Laos, 1976. The monarchy has been deposed, the Communist Pathet Lao have taken over. Most of the educated class has fled, but Dr Siri Paiboun, a Paris-trained doctor remains. And so this 72-year-old physician is appointed state coroner, despite having no training, equipment, experience or even inclination for the job. But the job's not that bad and Siri quickly settles into a routine of studying outdated medical texts, scrounging scarce supplies, and circumnavigating bureaucratic red tape to arrive at justice. The fact that the recently departed are prone to pay Siri the odd, unwanted nocturnal visit turns out to be an added bonus in his new line of work. But when the wife of a party leader turns up dead and the bodies of tortured Vietnamese soldiers start bobbing to the surface of a Laotian lake, all eyes turn to Siri. Faced with official cover-ups and an emerging international crisis, the doctor enlists old friends, village shamans, forest spirits, dream visits from the dead - and even the occasional bit of medical deduction - to solve the crimes.

About the Author
Colin Cotterill was born in London. He has taught in Australia, the USA and Japan and lived for many years in Laos where he worked for nongovernmental social service organizations. He now writes full-time and lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Reviews
'This series kickoff is an embarrassment of riches: Holmesian sleuthing, political satire and droll comic study of a prickly late bloomer.' Kirkus Reviews. * Kirkus *
'Cotterill's depiction of this exotic, troubled country is fascinating, and his light touch makes Siri, with his humanity and strange dreams, a very appealing character.' Guardian. * Guardian *
'Cotterill has a wonderful sense of farce... a delightful book.' Sydney Morning Herald. * Sydney Morning Herald *


Awards
Winner of Prix SNCF du Polar Europeen 2006. Short-listed for CWA Duncan Lawrie Dagger 2008.



Book Information
ISBN 9781849165181
Author Colin Cotterill
Format Paperback
Page Count 288
Imprint Quercus Publishing
Publisher Quercus Publishing
Weight(grams) 195g
Dimensions(mm) 197mm * 136mm * 17mm