barb_d's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
A great accidental find! Witty storytelling, comfortable pace, interesting characters and a unique setting. A perfect choice for relaxation, especially when travelling around Lao. The only bone I have to pick is that there was a plot twist at the very end - now I'm curious to continue with the series :)
buecherbruecken's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
carls_d's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
It’s starting to look like, somebody wants this case closed in a hurry. We, my children, are no longer common coroners. We are investigators of death. Inspector Siri and his faithful lieutenants. All for one and one for all.
It's like CSI, but with a Laotian twist. The story is set in 1970s Laos, post-communist takeover. It centers around Dr Siri Paiboon, a 72-year-old cynical old coroner who got the job by default. He forms a remarkable team with his two assistant, one of whom has Down syndrome.
The story was different from what I am used to, but the characters are funny, the dialogue is fun and you get a real sense of the country. The introduction of supernatural elements added an intriguing layer to the mystery.
max538's review against another edition
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
pagesofpins's review
4.0
I enjoyed Dr. Siri's gentle sarcasm, and his coroner's assistant with Down's syndrome and secretary who isn't afraid to demand respect create a fantastic team. Set just after the Vietnam war, the bodies of three Vietnamese wash up on the shores of Laos, and doctor-turned-coroner-because-the-communist-party-made-him Siri must stay one step ahead if he wants to stay alive.
nancyinoregon's review against another edition
4.0
I can't even begin to describe this book. The characters would be a delightful motley bunch in any setting, but in Laos in the '70's, well just fascinating. The magical part that started up in the middle was crazy, and that point I lost track of the plot and just passively followed along. But I didn't really care where the story went, I was so in love with the characters and the funny dialogs and great writing. Would I read the next book in the series? You bet.
leslielikesthings's review against another edition
3.0
I really liked many aspects of this book, though for some reason it was a bit of a slow listen for me. I think I'll try reading the book version of the second in the series to see how it reads, instead of listening to the audio version. I did like that the audio version had names pronounced for me. The narrator pronounced the main character's name as Sih-lee, which is not what I would have guess from seeing the name in print.
cae_k's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
An interesting story set in an interesting time and place. Very historically insightful and a great mystery filled with intrigue