Vulture Peak (Sonchai Jitpleecheep) [Deckle Edge] [Hardcover]

"Vulture Peak" continues the wild adventures of Bangkok Police Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep. This series is not only somewhat exotic in its Thailand setting, it also includes some of the most offbeat, endearing, off-putting, interesting, repulsive and spiritual characters created for the mystery genre (or maybe any literary genre of any kind). For whatever reason author John Burdett has chosen this direction, it probably (as far as I know) puts his books in a category unique unto themselves. For this reader, this spectrum of extremes works well and I found "Vulture Peak" and its predecessors highly entertaining, if a little shocking in their occasional cold-eyed violence.

There's no way to do justice to the book's storyline in just a few hundred words--it's a roller coaster. But what I found to be the book's greatest strengths, beyond the ever-changing action, was the portrayal of protagonist Sonchai's very human character and his relationships with his wife, mother and colleagues. None of those characters is the least mainstream in general concept (think prostitutes, transsexuals, bipolar Chinese cops, etc.) but they are all given respectful three-dimension personas and the reader comes to invest some interest and sympathy in each of them.

There are times when the storyline and its accompanying violence may cross the line for the average mystery reader, but Burdett probably isn't writing for the average reader of any genre and his books have to be approached in that way. "Vulture Peak" is a wild ride, but witty, entertaining, and worth ignoring the meaner bits.

I got this because of Colin Cotterill's Dr. Siri series. Having purchased that group of books (totally enjoyable), Amazon keeps recommending Burdett's books. Other than both being mysteries and set in Southeast Asia, I really see little similarity. They reflect the mores of that part of the world, but the characters and type of storytelling are not all that similar. They both are, however, quite enjoyable.

To me, the book did not get off to a very good start. Then I figured out why. And, I viewed the reason with mixed emotions. When I get started with a series by reading the first one, I don't like the next ones to spend the first hundred pages getting new readers up to speed. I want to get on with the new book. In this case, though, I'm the one starting with the most recent. So, I was hoping for some help in getting up to speed with the characters and the setting. Guess there's no pleasing me. But, once I recognized my problem with the book (key word 'my'), I was fine with the book and worked harder to figure things out.

Then, as the book advanced, I tried to determine whether this current story had suffered for those of us new to the series. I don't think it did. Would it help to have read the others, or at least one? Probably. Did this work as a stand alone? Yes, if you make it past the first fifty pages or so and start to get comfortable with the people and places.

This is very fast-paced and quite rough in nature, though leavened with subtle humor. The situations run the gamut and the interactions are quite adult. If you try to stay away from the more raw features of the world, then this is definitely not for you; and that is a huge difference between Burdett and Cotterill. This is not a book to share with the easily shocked. If the Book Description grabbed you, then you should grab the book.

(I received an Advance Reader's Copy from the Amazon US Vine program.)

Book 5 in the Sonchai Jitpleeecheep series

I have read all the novels in this series and this one has to be one of the best so far. Just like the previous novels this one takes you through the seedier side of Bangkok, the streets where you meet fascinating people who compete aggressively to run and to work their trade and please the demands of foreigners.

Burdett's fifth Bangkok novel opens with a very descriptive setting, the bizarre triple murder at a pleasure palace where Sonchai and his detective partner Lek happen to be knee deep in the gruesome details and scratching their head looking for answers. The three victims are found in a bed with their vital organs and all traces of identification removed, including face and fingers. Sonchai and Lek quickly come to the conclusion that this case may have links to their superior, the very corrupt Police Colonel Vikhorn, a powerful man with a long reach and a dark cloud hanging over him.

The trail leads them to an international organ trafficking business run by the ruthless identical twins, Lilly and Polly Yip. Sonchai's only hope of catching them is to set in motion a massive sting operation that involves players that work out of Phuket, Hong Kong, Dubai, Shanghai, and Monte Carlo. He soon discovers the criminal ring's main source of organs is from executed Chinese prisoners however the demand of wealthy Westerners whose organs have worn out exceeds that supply, forcing the gang to expand into new territories.

On the home front all work and no play for Sonchai creates another crisis. He suspects his long absence has left an opening for his wife to fall back on her previous life as an active prostitute.

The plot comes across as being believable, is tense, engaging and fast-paced, although its main theme may be the trafficking of human organs the story often veers into other territories, drugs, prostitution and gender reassignment create interesting sub-plots. The first person narrative is fresh and has a humorous touch to it. Mr. Burdett often addresses his audience as DFR (dear farang reader) and loves to stimulate their thoughts about the shenanigans the western tourists get involved in when visiting a country with an open, in your face way of life. The strong characterisation depicts the good, the bad and the ugly sides of a country that is also known for its beauty and its deep spiritual beliefs.

This is another gripping tale with a style of its own that I enjoyed reading.