most ridiculous answers to a murder mystery I think I've ever read! This was a real disappointment. The intruiging title of the book comes from a George W Bush quotation, and there are a number of these throughout at the beginning of sections. I get the impression the author isn't a Dubya fan! I really bought the book as a fan of AMS's stories wondering I've I'd hit upon an undiscovered gem. Unfortunately I hadn't.
The book is by no means terrible but I have to say I was disappointed by it.