Off and on over the next month I will post reviews of books that I think would make good Holiday gifts. I wish I could take credit for the idea, but Dani Greer who founded The Blood Red Pencil blog came up with it first, and there will be recommendations there throughout the month of November, and maybe into December.
To start off, I am recommending Breathing Water by Timothy Hallinan I had never read his work, but asked for a copy of this one for my Birthday. I’m glad I did.
In this third book of a series featuring ex-pat writer Poke Rafferty, the reader is treated to a visit to Bangkok to witness the delicate intricacies of the social and political system of Thailand, not always a pretty sight.
The story begins when Rafferty wins a most unusual prize in a late-night poker game – the chance to write the biography of Khun Pan, one of the richest men in the country who has a criminal past and a deadly secret. Pan is vulgar and pretentious, spending millions on his “Garden of Eden” complete with a gold serpent, within his home compound.
Pan is loathed by many, especially those in power who are threatened y his political ambitions. But Pan is also loved by many others because he pulled himself out of poverty to become a very powerful man who has supported causes that help the poor. Rafferty’s wife, Rose, is a great admirer of Pan and believes that he could initiate great social change if he achieves a political position.
Soon after the poker game, Rafferty is contacted by opposing forces. One pays him thousands of baht to write the book, the other warns him off, threatening his wife and their adopted daughter, Miaow. Soon they are all caught up in a web of intrigue that includes street kids, stolen babies, corruption, and murder.
One of the thrills of reading a book set in another country is the opportunity to get a feel for the place and the people, and Hallinan gives us Bangkok in all its splendor and its squalor. He also introduces characters so real they could step out of the book and join us for coffee.
This is a book that can be enjoyed on many levels. The mystery, danger, and intrigue satisfy the lover of mystery and thriller, while the relationships give the story depth. Especially nice is the relationship between Rafferty and Arthit, one of the few honest cops in Bangkok. It is portrayed not in sweet sentimentality, but with enough emotion to make you pause a moment to readjust your heart.
Breathing Water
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (August 18, 2009)
• ISBN-10: 0061672238
• ISBN-13: 978-0061672231
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Of course, I think my books would also make nice Holiday gifts. Check my Web site for excerpts and details about each book.
This book looks so good. It’s going directly from your blog to my TBR list.
Okay, you had me at real characters in a real setting. That’ll sell me every time!
Helen
Straight From Hel
Thanks for stopping by Helen and Patricia. This is really a good book and I am so glad I stumbled across it. It was actually from a review I read in the Dallas Morning News that prompted me to ask for the book for my birthday.
I haven’t read any of his others. Too many books coming in right now to review for Bloggernews.net, but I do plan to read more when I can.
I’m very lucky to be with Eternal Press. They’ve even put my novellas into print, and those will make great, inexpensive gifts for the holidays. I’ve already ordered a whole set of them for my Mom and my sister. They’d never order them, so it’s a great opportunity to hope they recognize I truly am an author. *lol*