Expat Crime Fiction In Bangkok: Recommended Reads
Expat Crime Fiction In Bangkok: Recommended Reads
10th May, 2023
Foreigners – or farangs – have been living in Bangkok for decades, and it’s no surprise that they have brought their experiences and imagination to bookstores. Reading one of these mystery books will not only keep you turning page after page but will also make you feel as though you’re right in the center of neon-lit Bangkok.With so many crime fiction novels to choose from, it’s hard to know what to pick. These recommended reads should point you in the right direction.
Jumpers by Christopher G. Moore
Jumpers is the latest book in Moore’s famed series that stars private eye Vincent Calvino, a half-Jewish, half-Italian lawyer from New York who gave up his job to become a detective in Bangkok. In this latest instalment, Calvino is called to investigate the death of a Canadian painter. However, even though the death seems to be a suicide, it soon becomes clear that there’s more going on than meets the eye.
The first book in this series, Spirit House, is still widely talked about today, as it was one of the first books ever written by an expat that explored noir in the majestic city of Bangkok. You can start with Jumpers, or you can start from the beginning of the Calvino series.
Bangkok 8 by John Burdett
English writer John Burdett is one of the most popular expat writers of his kind, and it all started with his first book, Bangkok 8. This novel captivates readers even before the first page, with a neon-pink and yellow cover that could match perfectly with the signs on Soi Cowboy.
The book follows a murder that takes place under a Bangkok bridge, witnessed by two off-duty cops. When one cop gets murdered shortly afterwards, his partner – a complex character named Sonchai Jitpleecheep – wants revenge, and so takes the reader on a journey through the drugs, prostitution, and corruption of the city to get it.
Bangkok 8 will no doubt get you hooked on the rest of the Jitpleecheep series, each one a thrilling new crime case that takes place in the heart of Bangkok.
The Half-Child by Angela Savage
The first book in Angela Savage’s Jayne Keeney detective series, Behind the Night Bazaar, takes place in the hipster city of Chiang Mai, However, its sequel, The Half-Child, takes the reader to Bangkok and across other areas in Thailand.
Like Savage herself, Jayne is an Australian woman living in Bangkok. When Jayne is hired to investigate the suicide of an Australian woman that took place on the Thai coast, something quickly tells her that Maryanne Delbeck didn’t take her own life. In the process of solving the case, Jayne must negotiate strippers, expats and corrupt officials who are getting in the way. If you can’t get enough of the Jayne Keeney series, then make sure to read the third book, The Dying Beach, which takes place in Krabi.
The Laundry Man by Jake Needham
American expat Jake Needham’s Jack Shepherd detective series is one of the most well-known in the Asia-crime niche. Each one of his books (and there are many) are set in different parts of the continent, but The Laundry Man starts the series off in the chaotic city of Bangkok.
A major international lawyer from the U.S. who leaves his job to move to the city, the background of main character Jack Shepherd is similar to that of Vincent Calvino in Jumpers. Shepherd gets sucked into tracking down millions of dollars that were lost when a secret Asian bank collapses, and soon realises that the man coercing him is a man Shepherd believed to be dead. Now, Shepherd has to navigate a city that’s never felt so foreign, as he tries to survive the corruption, deceit, and extortion all around. If you like this book, make sure to also check out Needham’s classic The Big Mango.
Private Dancer by Stephen Leather
British expat Stephen Leather has written many, many books, and is one of the top-selling authors on Amazon Kindle. It’s no wonder, then, that his thriller Private Dancer is one of the best Bangkok crime books out there. Many of Leather’s books are part of a series, but Private Dancer is a stand-alone quick read for anyone who wants to really envision the nitty-gritty atmosphere of Bangkok.
This book takes the reader into the life of travel writer Pete, who meets a woman called Joy in a go-go bar in Bangkok. He believes Joy is the love of his life, but comes to realize she has a dark side. This is a story that could take many possible turns, but you’ll have to read it to find out what happens.
The Queen of Patpong by Timothy Hallinan
The Queen of Patpong is the fourth book in Timothy Hallinan’s Poke Rafferty series. Much like his creator, Poke Rafferty is a travel writer living in Bangkok. He, his partner Rose and their daughter are living a peaceful life. However, a terrible reminder from Rose’s past comes back to shatter everything for which she and Poke have worked so hard. Poke feels as though he has already experienced Bangkok at its absolute worst, but that was nothing compared to what’s coming.
There are eight books in total in the Poke Rafferty Series, so it’s best to start at the beginning with A Nail Through the Heart and end with the most recent book, Fools’ River.
There are thousands of fiction books that have been written about Bangkok and Siam. However, these days, it’s crime fiction written by expat writers that’s taking over the world, one series at a time.
https://www.expatfocus.com/thailand/liv ... reads-5076
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"That was probably Londo...He is always shitty." - Marvin
All utterly rubbish writers. Why does every expat novel set in Thailand have to feature Gogo bars etc - get some bloody imagination guys.
It’s much better to read Thai novelists such as Chart Korbjitt.
It’s much better to read Thai novelists such as Chart Korbjitt.
Timothy Hallinan had an apartment here for a while and was a familiar face in the demi-monde.
I find his writing weirdly awful, but he has won a few crime fiction awards so what do I know.
I've boycotted Christopher G Moore since he went into Bohr's and threatened him for selling pirated editions of his work. I doubt I've missed anything. Compare Paul Theroux who laughed and signed the photocopies.
I find his writing weirdly awful, but he has won a few crime fiction awards so what do I know.
I've boycotted Christopher G Moore since he went into Bohr's and threatened him for selling pirated editions of his work. I doubt I've missed anything. Compare Paul Theroux who laughed and signed the photocopies.
- Mike Farce
- I have Cheap Mobile Internet
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Steven Boswell who wrote "King Norodom's Head" said he was rather disappointed that his book never ended up being pirated. His reasoning was that he earned so little from real copies being sold and he'd have preferred if it got a wider audience.
I've recently enjoyed the light-hearted novels of Zach J Brodsky as well as the two volumes of true-life P.I. anecdotes by Warren Olson
- violet
- Suspicious Little Mad Woman
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I read the Stephen Leather one.
Well,
I read about two thirds of it.
My mother taught me well.
Well,
I read about two thirds of it.
My mother taught me well.
The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.
- Plutarch
- Plutarch
The Stephen Leather book is a bit dated but a good read for any farang who thinks he wants to move to SEA after a 2 weeks holiday in Pattaya
John Burdett's books are a bit repetitive but the 2-3 first ones are really entertaining.
John Burdett's books are a bit repetitive but the 2-3 first ones are really entertaining.
Not particularly well written and the milieu is of yesteryear but perennially relevant - it's the eternal story.
And surprisingly subtle in places
We all had a good time at the party, anyway. My father got drunk and started to cuddle me but I pushed him away. I'm too old for that now, I told him. They all sang happy birthday to me, just like farangs, and everybody said it was even better than last year because there weren't any farangs around.
"Private Dancer" must have been one of the first books you could legally download for free. That's how I got hold of it some two decades ago. I re-read it a couple of weeks ago - it still holds up as the best of the sub-genre in question, imo.
Where to get a copy of "King Norodom’s Head
Phnom Penh Sights Beyond the Guidebooks?"
Phnom Penh Sights Beyond the Guidebooks?"
- Lucky Lucan
- K440 Knight Captain
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Monument Books is the only shop that would have it.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
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