John Dolan (1)

Everyone Burns is not your typical crime thriller. Set against the lush yet shadowed backdrop of Koh Samui, Thailand, the novel starts with the discovery of two bodies. Local Police Chief Charoenkul turns for help to the unwilling and morally complex David Braddock, a jaded private investigator with his own demons.

This setting is not accidental. The author’s deep connection to Thailand, where he lives, gives the novel a distinctive perspective. Dolan captures its dazzling natural beauty show more and (as everywhere in the world but maybe more alien to the reader as we're dealing with an east-ern culture) its darker undercurrents of corruption and poverty.

As such, Dolan's writing carries intensity and (as I enjoyed in his previous novels) is laced with humor and atmosphere. The plot is threaded with energy. His characters are complex and believable. Through what is more than a mere murder investigation, Dolan delivers a layered psychological study of an anti-hero for our times. Braddock is a fascinating character: charming and generous one moment, vindictive and deceitful the next, his moral compass forever wavering. He is part therapist, part blackmailer but mostly human.

Dolan crafts his story with remarkable skill (one true to his style) weaving crime, philosophy and social commentary into a seamless narrative. I especially admired the Old Monk, a figure of wisdom who offers Braddock only the knowledge he has earned, grounding the novel in quiet spirituality.

“Are you looking to pierce the veil of reality this morning?”
“Karma means ‘action’. Like many, you misunderstand its nature. Past misdeeds can be corrected before your karma ripens: it is not some pre-determined fate. It is what you do now that counts.”

There is a noir-film quality to the way Dolan writes and to the way Braddock himself speaks: sharp, ironic, and heavy with shadows. I loved it. At its heart, Everyone Burns is about secrets and guilt but mostly about the fragile hope of redemption. It is as much a crime novel as it is a meditation on human frailty and survival. With its blend of grit, wit, and insight, it left me both entertained and thoughtful, a rare and compelling combination.
Highly recommended. show less

I met John Dolan on twitter, his tweets are consistently entertaining. I figured a guy with such wry wit might actually be able to write. It was a good guess. Mr. Dolan authored a highly engaging, entertaining, and at times hilarious novel.

The setting is exotic, slightly erotic, and filled with all the third-world Thai corruption you can handle. A great place to get down and dirty with a murder mystery.

His characters are fully three dimension, lively and perfectly imperfect in all the ways show more they should be. My hat's off to John Dolan. A very good read indeed. show less

I saw this was a prequel and decided to read it first. It's the first Dolan book that I've read and it won't be the last. I enjoyed his easy writing style interspersed with humour through a dark mystery. All in all it's about family and what's important in life, often realized too late through personal crisis.

This was a pretty good mystery story. I loved the setting and most of the characters. The plot was a tad predictable at times, but at other times caught me completely off guard. The ending was slightly disappointing, but it did fit the storyline well, so I can accept it. I'll probably continue the series to see what happens next.