Murder in China Red

Scott Sterling is an ex-CIA agent living above a Bangkok bar, making a living teaching scuba diving and doing some PI work. He never imagines that, when he sees a young woman in the bar beneath his apartment, he will soon be investigating her murder...and that his girlfriend may well be a prime suspect.

Just as in his previous novel, Murder in China Red, Barrett shows a great deal of depth and talent. (As an aside, the Chinaman, who was the main character of that book gets a scene in this book, which was quite fun.) You don't just get a great mystery (the ending was very surprising) but a lot of interesting side stories and great details that make this book a rich and fantastic read.

There are many Taiwanese words used throughout the book, which adds to the feel of it. The most striking is how Thailand is called the land of a thousand smiles...people are always smiling, even if they absolutely hate you and would love to kill you. Sterling has to spend a great deal of time learning what each smile means just to survive, and watching his interpretations is often quite interesting. We learn a lot about Thailand...from descriptions of words to the society. It adds depth and texture to the book, making it seem very exotic. We see all sides of Thailand, from the very beautiful to the ugly, and can not help but be enchanted by its good parts, and like Sterling, we turn a blind eye to its less attractive features. We also get a view of scuba diving, which I enjoyed, especially when it evolved into an ironic side-story that was painfully realistic even as it was slightly satirical.

The mystery in this novel is fabulous. After awhile you...and Sterling...begin to really feel for the victim. Sterling follows the case like an old-style gumshoe, refusing to rely much on anything but his mind and the old-fashioned techniques for gathering information. The places his search takes us are often dangerous, and add a great deal to the book. We begin to like him a lot...he's a quiet, competent guy and the way he puts things in his narration are often really funny. His relationship with Dao gives us some of the best moments, and she sometimes acts as a conduit to the more interesting plot elements, such as when we learn what she and Buen were really doing out the night of the murder. Also, she's a muay-Thai boxer, and her training adds another point of interest. She's quite cool...smart, a little crabby, determined, so she makes a really strong partner for our hero.

For me, the best mysteries...like the best books...take you on a journey to a place you've never been. Since the author lives in Taiwan and has so for many years, he is an authentic guide (another side note: the review copy of this book was sent directly from Thailand, how cool is that?). So hop a ride on this skytrain to murder...you'll not only get a good detective story, but a fascinating look into a different and beautiful land.
(Reviewed byCindy Lynn Speer for Mostly Fiction 11-30-03)