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Sonchai Jitpleecheep, the devout Buddhist Royal Thai Police detective who led us through the best sellers Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo, returns in this blistering novel. Sonchai has seen virtually everything on his beat in Bangkok's District 8, but nothing like the snuff film he's just been sent anonymously. Furiously fast-paced and laced through with an erotic ghost story that gives a new dark twist to the life of our hero, Bangkok Haunts more than lives up to the smart and darkly funny show more originality of its predecessors. show lessTags
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To read John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep mysteries is to immerse yourself in the culture and mindset of Thailand. Westerners are not always understood or appreciated there, but if you're thick-skinned enough to withstand a bit of cultural bashing, you will be paid back in some marvelous reading.
Sonchai is a police detective in Bangkok. Now living happily with Chanya, a former prostitute who's pregnant with his child, Sonchai at one time had had a passionate affair with a Cambodian beauty named Damrong. When he comes across a copy of a snuff film in which Damrong is murdered, he joins with American FBI agent Kimberley Jones to find the killer. While Sonchai's superior, Colonel Vikorn, has his detective set up a porn film business, the show more list of suspects in Damrong's murder grows to include a banker, a teacher, a Buddhist, and an exclusive men's club called the Parthenon.
Once again-- as with the previous two books in the series-- I was immersed in the culture of Thailand, which is fascinating and so different from my own. I have to admit that one of the reasons why I enjoy these books so much is because I have the chance to see my own culture through the eyes of others.
I enjoyed the convoluted plot, the further machinations of the wily Colonel Vikorn, and the glimpse across the border into Cambodia. Ultimately, however, the book fell flat for me because of the murder victim, Damrong. I felt only great indifference toward her, which really dampened my enjoyment of the book.
Although this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, your mileage could definitely vary-- and the first two books in the series, Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo are both superb. The fourth book in the series, The Godfather of Kathmandu, will be released in January, 2010, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
There are many mystery series based in other countries. Usually the setting only serves to provide a whiff of the exotic, without nudging the reader fully into another culture. John Burdett's Thailand not only provides an exotic setting, the reader is dragged out of his comfortable chair and out into the streets of Bangkok-- out into a world where the people have different customs, a different religion, and an entirely different way of seeing the world. John Burdett takes the reader out of his comfort zone and makes him think about more than just whodunit, and I like that. show less
Sonchai is a police detective in Bangkok. Now living happily with Chanya, a former prostitute who's pregnant with his child, Sonchai at one time had had a passionate affair with a Cambodian beauty named Damrong. When he comes across a copy of a snuff film in which Damrong is murdered, he joins with American FBI agent Kimberley Jones to find the killer. While Sonchai's superior, Colonel Vikorn, has his detective set up a porn film business, the show more list of suspects in Damrong's murder grows to include a banker, a teacher, a Buddhist, and an exclusive men's club called the Parthenon.
Once again-- as with the previous two books in the series-- I was immersed in the culture of Thailand, which is fascinating and so different from my own. I have to admit that one of the reasons why I enjoy these books so much is because I have the chance to see my own culture through the eyes of others.
I enjoyed the convoluted plot, the further machinations of the wily Colonel Vikorn, and the glimpse across the border into Cambodia. Ultimately, however, the book fell flat for me because of the murder victim, Damrong. I felt only great indifference toward her, which really dampened my enjoyment of the book.
Although this book wasn't exactly my cup of tea, your mileage could definitely vary-- and the first two books in the series, Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo are both superb. The fourth book in the series, The Godfather of Kathmandu, will be released in January, 2010, and I'm looking forward to reading it.
There are many mystery series based in other countries. Usually the setting only serves to provide a whiff of the exotic, without nudging the reader fully into another culture. John Burdett's Thailand not only provides an exotic setting, the reader is dragged out of his comfortable chair and out into the streets of Bangkok-- out into a world where the people have different customs, a different religion, and an entirely different way of seeing the world. John Burdett takes the reader out of his comfort zone and makes him think about more than just whodunit, and I like that. show less
Anyone interested in understanding how the Thais can appear to be so accepting of certain seediness in life while at the same time being so religious, and have a healthy love of police mysteries will love this book.
This has everything that makes up a great story, with the addition of the supernatural. Burdett does a fantastic job of drawing the readers in and then locking them into a web of intrigue while exposing the complexities of the human psyche, that one is held in its grip and powerless to put it down.
A DVD is sent to a Thai police detective containing a snuff video of a woman he once loved. He engages an old friend from the FBI in the US to help him uncover the syndicate behind the investment and the ultimate murder of his show more previous lover.
Thrown into the web of intrigue are a corrupt Colonel of the police to which our hero reports, his assistant who's in the midst of a gender transformation, an English teacher with a criminal record, an English lawyer, a Chinese banker, a monk, a few prostitutes, a good dose of Thai cultural lessons and Buddhist teachings.
The insights into Thai culture, and Thai words and phrases littered throughout the book rather than detract from the story, adds an interesting dimension to the book.
I'm in search of others in the series now. show less
This has everything that makes up a great story, with the addition of the supernatural. Burdett does a fantastic job of drawing the readers in and then locking them into a web of intrigue while exposing the complexities of the human psyche, that one is held in its grip and powerless to put it down.
A DVD is sent to a Thai police detective containing a snuff video of a woman he once loved. He engages an old friend from the FBI in the US to help him uncover the syndicate behind the investment and the ultimate murder of his show more previous lover.
Thrown into the web of intrigue are a corrupt Colonel of the police to which our hero reports, his assistant who's in the midst of a gender transformation, an English teacher with a criminal record, an English lawyer, a Chinese banker, a monk, a few prostitutes, a good dose of Thai cultural lessons and Buddhist teachings.
The insights into Thai culture, and Thai words and phrases littered throughout the book rather than detract from the story, adds an interesting dimension to the book.
I'm in search of others in the series now. show less
Once again John Burdett does the remarkable. He engages you completely in the mind of his devout Buddhist detective. We are drawn into these discussions,
"Saved? There is nothing to save, my friend. You are talking like a Christian. You cannot cast yourself into the Unknowable in the hope that gesture will buy you salvation - you have to jump for the hell of it. In a nirvanic universe there can be no salvation because we are never really lost - or found. The choice is simply between nirvana and ignorance."
This may be pedistrian to a Buddhist scholar but it affects our tough guy Sonchai Jitpleecheep, so it affects us.
He also has a genuine affection for Thailand and even the farang men and women who become mesmerised by the prostitutes show more and the katoeys and the juxtaposition of deep spirtualism.
While he acknowledges the sorted and ugly he exalts what is beyond the base drive of man toward woman (and woman toward man): oneness, beauty, affection, and connection with the infinite however brief.
Our detective grows with each wound and in outing the bad guys he achieves a measure of peace. show less
"Saved? There is nothing to save, my friend. You are talking like a Christian. You cannot cast yourself into the Unknowable in the hope that gesture will buy you salvation - you have to jump for the hell of it. In a nirvanic universe there can be no salvation because we are never really lost - or found. The choice is simply between nirvana and ignorance."
This may be pedistrian to a Buddhist scholar but it affects our tough guy Sonchai Jitpleecheep, so it affects us.
He also has a genuine affection for Thailand and even the farang men and women who become mesmerised by the prostitutes show more and the katoeys and the juxtaposition of deep spirtualism.
While he acknowledges the sorted and ugly he exalts what is beyond the base drive of man toward woman (and woman toward man): oneness, beauty, affection, and connection with the infinite however brief.
Our detective grows with each wound and in outing the bad guys he achieves a measure of peace. show less
Just finished John Burdett’s Bangkok Haunts, the third installment of his series involving Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep. Rather than give an extended rundown of the story, I think it would be enlightening, to use a phrase, to expound more on the series itself. Burdett has written a very intriguing set of books dealing with the life and culture of Thailand, set around the events of Sonchai, a member of the Royal Thai Police Force. Undoubtedly, the series is primarily literary crime drama, focusing on the Eastern perspective of bureaucracy, corruption, drug abuse and prostitution. However, it is also a profound plea to Westerners to acknowledge the stark difference between east and west in terms of economics, custom, and philosophy, show more and in turn its own hypocrisy.
Jitpleecheep is a very nuanced and brilliantly written character. A devout Buddhist, he is often described as the only cop in Thailand who won’t take any bribes. Being Buddhist, however, doesn’t exclude the fact that he assists his mother in running a semi-popular brothel in Bangkok, or shall I say Krung Thep. He is always the understated, humble, rational, and weary cop not necessarily easing through life as he is balancing the poverty and politics his decisions and job entail. A marginalized “half-caste”, Sonchai oozes the aura of someone who just doesn’t belong due to his complex parentage, his features, and philosophy. Perhaps he is just too Buddhist for his own good.
Complementing Jitpleecheep throughout the series are a number of bizarrely sublime characters. One is his his partner, Lek, a somewhat naive and passive sidekick who just so happens to be a ‘katoey’, or one undergoing a M2F gender reassignment. His American counterpart is FBI agent Kimberley Jones who appears attracted to Thailand only to be perpetually confused by Thai mores and even more by Jitpleecheep. There’s Nong, Sonchai’s mother, ever the businesswoman catering to the older ‘farang’ tourists escaping the US to look for love Thai-style. And finally there’s Colonel Vikorn, Sonchai’s superior and chief of Bangkok’s district 8. Vikorn is one of the more interesting characters created by Burdett; an undisclosed police chief by occupation yet drug-trafficking opportunist by choice. The symbiotic relationship between Vikorn and Jitpleecheep is humorously tense throughout the series as Sonchai is merely a source of entertainment, sometimes expendable while Vikorn serves as Sonchai’s gateway to awakening, both as a cop and Buddhist.
In any case, Bangkok Haunts, like Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo, has Jitpleecheep being assigned to a murder investigation that no one wants solved without him sacrificing either his principles or his life. It involves a Count of Monte Cristo type theme of revenge, but with a magical twist, as well as a violently described playtime for elephants. And like the other novels it explores the depths of Bangkok and Southeast Asian culture, both the tragedy and the triumph of the move away from poverty, drugs, to something, well…better. If not for the suspenseful murder mystery, this series is just as good exploring another way of life. show less
Jitpleecheep is a very nuanced and brilliantly written character. A devout Buddhist, he is often described as the only cop in Thailand who won’t take any bribes. Being Buddhist, however, doesn’t exclude the fact that he assists his mother in running a semi-popular brothel in Bangkok, or shall I say Krung Thep. He is always the understated, humble, rational, and weary cop not necessarily easing through life as he is balancing the poverty and politics his decisions and job entail. A marginalized “half-caste”, Sonchai oozes the aura of someone who just doesn’t belong due to his complex parentage, his features, and philosophy. Perhaps he is just too Buddhist for his own good.
Complementing Jitpleecheep throughout the series are a number of bizarrely sublime characters. One is his his partner, Lek, a somewhat naive and passive sidekick who just so happens to be a ‘katoey’, or one undergoing a M2F gender reassignment. His American counterpart is FBI agent Kimberley Jones who appears attracted to Thailand only to be perpetually confused by Thai mores and even more by Jitpleecheep. There’s Nong, Sonchai’s mother, ever the businesswoman catering to the older ‘farang’ tourists escaping the US to look for love Thai-style. And finally there’s Colonel Vikorn, Sonchai’s superior and chief of Bangkok’s district 8. Vikorn is one of the more interesting characters created by Burdett; an undisclosed police chief by occupation yet drug-trafficking opportunist by choice. The symbiotic relationship between Vikorn and Jitpleecheep is humorously tense throughout the series as Sonchai is merely a source of entertainment, sometimes expendable while Vikorn serves as Sonchai’s gateway to awakening, both as a cop and Buddhist.
In any case, Bangkok Haunts, like Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo, has Jitpleecheep being assigned to a murder investigation that no one wants solved without him sacrificing either his principles or his life. It involves a Count of Monte Cristo type theme of revenge, but with a magical twist, as well as a violently described playtime for elephants. And like the other novels it explores the depths of Bangkok and Southeast Asian culture, both the tragedy and the triumph of the move away from poverty, drugs, to something, well…better. If not for the suspenseful murder mystery, this series is just as good exploring another way of life. show less
Not sure if I just read a sex tourism guide, a mystery, or some basic male purience with a Buddhist cover story. Maybe it's cross-cultural training about Bangkok sex work and societal corruption practices. Maybe it's a ghost story. But whatever you want it to be, the book could offend most women I know.
The sex, however, is not panting, drippy sex--well, maybe for some it could be-- but more of a plot device.
I do not know if the religious rituals and mouthings rise above exoticism, or if the cultural details ring true, but I can judge the characters depicted in the book, or at least the dead, snuffed uber-prostitute who kicks off the mystery. The author creates her as a new version dragon lady, trapping men in her hot little lap. I show more cannot suspend my disbelief enough to let her slip by. show less
The sex, however, is not panting, drippy sex--well, maybe for some it could be-- but more of a plot device.
I do not know if the religious rituals and mouthings rise above exoticism, or if the cultural details ring true, but I can judge the characters depicted in the book, or at least the dead, snuffed uber-prostitute who kicks off the mystery. The author creates her as a new version dragon lady, trapping men in her hot little lap. I show more cannot suspend my disbelief enough to let her slip by. show less
Although it starts out like a typical international crime thriller, Burdett's Bangkok Haunts quickly spins out of control through cultural mysticism.
I didn't mind the paranormal twist, however, by the last third of the novel, I was completely thrown into a foreign world where magic is as normal as breathing. Although Burdett writes with a command of knowledge of Thai culture, Buddhism, and investigative procedures, he cannot capture my mind and heart the way he did with Bangkok Tattoo.
I am a little hesitant to dive into the next novel in this series, as it explores another form of Buddhism with great depth, but Burdett's power as an author is his ability to leave you wanting more even when that more is not quite understood.
A challenging show more book in a hybrid genre, perfect for the reader wanting to grow in spiritual awareness while enjoying the rocky ride of a psychological suspense crime thriller. show less
I didn't mind the paranormal twist, however, by the last third of the novel, I was completely thrown into a foreign world where magic is as normal as breathing. Although Burdett writes with a command of knowledge of Thai culture, Buddhism, and investigative procedures, he cannot capture my mind and heart the way he did with Bangkok Tattoo.
I am a little hesitant to dive into the next novel in this series, as it explores another form of Buddhism with great depth, but Burdett's power as an author is his ability to leave you wanting more even when that more is not quite understood.
A challenging show more book in a hybrid genre, perfect for the reader wanting to grow in spiritual awareness while enjoying the rocky ride of a psychological suspense crime thriller. show less
Sonchai Jitpleecheep is a detective with the Royal Thai Police force. He receives a disturbing DVD with a clip showing the death of a woman he once loved. He must unravel a complex conspiracy to get to the bottom of the crime. That thumbnail synopsis really can’t do justice to the depth of this story. Burdett's series with the Buddhist Thai detective has grown into one of the most original and distinctive in all of crime fiction. This book though, is a huge leap forward combining mysticism, sexual politics, and the complex culture of the Thai people in a fantastic novel. The exploration of the cultural clash between the east and west is fascinating and Burdett’s characters are genuine and full-bodied. Very highly recommended
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20+ Works 5,172 Members
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Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Bangkok Haunts
- Original publication date
- 2007
- People/Characters
- Sonchai Jitpleecheep; Kimberly Jones; Chanya; Dr. Supatra; Damrong Tanasorn Baker; Colonel Vikorn (show all 17); Yammy; Daniel Baker; Lek; Pi-Oon; Nong; Khun Kosoma; Khun Tanakani; Henri; Marly; Greg; Thomas Smith
- Important places
- Bangkok, Thailand; Thailand; District 8, Bangkok, Thailand
- Epigraph
- You cast your spell and I went under
I find it so difficult to leave
Bob Dylan, "Tonight I'll Be Staying Here with You"
The Eternal passed by in the form of a pimp. the prattle ceased.
Jean Genet, Out Lady of the Flowers
The clinging consciousness is very deep and subtle;
All potentials are like a torrential flow.
I do not explain this to the ignorant,
For fear they will get the idea it is self.
The Gautama Buddha, T... (show all)he Sandhinirmochana Sutra - Dedication
- For Nit
- First words
- Few crimes make us fear for the evolution of the species.
- Quotations
- I am yours in Dharma, Sonchai Jitpleecheep.
- Blurbers
- Yardley, Jonathan; Corrigan, Maureen; Hiaasen, Carl; Ellroy, James; Adler, Dick
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- Members
- 905
- Popularity
- 29,539
- Reviews
- 28
- Rating
- (3.60)
- Languages
- 5 — Dutch, English, French, German, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 28
- ASINs
- 7
