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 But the job's not that bad and Siri quickly settles into a routine of studying outdated medical texts, scrounging scarce supplies, and circumnavigating bureaucratic red tape to arrive at justice.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.

Christian Aid Book Sale 2008

Very interesting and entertaining. As much a crime story with a twist as a bit of a history lesson in South East Asia politics. Thoroughly enjoyable with some great characters in it.

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Congratulations on finding a Bookcrossing book and Happy Reading!!!

Thanks to rainbow3, this book has landed with us (for Mr Flutterbies9 birthday celebrations at the end of July) but I've only just managed to sort this out for journalling. Apologies for the delay but here we are now. This book looks at first glance that it may have two readers in this house but time will tell.

Unfortunately this did not catch the attention of Mr Flutterbies9 for any length of time (not really sure why, although he did say he was not fond of the 'over chatty' style of writing) and it was passed back to me.

I have read others of these, but later in the series, and so I was very happy to have this to go back to the beginning as it were! Despite the setting being somewhat exotic, there is not really enough description of it to bring it fully to life in this book, even in the later passages which take place in another region of Laos which are better described than the city of Vientiane where it is based. However, this is a gentle start to the life of Siri Paiboun and the background to his story interpreted through his life history so far. His assistants are brought into the story with ease and the whole small stories attached to each incident are all well observed snippets of human behaviour and its effects on the surrounding community. I am glad I have read this first in the series of Dr Siri and will gladly read any others which come my way - apart from those I have already read!

As yet I do not have plans for this book but will go check the Forums to see which boxes, rabcks etc may be suitable, if any.

Added to the Already Crossed Bookbox for its outward journey.

Happy travels little book.

I have taken this from the already crossed box. Looking forward to reading it.