DECEMBER 2016 - AudioFile
Is a serial killer at loose in a Thai hospital? That's the question plaguing Ladarat Patalun, the nurse ethicist at Sriphat Hospital, when a detective comes to visit her office. Kristin Kalibi is an excellent choice to narrate this title because of her accurate pronunciation of Thai words and names. Her accuracy lends authenticity to the backdrop of the story. Kalibi uses a gentle tone and low pitch to give voice to Ladarat's internal monologue, reflecting the qualities of Ladarat's personality. Chang Mai, Thailand, offers a new locale and a unique cast for fans of the mystery genre. M.R. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
From the Publisher
"A charming mystery...a delight."—Vaseem Khan, author of the Baby Ganesh Detective Agency series
"A wonderful debut novel full of the sights, sounds and senses of Thailand mixed in with one hell of a great plot and a heroine — Ladarat Patalung — who stays with you long after the book is closed. Bring on the second in the series."—Ian Hamilton, author of the Ava Lee novels
"I love this book. It's not only a killer mystery, but it also introduces a uniquely appealing central character and gives us a warm and accurate look into the Thai heart."—Timothy Hallinan, author of the Junior Bender mysteries and the Poke Rafferty Bangkok thrillers
"Appealing."—Kirkus
A fun read... which I polished off in one day.—The Berkshire Eagle
DECEMBER 2016 - AudioFile
Is a serial killer at loose in a Thai hospital? That's the question plaguing Ladarat Patalun, the nurse ethicist at Sriphat Hospital, when a detective comes to visit her office. Kristin Kalibi is an excellent choice to narrate this title because of her accurate pronunciation of Thai words and names. Her accuracy lends authenticity to the backdrop of the story. Kalibi uses a gentle tone and low pitch to give voice to Ladarat's internal monologue, reflecting the qualities of Ladarat's personality. Chang Mai, Thailand, offers a new locale and a unique cast for fans of the mystery genre. M.R. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Review
2016-07-28
A Thai nurse turns sleuth to catch the serial killer plaguing her hospital.Detective Wiriyai Mookja of the Chiang Mai Royal Police Force visits Ladarat Patalang, a nurse ethicist for Sriphat Hospital, early one Monday morning to solicit her help. When a young woman recently brought her dead husband into the emergency room, a police officer thought he recognized the woman from an identical episode at another hospital. This remarkable coincidence can’t possibly be a coincidence. Ladarat proceeds cautiously, impeded rather than helped by Sisithorn, her annoying new assistant. An additional victim, an American named Andrew Fuller who clings to life in a coma, seems to confirm her direst suspicions. Ladarat’s inquiries shift to the back burner during the time she takes to console Fuller’s family. But the investigation gains the traction and gravitas it deserves when medical records clerk Panit Booniliang finds eight cases at a handful of hospitals with the same pattern, each one under the same name, Zhang Wei—as common a name in Thailand as John Smith is in America—and each married to the same woman. Ladarat’s tall order: find the next targeted Zhang Wei before it’s too late. The plummy prose of Casarett (Shocked, 2015, etc.) has an appealing formality, with a perpetual undercurrent of drollery. Piquantly titled chapters add verve. The measured introduction of colorful supporting players slows the story down but bodes well for the future of the proposed series.
