What do you think?
Rate this book
Dr. Siri Paiboun #4
Anarchy and Old Dogs
A blind retired dentist has been run down by a logging truck on the street in Vientiane just opposite the post office. His body is duly delivered to the morgue of Dr. Siri Paiboun, the official and only coroner of Laos. At the age of seventy-four, Dr. Siri is too old to be in awe of the new communist bureaucrats for whom he now works. He identifies the corpse, helped by the letter in the man’s pocket. But first he must decipher it; it is written in code and invisible ink. The dentist’s widow explains that the enigmatic letters and numbers describe chess moves, but they are unlike any chess symbols Siri has previously encountered. With the help of his old friend, Civilai, now a senior member of the Laos politburo; Nurse Dtui (“Fatty�); Phosy, a police officer; and Aunt Bpoo, a transvestite fortune-teller, Dr. Siri solves the mystery of the note and foils a plot to overthrow the government of Laos.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2007
92 people are currently reading
1044 people want to read
About the author
Colin Cotterill
76books1,014followersColin Cotterill was born in London and trained as a teacher and set off on a world tour that didn't ever come to an end. He worked as a Physical Education instructor in Israel, a primary school teacher in Australia, a counselor for educationally handicapped adults in the US, and a university lecturer in Japan. But the greater part of his latter years has been spent in Southeast Asia. Colin has taught and trained teachers in Thailand and on the Burmese border. He spent several years in Laos, initially with UNESCO and wrote and produced a forty-programme language teaching series; English By Accident, for Thai national television.
Ten years ago, Colin became involved in child protection in the region and set up an NGO in Phuket which he ran for the first two years. After two more years of study in child abuse issues, and one more stint in Phuket, he moved on to ECPAT, an international organization combating child prostitution and pornography. He established their training program for caregivers.
All the while, Colin continued with his two other passions; cartooning and writing. He contributed regular columns for the Bangkok Post but had little time to write. It wasn't until his work with trafficked children that he found himself sufficiently stimulated to put together his first novel, The Night Bastard (Suk's Editions. 2000).
The reaction to that first attempt was so positive that Colin decided to take time off and write full-time. Since October 2001 he has written nine more novels. Two of these are child-protection based: Evil in the Land Without (Asia Books December 03), and Pool and Its Role in Asian Communism (Asia Books, Dec 05). These were followed by The Coroner’s Lunch (Soho Press. Dec 04), Thirty Three Teeth (Aug 05), Disco for the Departed (Aug 06), Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug 07), and Curse of the Pogo Stick (Aug 08), The Merry Misogynist (Aug 09), Love Songs from a Shallow Grave (Aug 10) these last seven are set in Laos in the 1970’s.
On June 15, 2009 Colin Cotterill received the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for being "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users".
When the Lao books gained in popularity, Cotterill set up a project to send books to Lao children and sponsor trainee teachers. The Books for Laos programme elicits support from fans of the books and is administered purely on a voluntary basis.
Since 1990, Colin has been a regular cartoonist for national publications. A Thai language translation of his cartoon scrapbook, Ethel and Joan Go to Phuket (Matichon May 04) and weekly social cartoons in the Nation newspaper, set him back onto the cartoon trail in 2004. On 4 April 2004, an illustrated bilingual column ‘cycle logical� was launched in Matichon’s popular weekly news magazine. These have been published in book form.
Colin is married and lives in a fishing community on the Gulf of Siam with his wife, Kyoko, and ever-expanding pack of very annoying dogs.
Ten years ago, Colin became involved in child protection in the region and set up an NGO in Phuket which he ran for the first two years. After two more years of study in child abuse issues, and one more stint in Phuket, he moved on to ECPAT, an international organization combating child prostitution and pornography. He established their training program for caregivers.
All the while, Colin continued with his two other passions; cartooning and writing. He contributed regular columns for the Bangkok Post but had little time to write. It wasn't until his work with trafficked children that he found himself sufficiently stimulated to put together his first novel, The Night Bastard (Suk's Editions. 2000).
The reaction to that first attempt was so positive that Colin decided to take time off and write full-time. Since October 2001 he has written nine more novels. Two of these are child-protection based: Evil in the Land Without (Asia Books December 03), and Pool and Its Role in Asian Communism (Asia Books, Dec 05). These were followed by The Coroner’s Lunch (Soho Press. Dec 04), Thirty Three Teeth (Aug 05), Disco for the Departed (Aug 06), Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug 07), and Curse of the Pogo Stick (Aug 08), The Merry Misogynist (Aug 09), Love Songs from a Shallow Grave (Aug 10) these last seven are set in Laos in the 1970’s.
On June 15, 2009 Colin Cotterill received the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for being "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users".
When the Lao books gained in popularity, Cotterill set up a project to send books to Lao children and sponsor trainee teachers. The Books for Laos programme elicits support from fans of the books and is administered purely on a voluntary basis.
Since 1990, Colin has been a regular cartoonist for national publications. A Thai language translation of his cartoon scrapbook, Ethel and Joan Go to Phuket (Matichon May 04) and weekly social cartoons in the Nation newspaper, set him back onto the cartoon trail in 2004. On 4 April 2004, an illustrated bilingual column ‘cycle logical� was launched in Matichon’s popular weekly news magazine. These have been published in book form.
Colin is married and lives in a fishing community on the Gulf of Siam with his wife, Kyoko, and ever-expanding pack of very annoying dogs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
January 2, 2024
Reading about Dr. Siri gives me the urge to sit down by a slow-moving river with a Lao cocktail (per Dr. Siri--half rice whiskey and the other half rice whiskey).
This time Dr. Siri and his long-term comrade Civilai are drawn into an investigation after a blind dentist is found dead, a letter written in invisible ink tucked inside his pocket. Dr. Siri consults a school teacher to break the code (and how I love Cotterill's affection for talented teachers!), leading Siri and Civilai on a journey to the southern city of Pakse. Siri's incompetent boss, the Judge, provides the transportation south, with the caveat that Siri investigate a possible bathtub electrocution that could have been caused by the Russians. As he works the political drowning case, Siri also pursues the mysterious letter as well as a local village boy's drowning. Malignant spirits lurk in the background, a chance meeting in Pakse allows Siri to connect with his rebel days, and Dtui and Phosy, Siri's faithful associates in the coroner's office, take initiative while he is gone.
Anarchy contains everything there is to love about the Siri investigations. There's bits of shared Laotian culture, particularly a funeral and wedding, both with insight into ceremonies before and after the communists have come to power. There is evolving political commentary on the nature of government and revolutions. Notably, Cotterill achieves the rare feat of being simultaneously hopeful, disillusioned and uniformly critical of all forms of power. The Lao people are starting to notice the communists were failing to create a revolution, except in red tape. "The government was starting to look like a depressingly unloved relative who'd come to visit for the weekend and stayed for two years."
Leavening the seriousness of the political landscape are meltaway bits of humor, particularly Aunt Bpoo the mystic. I started to get worried when a transvestite was described as "a luminous beacon--and definitely a buoy," and I knew there was troubled waters ahead when I ran into the line, "it's hard to hold a serious debriefing with a man who's ripping off his pants." Yes, you read it--puns launched a subversive attack on a somber and contemplative mystery. Luckily a state-sponsored narration of a Bruce Lee movie provides some genuine comedic relief.
Aging remains a consistent theme, and I've come to enjoy the perspective of the older adult and the freedom that a lack of political ambitions can provide a narrative. I myself have noticed a similar experience to Siri's encounter with a pair of policemen: "As they entered, Siri looked at their boyish faces and noted how narrow the gap was becoming between puberty and authority."
Ah Siri, one of my favorite detectives. I hope by the time I am seventy-three that I too will "hardly ever flew into a rage or insulted anyone who didn't absolutely deserve it."
Criticisms include a enormous development in the Dtui storyline without adequate background and a somewhat obvious antagonist.
3.75 stars, rounding up because I'm hoping to adopt Dr. Siri.
Cross posted at
This time Dr. Siri and his long-term comrade Civilai are drawn into an investigation after a blind dentist is found dead, a letter written in invisible ink tucked inside his pocket. Dr. Siri consults a school teacher to break the code (and how I love Cotterill's affection for talented teachers!), leading Siri and Civilai on a journey to the southern city of Pakse. Siri's incompetent boss, the Judge, provides the transportation south, with the caveat that Siri investigate a possible bathtub electrocution that could have been caused by the Russians. As he works the political drowning case, Siri also pursues the mysterious letter as well as a local village boy's drowning. Malignant spirits lurk in the background, a chance meeting in Pakse allows Siri to connect with his rebel days, and Dtui and Phosy, Siri's faithful associates in the coroner's office, take initiative while he is gone.
Anarchy contains everything there is to love about the Siri investigations. There's bits of shared Laotian culture, particularly a funeral and wedding, both with insight into ceremonies before and after the communists have come to power. There is evolving political commentary on the nature of government and revolutions. Notably, Cotterill achieves the rare feat of being simultaneously hopeful, disillusioned and uniformly critical of all forms of power. The Lao people are starting to notice the communists were failing to create a revolution, except in red tape. "The government was starting to look like a depressingly unloved relative who'd come to visit for the weekend and stayed for two years."
Leavening the seriousness of the political landscape are meltaway bits of humor, particularly Aunt Bpoo the mystic. I started to get worried when a transvestite was described as "a luminous beacon--and definitely a buoy," and I knew there was troubled waters ahead when I ran into the line, "it's hard to hold a serious debriefing with a man who's ripping off his pants." Yes, you read it--puns launched a subversive attack on a somber and contemplative mystery. Luckily a state-sponsored narration of a Bruce Lee movie provides some genuine comedic relief.
Aging remains a consistent theme, and I've come to enjoy the perspective of the older adult and the freedom that a lack of political ambitions can provide a narrative. I myself have noticed a similar experience to Siri's encounter with a pair of policemen: "As they entered, Siri looked at their boyish faces and noted how narrow the gap was becoming between puberty and authority."
Ah Siri, one of my favorite detectives. I hope by the time I am seventy-three that I too will "hardly ever flew into a rage or insulted anyone who didn't absolutely deserve it."
Criticisms include a enormous development in the Dtui storyline without adequate background and a somewhat obvious antagonist.
3.75 stars, rounding up because I'm hoping to adopt Dr. Siri.
Cross posted at
February 8, 2018
When my GR friends Carol. and Carol agree on something, you had better have a good reason to take a different path. I do not. I completely concur that Anarchy and Old Men is a gem in the series of stories about Dr. Siri Paibun, head coroner for the country of Laos.
Set in the 1970s, Laotians have overthrown their monarchy and established a Communist government. Dr. Siri Paiboun is now 74 years old and he is one of the last real medical doctors within Laos. The socialist/communist government (after the Pathet Lao takeover) has not been a welcoming place for those with such skills. Yet, people still die under suspicious circumstances and the country needs at least one forensic medical examiner. When the previous one passed on, they came to Siri and he had little choice. He has been in this job for the three years documented in these novels.
Strange and mystical things happen in Laos and Cotterill’s narrative is perfect in how he bridges Laotian culture and the interest of most readers� Western trained minds. Because the story is about a medical examiner, there are the expected deaths. Here they involve a dentist, his wife and a child of some rural fishers. But what we really have is a Laotian-paced thriller � one where Siri and his best friend, Civilai, seek to understand a cryptic letter and stop a very nasty plan from coming to fruition.
I want to share some dialogue that should give you a flavor of the banter that often takes place between Siri and Civilai:
(Siri) “What date is it?
(Civilai) “Come on. You were under water three minutes, not three days.�
“Just answer the question.�
“It’s the twenty-sixth.�
“Then we have four days to stop whatever it is from happening. I think it is time to step it up a notch or two.�
“Siri. I’m not trying to sound condescending here, but, despite what you believe, you aren’t Bruce Lee. You’re just an old fellow with a lung full of river water.�
“I’m glad you steered clear of condescension. I might have been insulted if you hadn’t.�
This book (#4 in the series) may be the best I have read. Here is why:
It has a combination of stories and events that gives us a better picture of the government and the history of the Laotian people.
It also provides some insight into the dicey relationships with Vietnam and Thailand.
The plot is both leisurely and intricate.
There are plenty of unique characters and situations.
Like many of the soups of the region, it gives us a delightful combination of sweet and sour.
There is a very nuanced view of the clash between Buddhism and Communism.
We get to spend time along the “Mekhong� river that separates Laos and Thailand in more than just its physical presence.
Cotterill’s talent includes his ability to integrate both the humane and the sublime into an entrancing narrative.
Set in the 1970s, Laotians have overthrown their monarchy and established a Communist government. Dr. Siri Paiboun is now 74 years old and he is one of the last real medical doctors within Laos. The socialist/communist government (after the Pathet Lao takeover) has not been a welcoming place for those with such skills. Yet, people still die under suspicious circumstances and the country needs at least one forensic medical examiner. When the previous one passed on, they came to Siri and he had little choice. He has been in this job for the three years documented in these novels.
Strange and mystical things happen in Laos and Cotterill’s narrative is perfect in how he bridges Laotian culture and the interest of most readers� Western trained minds. Because the story is about a medical examiner, there are the expected deaths. Here they involve a dentist, his wife and a child of some rural fishers. But what we really have is a Laotian-paced thriller � one where Siri and his best friend, Civilai, seek to understand a cryptic letter and stop a very nasty plan from coming to fruition.
I want to share some dialogue that should give you a flavor of the banter that often takes place between Siri and Civilai:
(Siri) “What date is it?
(Civilai) “Come on. You were under water three minutes, not three days.�
“Just answer the question.�
“It’s the twenty-sixth.�
“Then we have four days to stop whatever it is from happening. I think it is time to step it up a notch or two.�
“Siri. I’m not trying to sound condescending here, but, despite what you believe, you aren’t Bruce Lee. You’re just an old fellow with a lung full of river water.�
“I’m glad you steered clear of condescension. I might have been insulted if you hadn’t.�
This book (#4 in the series) may be the best I have read. Here is why:
It has a combination of stories and events that gives us a better picture of the government and the history of the Laotian people.
It also provides some insight into the dicey relationships with Vietnam and Thailand.
The plot is both leisurely and intricate.
There are plenty of unique characters and situations.
Like many of the soups of the region, it gives us a delightful combination of sweet and sour.
There is a very nuanced view of the clash between Buddhism and Communism.
We get to spend time along the “Mekhong� river that separates Laos and Thailand in more than just its physical presence.
Cotterill’s talent includes his ability to integrate both the humane and the sublime into an entrancing narrative.
May 2, 2016
Anarchy and Old Dogs is the fourth in the Dr. Siri series, set in 1970s Laos. For those new to the series, our protagonist is a 74 year old doctor who, upon the Communist takeover of Laos from its royal rulers, notwithstanding his lack of training and interest, is now the single Laotian coroner. He has no resources or equipment, and his colleagues are a nurse who aspires to attend med school in Russia, and an assistant who is as loyal as he is mentally limited. The cast of characters is rounded out by Siri's old friend Civilai, who has climbed the ranks of the politicians, and a female acquaintance Siri and Civalai knew well pre-revolution.
The pluses of Anarchy and Old Dogs are the same shared by the first 3 novels in this series - the Laotian history lesson and cultural details. The jaded view of government, how the Laotian people aren't any better off under the Communist regime than they were under the Royalists - either way, they get screwed. The gentle humor. The honest view of aging. [If you've read any of [author:Christopher Fowler|3912]'s Bryant and May books, (see ) this series has many of the same great qualities.]
If you haven't previously read any Dr. Siri books, I wouldn't start with Anarchy and Old Dogs. In order to understand the characters, the landscape of Laos, and the political challenges Siri and his colleagues face in solving the myster/ies, you might want to head into this novel with some knowledge and affection for the characters based on your prior readings, otherwise the utter lack of a coherent plot and mystery to this one may dismay you and make you wonder what it is we all love. Any of the first three will do as an on-ramp, but don't start here. My impression is that Cotterill wanted to shake things up abit with a few characters, and advance a couple of story-lines and - although he didn't have a great mystery framework in mind when he started - he thought he'd wing it anyway. The result is that Anarchy and Old Dogs is not a terribly successful mystery, because it is too busy being a bridge from to . It's a nice, brisk comfortable bridge for the already bought-in reader, but is too flimsy to appeal to a first-timer.
If you've read any of the initial 3 Dr. Siri books, though? Jump back in. The water's perfect. Even if this volume is not as inspired as its predecessors.
The pluses of Anarchy and Old Dogs are the same shared by the first 3 novels in this series - the Laotian history lesson and cultural details. The jaded view of government, how the Laotian people aren't any better off under the Communist regime than they were under the Royalists - either way, they get screwed. The gentle humor. The honest view of aging. [If you've read any of [author:Christopher Fowler|3912]'s Bryant and May books, (see ) this series has many of the same great qualities.]
If you haven't previously read any Dr. Siri books, I wouldn't start with Anarchy and Old Dogs. In order to understand the characters, the landscape of Laos, and the political challenges Siri and his colleagues face in solving the myster/ies, you might want to head into this novel with some knowledge and affection for the characters based on your prior readings, otherwise the utter lack of a coherent plot and mystery to this one may dismay you and make you wonder what it is we all love. Any of the first three will do as an on-ramp, but don't start here. My impression is that Cotterill wanted to shake things up abit with a few characters, and advance a couple of story-lines and - although he didn't have a great mystery framework in mind when he started - he thought he'd wing it anyway. The result is that Anarchy and Old Dogs is not a terribly successful mystery, because it is too busy being a bridge from to . It's a nice, brisk comfortable bridge for the already bought-in reader, but is too flimsy to appeal to a first-timer.
If you've read any of the initial 3 Dr. Siri books, though? Jump back in. The water's perfect. Even if this volume is not as inspired as its predecessors.
April 7, 2024
3.5 Stars
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed the previous in the series. I think it's because there were nearly zero of the mystical/supernatural elements I have come to love and be fascinated by. It was written more in the vein of political/historical, which I wasn't as interested in. (Just call me shallow, snort.) There were parts that made me sad , and parts that were totally unexpected . But, oh! Some parts were hilarious!!! The live translation of a Bruce Lee film in a Pakse theater was a scream!!! I also loved the transvestite fortune-teller Auntie Bpoo. She would be a wonderful addition to future books. And, speaking of what appears to be a wonderful addition, what about Daeng? I love her!
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have enjoyed the previous in the series. I think it's because there were nearly zero of the mystical/supernatural elements I have come to love and be fascinated by. It was written more in the vein of political/historical, which I wasn't as interested in. (Just call me shallow, snort.) There were parts that made me sad , and parts that were totally unexpected . But, oh! Some parts were hilarious!!! The live translation of a Bruce Lee film in a Pakse theater was a scream!!! I also loved the transvestite fortune-teller Auntie Bpoo. She would be a wonderful addition to future books. And, speaking of what appears to be a wonderful addition, what about Daeng? I love her!
August 3, 2014
Rating: -14,975* of five
The Book Report: Fourth of the Dr. Siri Investigations series set in 1970s Laos, post-Vietnam War era. Dr. Siri and his best pal since jungle-fighting revolutionary youth, Comrade Civilai the Politburo senior cadre and all-around curmudgeon, uncover a major problem in the course of an investigation into the death of an old blind dentist whose habit of coming by bus to Vientiane, the capital, to pick up a letter written in invisible ink every week is interrupted by a runaway logging truck. The widow, far from grieving, is damn near slobbering to get the letter away from Siri. This makes him wonder....
So Siri, Civilai, Nurse Dtui, and Comrade Policeman Phosy (Mr. Geung, the Down-syndrome-having morgue assistant, is still recovering from dengue fever from last book) are set on a collision course with modern Laos's first attempted counter-coup by Royalists based across the Mekong River in Thailand. Siri also solves the murder of a small boy, a troublemaking 1970s version of Siri himself I suspect, is betrayed, finds a long-lost revolutionary-era gal-pal of his and his wife's, is betrayed again, and suffers the pangs of later-life love. In the end, of course, the murder of the dentist, the murder of the small boy, and the pair of betrayals are interconnected by Cotterill's undeniable panache in plotting. And, well, love is in the August, 1977, air....
My Review: ...but none of it is comin' from me. Anyone who has read my outraged screech of a review of The Brutal Telling by Lousy Louise Penny will remember how bitterly I responded to her ripping out my heart and shredding it into gobbets, then pouring boiling salted vinegar into the still-living cavity she left, with the character development that ends the book. I rated it -15,000*. I give Crummy Colin Cotterill 25 more stars because the ripping, shredding, and pouring were very slightly ameliorated by the in-book resolution to the main betrayal, and the sheer rightness of the second betrayal that ends so happily, and by the whimsical pleasure of the love affair for Dr. Siri.
Plus there's Auntie Bpoo, the transvestite shaman who works the riverside in front of the Aeroflot office, of whom I devoutly hope to see more.
*gets out voodoo dolly in Cotterill's likeness to inflict severe tooth pain on him for forseeable future*
The Book Report: Fourth of the Dr. Siri Investigations series set in 1970s Laos, post-Vietnam War era. Dr. Siri and his best pal since jungle-fighting revolutionary youth, Comrade Civilai the Politburo senior cadre and all-around curmudgeon, uncover a major problem in the course of an investigation into the death of an old blind dentist whose habit of coming by bus to Vientiane, the capital, to pick up a letter written in invisible ink every week is interrupted by a runaway logging truck. The widow, far from grieving, is damn near slobbering to get the letter away from Siri. This makes him wonder....
So Siri, Civilai, Nurse Dtui, and Comrade Policeman Phosy (Mr. Geung, the Down-syndrome-having morgue assistant, is still recovering from dengue fever from last book) are set on a collision course with modern Laos's first attempted counter-coup by Royalists based across the Mekong River in Thailand. Siri also solves the murder of a small boy, a troublemaking 1970s version of Siri himself I suspect, is betrayed, finds a long-lost revolutionary-era gal-pal of his and his wife's, is betrayed again, and suffers the pangs of later-life love. In the end, of course, the murder of the dentist, the murder of the small boy, and the pair of betrayals are interconnected by Cotterill's undeniable panache in plotting. And, well, love is in the August, 1977, air....
My Review: ...but none of it is comin' from me. Anyone who has read my outraged screech of a review of The Brutal Telling by Lousy Louise Penny will remember how bitterly I responded to her ripping out my heart and shredding it into gobbets, then pouring boiling salted vinegar into the still-living cavity she left, with the character development that ends the book. I rated it -15,000*. I give Crummy Colin Cotterill 25 more stars because the ripping, shredding, and pouring were very slightly ameliorated by the in-book resolution to the main betrayal, and the sheer rightness of the second betrayal that ends so happily, and by the whimsical pleasure of the love affair for Dr. Siri.
Plus there's Auntie Bpoo, the transvestite shaman who works the riverside in front of the Aeroflot office, of whom I devoutly hope to see more.
*gets out voodoo dolly in Cotterill's likeness to inflict severe tooth pain on him for forseeable future*
May 7, 2021
I don’t write reviews.
While the story wasn’t quite as adventurous as the previous books, this story offered a good deal of character development. I’m still loving these.
“Dr. Siri, are you sure you know what you’re doing?�
“As I told you before, I’ve never been sure of anything in my life, but it’s worth a try. It’s even a bit exciting, don’t you think?�
While the story wasn’t quite as adventurous as the previous books, this story offered a good deal of character development. I’m still loving these.
“Dr. Siri, are you sure you know what you’re doing?�
“As I told you before, I’ve never been sure of anything in my life, but it’s worth a try. It’s even a bit exciting, don’t you think?�
April 30, 2018
A humorous way of how progressive revolutionaries deal with the unexpected failures and impotence once their revolution takes over.
My personal opinion is that socialism can only happily exist when it is just a parasite on strong capitalism.
My personal opinion is that socialism can only happily exist when it is just a parasite on strong capitalism.
December 6, 2012
First Sentence: The post office box was eighteen across, twelve down, and it had a loop of wool around the door so Dr. Buagaew wouldn’t miss it.
A blind man, killed when hit by a bus, is carrying an envelope containing an apparently blank sheet of paper. Not only is it not blank, but it could have dire consequences for the country. Dr. Siri travels to a small village where a governor’s deputy died from electrocution in his bath. Was it assassination, suicide, accident or murder? A small boy has apparently drowned, but his body looks unusual. It is up to Siri, and his friends, to resolve these issues.
Anarchy and Old Dogs draws you in from its very compelling opening and never once do you think of stopping. His descriptions are poetic and evocative…”The drought had wrung every last tear of moisture from the sad earth.�
His characters are unique and charming. Dr. Siri, the 73-year-old coroner, imagines himself as Georges Simenon’s protagonist Inspector Maigret—and is occasionally referred to by others as “Inspector Migraine”—yet when he solves a case in very short order “…he was still a little upset that he hadn’t been given the opportunity to eliminate the suspects one by one through the magic of dactyloscopy.� Accompanying him on this venture are this friend Civilai and the faithful Nurse Dtui.
One thing that makes this book particularly interesting is that there is very little of the supernatural element, which was part of the previous books. There are fascinating descriptions of Siri’s dreams and the delightful character Auntie Bpoo, a transvestite fortune teller. Siri and Civilai, of whose background we finally learn, are much more introspective than in the past.
This is a more serious book dealing with a period of history about which I knew nothing. I very much appreciate that Cotterill doesn’t leave his reader floundering but incorporated historic information into the story in a way that added to it, rather than distracted the reader from it.
Colin Cotterill is one of the delights of reading mysteries. The style of his writing charms me, as does his dialogue and philosophies “As our age…you go for the small things and do them as well as you can.�
“Anarchy and Old Dogs� is right up there with “The Coroner’s Lunch� in its quality. I highly recommend it, but do start at the beginning of the series.
ANARCHY AND OLD DOGS (Mys-Dr. Siri Paiboun-Laos-1977) � Ex
Cotterill, Colin � 4th in series
Soho Crime � ©2007
A blind man, killed when hit by a bus, is carrying an envelope containing an apparently blank sheet of paper. Not only is it not blank, but it could have dire consequences for the country. Dr. Siri travels to a small village where a governor’s deputy died from electrocution in his bath. Was it assassination, suicide, accident or murder? A small boy has apparently drowned, but his body looks unusual. It is up to Siri, and his friends, to resolve these issues.
Anarchy and Old Dogs draws you in from its very compelling opening and never once do you think of stopping. His descriptions are poetic and evocative…”The drought had wrung every last tear of moisture from the sad earth.�
His characters are unique and charming. Dr. Siri, the 73-year-old coroner, imagines himself as Georges Simenon’s protagonist Inspector Maigret—and is occasionally referred to by others as “Inspector Migraine”—yet when he solves a case in very short order “…he was still a little upset that he hadn’t been given the opportunity to eliminate the suspects one by one through the magic of dactyloscopy.� Accompanying him on this venture are this friend Civilai and the faithful Nurse Dtui.
One thing that makes this book particularly interesting is that there is very little of the supernatural element, which was part of the previous books. There are fascinating descriptions of Siri’s dreams and the delightful character Auntie Bpoo, a transvestite fortune teller. Siri and Civilai, of whose background we finally learn, are much more introspective than in the past.
This is a more serious book dealing with a period of history about which I knew nothing. I very much appreciate that Cotterill doesn’t leave his reader floundering but incorporated historic information into the story in a way that added to it, rather than distracted the reader from it.
Colin Cotterill is one of the delights of reading mysteries. The style of his writing charms me, as does his dialogue and philosophies “As our age…you go for the small things and do them as well as you can.�
“Anarchy and Old Dogs� is right up there with “The Coroner’s Lunch� in its quality. I highly recommend it, but do start at the beginning of the series.
ANARCHY AND OLD DOGS (Mys-Dr. Siri Paiboun-Laos-1977) � Ex
Cotterill, Colin � 4th in series
Soho Crime � ©2007
August 20, 2018
I am enjoying this series. It is different than any other mysteries that I am reading. Dr. Siri Paiboun is a 73 year old national coroner in Laos. For 30 years, he was in the rebel forces to over turn the government. The series take place in the 70's after the overthrow was successful. Dr Siri was hoping to retire but it was mandated that he should do this job. He was a doctor trained in France but wasn't trained to do an autopsy. I remember in the first book, he found a 30 year old French text book on how to do it and went from there. He trained his staff along with his learning to perform the tasks of the job.
The books are very rich in characterizations. There is Dr. Siri who is wise, gentle and has a very good wry sense of humor. Nurse Dtui is a local who has learned on the job and has high aspirations.
Civilai is Dr. Siri's friend and they reminisce about their rebel days while eating lunch together. Civilai has a political position with the government. Phosy is a local policeman who has a sizable role in this book. Mr. Gueng, his down syndrome lab assistant was not in this book as he was recovering from health issues told in the previous book. Most of the book was in south Laos as Dr. Siri and Civilai traveled there after deciphering a code in invisible ink. There was a lot at stake.
There were some new colorful characters- Aunti Bpoo who is a transvestite fortune teller. We are introduced to Madame Daeng who was a rebel fighter in the old days with Dr. Siri. She makes well renown noodles. Oh, how I would love to eat a bowl of her noodles!
The book was very well written with gentle and wry humor. There were several mysteries to solve.
The next book appears to be life changing for several of the characters. I remember when I read the first book The Coroner's Lunch, I kept thinking about it after it was over and how good it was. I am looking forward to continuing with the series. It is special.
The books are very rich in characterizations. There is Dr. Siri who is wise, gentle and has a very good wry sense of humor. Nurse Dtui is a local who has learned on the job and has high aspirations.
Civilai is Dr. Siri's friend and they reminisce about their rebel days while eating lunch together. Civilai has a political position with the government. Phosy is a local policeman who has a sizable role in this book. Mr. Gueng, his down syndrome lab assistant was not in this book as he was recovering from health issues told in the previous book. Most of the book was in south Laos as Dr. Siri and Civilai traveled there after deciphering a code in invisible ink. There was a lot at stake.
There were some new colorful characters- Aunti Bpoo who is a transvestite fortune teller. We are introduced to Madame Daeng who was a rebel fighter in the old days with Dr. Siri. She makes well renown noodles. Oh, how I would love to eat a bowl of her noodles!
The book was very well written with gentle and wry humor. There were several mysteries to solve.
The next book appears to be life changing for several of the characters. I remember when I read the first book The Coroner's Lunch, I kept thinking about it after it was over and how good it was. I am looking forward to continuing with the series. It is special.
November 14, 2021
Anarchy and Old Dogs begins with a body, as the books in this series often do, what with Dr. Siri Paiboun being the national coroner of Laos. This time the body is that of a retired dentist, a man blinded by severe cataracts, who was run over by a runaway truck. Upon examination of the deceased and the investigation that follows, Dr. Siri discovers a letter in the dead man's possession -- a letter written in invisible ink at that.
What ensues takes the reader far afield of the plots in the first three books in this series, with Anarchy and Old Dogs being more about the political upheaval in mid-1970s Laos than about individual crimes and the investigation of those crimes.
Dr. Siri, even at age 73, still holds fast to the beliefs and actions of his youth that sought a Laos independent of the rule of other nations. Now that that independence has been achieved, Dr. Siri is committed to protecting that status, even if the two-year-old government has yet to prove itself better than the governments before it in improving the everyday lives of its people.
Dr. Siri's wit is as sharp as ever, providing some levity when it is most needed.
This is a great series. It is unusual in its setting and characters, but it delivers a good mystery with suspense every time.
What ensues takes the reader far afield of the plots in the first three books in this series, with Anarchy and Old Dogs being more about the political upheaval in mid-1970s Laos than about individual crimes and the investigation of those crimes.
Dr. Siri, even at age 73, still holds fast to the beliefs and actions of his youth that sought a Laos independent of the rule of other nations. Now that that independence has been achieved, Dr. Siri is committed to protecting that status, even if the two-year-old government has yet to prove itself better than the governments before it in improving the everyday lives of its people.
Dr. Siri's wit is as sharp as ever, providing some levity when it is most needed.
This is a great series. It is unusual in its setting and characters, but it delivers a good mystery with suspense every time.
February 22, 2011
I love Dr. Siri !!!! Thank you Colin Cotterill for continuing this series. I loved the first book in the series, The Coroner's Lunch, but I swear that they keep getting better with each subsequent book ! They are full of humor, political sarcasm, history of Laos and their culture and wonderful zany characters who you get attached to more and more with each book. And of course there's always a mystery or two for Dr. Siri and friends to figure out, sometimes with the help of dead people who arrive in Dr. Siri's dreams with clues. I literally laugh out loud at times reading these books. I look forward to them so much and I can only hope Colin Cotterill keeps Dr. Siri alive for many, many more years.
May 5, 2021
Dr. Siri and the Coup d'état
Review of the Knopf Canada hardcover edition (August 21, 2007) of the Soho Crime hardcover original (August 1, 2007)
I was late to the party and started my reading of Colin Cotterill's quirky Laos chief coroner Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries with the 15th and supposed (I never rule out the possibility of continuations) final book "The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot" (2020). Luckily, my friend Karan had several of the earliest books to lend me and I was fortunately able to start the series from the beginning. I am continuing now with the rest of the books in order as best as I am able to source them from the Toronto Public Library.
Anarchy and Old Dogs is the 4th book of the series and finds Dr. Siri attempting to prevent a coup d'état on the still rather shaky Lao government. The plan is discovered through the accidental death of a blind dentist who was carrying a cryptographic letter. Dr. Siri and his old friend & colleague Civilai head to the south where Siri meets an old friend at her noodle stand while they attempt to uncover further details of the coup plot. Inspector Phosy and Nurse Dtui go undercover in Thailand and Attendant Deung is still recovering from his travails in Disco for the Departed. It is another widespread investigation for the team that ends with a surprise twist and a hint of a romantic future for Siri.
This series continues to delight with its overviews of Lao lifestyles and culture, the human persistence in the face of bureaucratic & totalitarian incompetence and Dr. Siri's unique investigative methods that combine spiritual perception with common sense intuition. I've already sourced #5 in the series, Curse of the Pogo Stick (2008), thanks to the holds system at the Toronto Public Library.
Review of the Knopf Canada hardcover edition (August 21, 2007) of the Soho Crime hardcover original (August 1, 2007)
I was late to the party and started my reading of Colin Cotterill's quirky Laos chief coroner Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries with the 15th and supposed (I never rule out the possibility of continuations) final book "The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot" (2020). Luckily, my friend Karan had several of the earliest books to lend me and I was fortunately able to start the series from the beginning. I am continuing now with the rest of the books in order as best as I am able to source them from the Toronto Public Library.
Anarchy and Old Dogs is the 4th book of the series and finds Dr. Siri attempting to prevent a coup d'état on the still rather shaky Lao government. The plan is discovered through the accidental death of a blind dentist who was carrying a cryptographic letter. Dr. Siri and his old friend & colleague Civilai head to the south where Siri meets an old friend at her noodle stand while they attempt to uncover further details of the coup plot. Inspector Phosy and Nurse Dtui go undercover in Thailand and Attendant Deung is still recovering from his travails in Disco for the Departed. It is another widespread investigation for the team that ends with a surprise twist and a hint of a romantic future for Siri.
This series continues to delight with its overviews of Lao lifestyles and culture, the human persistence in the face of bureaucratic & totalitarian incompetence and Dr. Siri's unique investigative methods that combine spiritual perception with common sense intuition. I've already sourced #5 in the series, Curse of the Pogo Stick (2008), thanks to the holds system at the Toronto Public Library.
March 25, 2016
Best yet in the series as Dr Siri and his friends prevent a coup, solve a murder and find love. Entertaining, interesting view of a Government founded by freedom fighters who find themselves the winners, and real empathy with the Lao people.
October 1, 2021
This is a review of the Audible version.
My love affair with this series continues. I can't get enough of the adventures of Dr. Siri Paiboun and his cohort of misfits in the Lao coroner's office as they struggle to do their best in the face of the inefficient socialist government of the mid 1970's.
There is another mystery for them to solve. This one leads to them thwarting a coup attempt.
Many life changes are afoot for the friends, too, so if you are nibbling at this series do not skip this book, as events in future books will almost certainly hinge on what happens to our heroes here.
Narrator Clive Chafer's somewhat monotonous reading style would probably annoy me elsewhere, but it actually adds to the humor of these books.
My love affair with this series continues. I can't get enough of the adventures of Dr. Siri Paiboun and his cohort of misfits in the Lao coroner's office as they struggle to do their best in the face of the inefficient socialist government of the mid 1970's.
There is another mystery for them to solve. This one leads to them thwarting a coup attempt.
Many life changes are afoot for the friends, too, so if you are nibbling at this series do not skip this book, as events in future books will almost certainly hinge on what happens to our heroes here.
Narrator Clive Chafer's somewhat monotonous reading style would probably annoy me elsewhere, but it actually adds to the humor of these books.
February 8, 2023
In this novel, Dr Siri Paiboun, the reluctant national coroner of Laos, is initially asked to discover the identity of a corpse delivered to the morgue in Vientiane. This is simply the beginning of a series of events involving the problem solving skills of our hero Dr Siri, his friend Civilai (currently a senior member of the Laos politburo), Nurse Dtui, Phosy (the police officer), and Auntie Bpoo, a transvestite fortune teller.
Set in the Laos of the 1970s, filled with action, unpredictable events, fascinating characters with wry observations on life, death and politics � this is truly a delightful series. The writing is superb, and frequently had me laughing out loud. Who can resist:
‘It is hard to hold a serious debriefing with a man who’s ripping off his pants in the middle of a town’s main street.�
Naturally, by this stage there were other crimes to be solved. After all: ‘A good socialist is not a dustbin, with a closed lid. He is a letter box, always open to receive news.�
Fortunately for Dr Siri, in relation to one of the crimes : ‘But the god of unnecessary paperwork intervened. Even before they had the powder, the crime solved itself.�
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of books two and three, and keenly anticipating the publication of the fifth book. After all, Dr Siri isn’t getting any younger.
Set in the Laos of the 1970s, filled with action, unpredictable events, fascinating characters with wry observations on life, death and politics � this is truly a delightful series. The writing is superb, and frequently had me laughing out loud. Who can resist:
‘It is hard to hold a serious debriefing with a man who’s ripping off his pants in the middle of a town’s main street.�
Naturally, by this stage there were other crimes to be solved. After all: ‘A good socialist is not a dustbin, with a closed lid. He is a letter box, always open to receive news.�
Fortunately for Dr Siri, in relation to one of the crimes : ‘But the god of unnecessary paperwork intervened. Even before they had the powder, the crime solved itself.�
I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of books two and three, and keenly anticipating the publication of the fifth book. After all, Dr Siri isn’t getting any younger.
April 11, 2020
Loving this series. There is enough surprise and character development in each from becoming formulaic. If anything, it keeps getting better! The political intrigue is back in this one, with an unexpected twist. Nurse Dtui’s personal life also goes inan unexpected direction. We take a detour into a Thai refugee camp, and an old friend of Dt Siri shows up.
Next!
Next!
November 4, 2018
This series has been consistently good, but this Dr. Siri adventure was was great. A blind dentist is killed by a hit-and-run driver; not as common a demise as you might think given that very few Laotians in the late 1970s could “afford to tantalize their tanks with petroleum.� Isn’t that a great phrase? Anyway:
However, a mysterious paper is found on the body that appears to be a code. Between Dr. Siri’s assistant, Dtui, and his politburo friend, Civilai, they manage to decode it; it appears to refer to a planned coup attempt with the conspirators based in the southern part of the country near the Thai border. Nearly all of the scenes in this occur around Pakse which was apparently a hotbed of royalist sentiment. Pakse doesn’t get rave reviews: “If the northern capital of Luang Prabang was a jewel in the Indochinese crown, Pakse was the seat of the royal underpants.�
Cotterill takes on more serious political sentiments in this one. When the coup attempt is resolved in an unexpected way, Dr. Siri feels conflicted and depressed.
Civilai expresses his feelings of futility to his old friend:
But all is not gloomy political reflections. In the chapter titled “The Night Bruce Lee Saved Laos,� Siri and Civilai go to the cinema where a Bruce Lee movie is shown. Instead of a soundtrack, there are actors reading a script wherein Bruce Lee personifies the Lao Democratic Republic and the hapless hoodlums he defeats are, of course, the decadent and oppressive West. This provides some genuine LOL moments.
As usual, Cotterill weaves in plenty of Lao culture. Dtui’s mother dies; she had suffered from cirrhosis for years. All her friends join Dtui for a Lao version of a wake. Later in the book, Dr. Siri is invited to a village wedding. He witnesses the official rite conducted by a government official; later one of the village women asks him to help celebrate a neighbor’s wedding ceremony. Astonished, he asks if another neighbor is getting married, and the woman replies: “That was just to keep the government happy. They like their little speeches and form fillings. Of course, we all know it doesn’t mean the kids are really married. Signing a bit of paper doesn’t bond you with another person. No, sir. The real thing’s tonight.
Romance for our main characters isn’t neglected either. Without posting any spoilers, I’ll just say that big changes are in store for Dtui and Dr. Siri.
A really stellar installment in this series!
. . . very few tears were shed for the anonymous blind man. The locals didn’t have room in their souls for someone else’s misfortune. Vientiane had a certain mood about it these days. The government was starting to look like a depressingly unloved relative who’d come to visit for the weekend and stayed for two years.
However, a mysterious paper is found on the body that appears to be a code. Between Dr. Siri’s assistant, Dtui, and his politburo friend, Civilai, they manage to decode it; it appears to refer to a planned coup attempt with the conspirators based in the southern part of the country near the Thai border. Nearly all of the scenes in this occur around Pakse which was apparently a hotbed of royalist sentiment. Pakse doesn’t get rave reviews: “If the northern capital of Luang Prabang was a jewel in the Indochinese crown, Pakse was the seat of the royal underpants.�
Cotterill takes on more serious political sentiments in this one. When the coup attempt is resolved in an unexpected way, Dr. Siri feels conflicted and depressed.
He recalled a quotation from the Communist Manifesto: “All that is solid melts into air, all that is holy is profaned, and men at last are forced to face with sober senses the real conditions of their lives and their relations with their fellow men.�
Civilai expresses his feelings of futility to his old friend:
“The government that should have learned from the mistakes of all the fools who ran the country before it. Instead, we’ve just given a new twist to inefficiency, made it more creative. . .The people are suffering no less than they always were. . . I’d go home after each of our philosophical sessions, with the firm belief that what we’ve created is a joke. There were nights I’d lock myself in the bathroom and cry my eyes out because I was part of that joke. My name was up there on the party roster and I hadn’t done a thing to change the status quo.�
But all is not gloomy political reflections. In the chapter titled “The Night Bruce Lee Saved Laos,� Siri and Civilai go to the cinema where a Bruce Lee movie is shown. Instead of a soundtrack, there are actors reading a script wherein Bruce Lee personifies the Lao Democratic Republic and the hapless hoodlums he defeats are, of course, the decadent and oppressive West. This provides some genuine LOL moments.
As usual, Cotterill weaves in plenty of Lao culture. Dtui’s mother dies; she had suffered from cirrhosis for years. All her friends join Dtui for a Lao version of a wake. Later in the book, Dr. Siri is invited to a village wedding. He witnesses the official rite conducted by a government official; later one of the village women asks him to help celebrate a neighbor’s wedding ceremony. Astonished, he asks if another neighbor is getting married, and the woman replies: “That was just to keep the government happy. They like their little speeches and form fillings. Of course, we all know it doesn’t mean the kids are really married. Signing a bit of paper doesn’t bond you with another person. No, sir. The real thing’s tonight.
Romance for our main characters isn’t neglected either. Without posting any spoilers, I’ll just say that big changes are in store for Dtui and Dr. Siri.
A really stellar installment in this series!
August 6, 2014
I enjoyed this much more than I did . Although some of Cotterill's favourite Dr Siri motifs are still firmly in place, there is less emphasis on the "paranormal" aspect and more story. It reminded me strongly of , the book I found by accident and, like this volume, devoured in 24 hours.
A blind dentist makes a weekly trip into town to pick up his mail, and is crushed by a runaway truck. A young boy's body is fished out of the Mekhong River, tangled in a fish trap--so why does he have splinters in his back? And why is his body so decomposed in part, and so well-preserved in part? How can an intelligent man electrocute himself IN his bath? And those are just the possible crimes!
The mystery is a hook on which to hang the real meat of the tale, an excursion into the past of the "old dogs" (Siri, Civilai, and some of their revolutionary buddies from the forties) who are remembering their glory days and reflecting on the limited success with which they have learned "new tricks". Again the story is left open-ended, but without the annoying "hooks" of "Disco for the Departed" in each chapter. Dtui is still investigating rabbit-holes; I'm beginning to think the black dog must be her totem animal (if Laos have such a thing) because one always appears to show her the way in these books. Poor old Mr. Geung is left back home, recuperating from the mosquito bite he got in Vol. 3 that nearly put paid to his smiling face.
One passage really resonated with me, to the point that I have written it down for further contemplation: You don't measure your own success against the size and volume of the effect you're having. You gauge it from the difference you make to the subject you're working on. At our age, you go for the small things and you do them as well as you can.
I needed to hear that.
A blind dentist makes a weekly trip into town to pick up his mail, and is crushed by a runaway truck. A young boy's body is fished out of the Mekhong River, tangled in a fish trap--so why does he have splinters in his back? And why is his body so decomposed in part, and so well-preserved in part? How can an intelligent man electrocute himself IN his bath? And those are just the possible crimes!
The mystery is a hook on which to hang the real meat of the tale, an excursion into the past of the "old dogs" (Siri, Civilai, and some of their revolutionary buddies from the forties) who are remembering their glory days and reflecting on the limited success with which they have learned "new tricks". Again the story is left open-ended, but without the annoying "hooks" of "Disco for the Departed" in each chapter. Dtui is still investigating rabbit-holes; I'm beginning to think the black dog must be her totem animal (if Laos have such a thing) because one always appears to show her the way in these books. Poor old Mr. Geung is left back home, recuperating from the mosquito bite he got in Vol. 3 that nearly put paid to his smiling face.
One passage really resonated with me, to the point that I have written it down for further contemplation: You don't measure your own success against the size and volume of the effect you're having. You gauge it from the difference you make to the subject you're working on. At our age, you go for the small things and you do them as well as you can.
I needed to hear that.
February 19, 2019
Cotterill is at his best when delving into his characters, who are deeply engaging, funny, endearing, smart and wryly hopeful. Add in the mysticism that the Dr. Siri Paiboun novels usually contain, and this combination is a winning one.
Anarchy and Old Dogs delved a bit too deeply into the ultra-political world of the Communist Party politics for my liking in this one. The Communist Party can almost be considered a character in all of Cotterill's books in the series, but it seemed like over half the story was consumed with this unlikable character. Perhaps because I was listening to the audiobook, with the excellent reader Clive Chafer, the governmental politics that were repetitive could not be skimmed over, which made the story drag. I'm not sure. Only that I love the storylines of Dr. Siri Paiboun, Dtui, Civili, The Noodle-Maker (Deng?) and even the mystery of the boy who drowned in the river and his sweet friend. Not my favorite of the series, but I look forward to #5 and if you like the series, you will want to read this one for the furthering of the characters' stories. Some good surprises at the end!
Anarchy and Old Dogs delved a bit too deeply into the ultra-political world of the Communist Party politics for my liking in this one. The Communist Party can almost be considered a character in all of Cotterill's books in the series, but it seemed like over half the story was consumed with this unlikable character. Perhaps because I was listening to the audiobook, with the excellent reader Clive Chafer, the governmental politics that were repetitive could not be skimmed over, which made the story drag. I'm not sure. Only that I love the storylines of Dr. Siri Paiboun, Dtui, Civili, The Noodle-Maker (Deng?) and even the mystery of the boy who drowned in the river and his sweet friend. Not my favorite of the series, but I look forward to #5 and if you like the series, you will want to read this one for the furthering of the characters' stories. Some good surprises at the end!
July 28, 2008
Okay, totally fascinating book! Takes place in Laos in the 1970s and it's my favorite genre - a mystery! The characters are rich, the protagonist is a coroner in his 70s - and I felt that I was given a surreptitious history in the Southeast Asia conflict at the same time. Beautifully written and wonderful pacing!
February 22, 2017
Time for something a bit lighter, I think. Okay, maybe it's weird to think of a book about a coroner in a communist country as a light-reading feel-good novel, but anything that makes you smile on the tube...but I really do like this series, and this was the best one so far.
January 6, 2020
Ein wenig fühlen sich die Romane um den laotischen Leichenbeschauer Dr. Siri Paiboun ja an wie Klamaukkrimis mit Niveau, und daran ändert sich auch im vierten Anlauf wenig.
Wer sich diesem Buch als eingefleischter Krimifan nähert, kommt vermutlich nicht allzu sehr auf seine Kosten. Zwar muss sich Siri in fast schon gewohnter Manier wieder mit mehreren Fällen gleichzeitig herumschlagen, allerdings sind diese doch recht simpel gestrickt und dienen eher als Grundgerüst der Geschichte. Wieder bekommt es der Leichenbeschauer mit skurrilen Todesfällen zu tun, doch wer hier nun echte Ermittlungsarbeit erwartet, wird enttäuscht werden - es hat nämlich oft den Anschein, als würden die Fälle eher nebenbei gelöst werden und zumeist resultiert die Aufklärung auch aus einer plötzlichen Eingebung Dr. Siris und ist für Außenstehende kaum selbst herzuleiten.
Trotz der eher mauen Krimi-Handlung ist "Briefe an einen Blinden" aber dennoch sehr unterhaltsam und dies liegt zum einen an den einzigartigen und liebenswerten Charakteren, die ebenso skurril sind wie die Todesfälle. Etwas schade ist zwar, dass Dr. Siris Gehilfe mit Down-Syndrom, Herr Geung, in diesem Band pausiert und sich von den Strapazen aus Band 3 erholt, dafür bekommt aber Assistentin Dtui eine größere Rolle und darf sich in einem riskanten Undercover-Einsatz beweisen. Es ist schön zu sehen, wie Colin Cotterill hier die Charakterentwicklung vorantreibt und die Beziehungen zwischen den einzelnen Figuren humorvoll noch weiter ausgearbeitet werden.
Der zweite große Pluspunkt bleibt nach wie vor das Setting, denn das Laos der 1970er Jahre ist einfach ein spannender und weiterhin unverbrauchter Schauplatz, der vom Autor sehr erfolgreich mit Leben gefüllt wird. Atmosphärisch ist auch der vierte Band wieder top und man kann den laotischen Dschungel beim Lesen praktisch fühlen (und oft auch riechen). Überdies ist "Briefe an einen Blinden" wohl der bisher politischste Band der Reihe und vermittelt spielerisch viel Hintergrundwissen über die Geschichte der Volksrepublik Laos und ihrer historischen Konflikte.
Persönlich würde ich mir für die nächsten Bände zwar einen etwas größeren Fokus auf die Kriminalfälle wünschen, atmosphärisch und in Bezug auf die Charaktere ist die Reihe aber nach wie vor ein Vergnügen und dürfte wohl so schnell auch nicht langweilig werden.
Wer sich diesem Buch als eingefleischter Krimifan nähert, kommt vermutlich nicht allzu sehr auf seine Kosten. Zwar muss sich Siri in fast schon gewohnter Manier wieder mit mehreren Fällen gleichzeitig herumschlagen, allerdings sind diese doch recht simpel gestrickt und dienen eher als Grundgerüst der Geschichte. Wieder bekommt es der Leichenbeschauer mit skurrilen Todesfällen zu tun, doch wer hier nun echte Ermittlungsarbeit erwartet, wird enttäuscht werden - es hat nämlich oft den Anschein, als würden die Fälle eher nebenbei gelöst werden und zumeist resultiert die Aufklärung auch aus einer plötzlichen Eingebung Dr. Siris und ist für Außenstehende kaum selbst herzuleiten.
Trotz der eher mauen Krimi-Handlung ist "Briefe an einen Blinden" aber dennoch sehr unterhaltsam und dies liegt zum einen an den einzigartigen und liebenswerten Charakteren, die ebenso skurril sind wie die Todesfälle. Etwas schade ist zwar, dass Dr. Siris Gehilfe mit Down-Syndrom, Herr Geung, in diesem Band pausiert und sich von den Strapazen aus Band 3 erholt, dafür bekommt aber Assistentin Dtui eine größere Rolle und darf sich in einem riskanten Undercover-Einsatz beweisen. Es ist schön zu sehen, wie Colin Cotterill hier die Charakterentwicklung vorantreibt und die Beziehungen zwischen den einzelnen Figuren humorvoll noch weiter ausgearbeitet werden.
Der zweite große Pluspunkt bleibt nach wie vor das Setting, denn das Laos der 1970er Jahre ist einfach ein spannender und weiterhin unverbrauchter Schauplatz, der vom Autor sehr erfolgreich mit Leben gefüllt wird. Atmosphärisch ist auch der vierte Band wieder top und man kann den laotischen Dschungel beim Lesen praktisch fühlen (und oft auch riechen). Überdies ist "Briefe an einen Blinden" wohl der bisher politischste Band der Reihe und vermittelt spielerisch viel Hintergrundwissen über die Geschichte der Volksrepublik Laos und ihrer historischen Konflikte.
Persönlich würde ich mir für die nächsten Bände zwar einen etwas größeren Fokus auf die Kriminalfälle wünschen, atmosphärisch und in Bezug auf die Charaktere ist die Reihe aber nach wie vor ein Vergnügen und dürfte wohl so schnell auch nicht langweilig werden.
July 28, 2013
Colin Cotterill's creation, Dr Siri Paiboun, is an elderly French educated pathologist living in Laos just after the revolution that overthrew the French sponsored royalists. He struggles daily with socialist officialdom and ineptitude and longs to retire but he is the only pathologist in the country. Over the preceding books we are introduced to him and his small circle of trusted friends, upon whom he relies both for their help and their ability to listen to his deadpan humour without turning him into the authorities. Having been a part of the revolution for many years he disillusioned by its outcome. He has a laid back approach to life, being inhabited by the spirits of the dead, and sees visions which occasionally help him resolve issues that are thrust upon him.
A blind man is crushed to death by a run away lorry in a freak accident. In an attempt to identify the corpse an envelope is found in which is a blank piece of paper. The envelope provides the identity of the dead man, a dentist who lives out of town, and basic chemistry reveals a code on the paper which intimates a plot to overthrow the fragile communist regime. Deciding that he cannot trust anyone other than his immediate circle to find out more of what is happening he sets about unravelling everything he has fought for no matter how imperfect the outcome. Friendships are tested to the limit, peoples' lives are risked and his spiritual health is threatened. All of this with none of the resources found in a secondary school chemistry laboratory and none of the gizmos you would find in an episode of CSI. It's all old fashioned boots on the ground stuff putting together the pieces of the criminal jigsaw.
I regret not having reviewed anything by Colin Cotterill before, having read the previous Dr Siri books and loved them. His writing is gentle, warm, inventive and descriptive. He has developed some fascinating characters with obvious love and enjoyment. Furthermore, Laos is an country of which few people know anything (including me)and his attention to its history to support the plot is dexterous. Dr Siri is an iconoclast in his own right, although one who is happiest sitting on a log outside his favourite noodle bar drinking rice wine with his friends.
These books are lovely, gentle and richly humourous. Due to the circumstances of the time in which they are written there is no apparent conflict between the demons of a socialist state and the spiritual demons that assault him daily. If you have never read any of these I recommend them highly.
A blind man is crushed to death by a run away lorry in a freak accident. In an attempt to identify the corpse an envelope is found in which is a blank piece of paper. The envelope provides the identity of the dead man, a dentist who lives out of town, and basic chemistry reveals a code on the paper which intimates a plot to overthrow the fragile communist regime. Deciding that he cannot trust anyone other than his immediate circle to find out more of what is happening he sets about unravelling everything he has fought for no matter how imperfect the outcome. Friendships are tested to the limit, peoples' lives are risked and his spiritual health is threatened. All of this with none of the resources found in a secondary school chemistry laboratory and none of the gizmos you would find in an episode of CSI. It's all old fashioned boots on the ground stuff putting together the pieces of the criminal jigsaw.
I regret not having reviewed anything by Colin Cotterill before, having read the previous Dr Siri books and loved them. His writing is gentle, warm, inventive and descriptive. He has developed some fascinating characters with obvious love and enjoyment. Furthermore, Laos is an country of which few people know anything (including me)and his attention to its history to support the plot is dexterous. Dr Siri is an iconoclast in his own right, although one who is happiest sitting on a log outside his favourite noodle bar drinking rice wine with his friends.
These books are lovely, gentle and richly humourous. Due to the circumstances of the time in which they are written there is no apparent conflict between the demons of a socialist state and the spiritual demons that assault him daily. If you have never read any of these I recommend them highly.
June 16, 2012
Writers of a series of mysteries have a terrific challenge. Maintaining plotting and character, developing depth without disappointing the faithful readership is a burden. I've been disappointed before: even the sainted Agatha Christie repeated her plots, Elizabeth George deteriorated as the Lynley series progressed, Donna Leon lost her way with her charming detective Brunetti (the books became polemics), and even the Camilleri's latest Montalbano offering isn't quite up to his usual excellence. My personal 'never fail' serial writers are Reginald Hill and Magadalen Nabb. Both authors have died (Mr. Hill very recently), so I am confident in saying, minor nitpicking aside, they maintained their skill and mastery throughout.
I really have my fingers crossed for Colin Cotterill. I'm 4 books down so far(have to go back for the two I missed ). He has been taking huge chances - and pulling it off!
He has invented a terrific protagonist in Dr. Siri, but it is the rest of the recurring characters where he has done something I don't recall seeing before--he makes them so human that you wonder for a while if you still like them at all--and then redeems the relationship without forgiving or 'curing' the faults. Amazing! (I am working hard to avoid spoilers here.) Imagine that! He takes a character you quite like and makes them less admirable, and convinces you to mostly, if not quite fully, forgive them. His characters don't just have idiosyncrasies, they have character flaws. And this in a series whose tone is light.
Oh yes, the tone/theme thing. Cotterill lives in Southeast Asia and clearly part of his purpose is to reveal to ignorant westerners (me)something of the history and culture of his adopted region--but there is no exposition here, no preaching. His hero is a communist, and the tension and disappointment between his ideals and the results of the communist revolution is obvious. But Dr. Siri doesn't abandon ideals -- he just laughs at the foibles of human nature that prevent human ideals from becoming realized. Aimed at a western audience, we find ourselves rooting for a commie whose wry acceptance of paradox is comforting and reassuring. Amazing.
And just for fun, he tosses in a lumpy transvestite fortune teller, a fatalistic sense that magic exists, and some quick, hilarious side characters to populate this full world.
I really have my fingers crossed for Colin Cotterill. I'm 4 books down so far(have to go back for the two I missed ). He has been taking huge chances - and pulling it off!
He has invented a terrific protagonist in Dr. Siri, but it is the rest of the recurring characters where he has done something I don't recall seeing before--he makes them so human that you wonder for a while if you still like them at all--and then redeems the relationship without forgiving or 'curing' the faults. Amazing! (I am working hard to avoid spoilers here.) Imagine that! He takes a character you quite like and makes them less admirable, and convinces you to mostly, if not quite fully, forgive them. His characters don't just have idiosyncrasies, they have character flaws. And this in a series whose tone is light.
Oh yes, the tone/theme thing. Cotterill lives in Southeast Asia and clearly part of his purpose is to reveal to ignorant westerners (me)something of the history and culture of his adopted region--but there is no exposition here, no preaching. His hero is a communist, and the tension and disappointment between his ideals and the results of the communist revolution is obvious. But Dr. Siri doesn't abandon ideals -- he just laughs at the foibles of human nature that prevent human ideals from becoming realized. Aimed at a western audience, we find ourselves rooting for a commie whose wry acceptance of paradox is comforting and reassuring. Amazing.
And just for fun, he tosses in a lumpy transvestite fortune teller, a fatalistic sense that magic exists, and some quick, hilarious side characters to populate this full world.
August 26, 2014
In the fourth book of the Dr. Siri Paiboun series, an elderly blind dentist has been run down by a logging truck on the street in Vientiane just opposite the post office. His body is delivered to the morgue of 73 year old Dr. Siri Paiboun, the official/sole coroner of Laos. Before he can identify the corpse he must decipher a letter in the man's pocket, written in code and with invisible ink. With the help of his old friend, Civilai, now a senior member of the Laos politburo; Nurse Dtui; and Phosy, a police officer Dr. Siri discovers a plot to overthrow the government of Laos. We also meet an important new character, Madame Daeng, owner of a noodle shop renowned for its delicious dishes. Siri first met Daeng thirty-seven years years earlier when he was serving with the Free Lao movement. Siri's wife, Boua, has been dead for many years and seeing Madame Daeng again stirs new feelings in Siri.
I don't necessarily think this series will appeal to everyone but I completely love it. Dr. Siri’s lingering idealism, hidden beneath his cynical and humorous comments about the communist government he worked all his life to help install, gives the reader a unique look at 1970s Laos. The characters are in- depth and well written. The author evokes such an atmospheric feel of a country which is largely unfamiliar to many readers. I can't wait to read the next one....Curse of the Pogo Stick.
I don't necessarily think this series will appeal to everyone but I completely love it. Dr. Siri’s lingering idealism, hidden beneath his cynical and humorous comments about the communist government he worked all his life to help install, gives the reader a unique look at 1970s Laos. The characters are in- depth and well written. The author evokes such an atmospheric feel of a country which is largely unfamiliar to many readers. I can't wait to read the next one....Curse of the Pogo Stick.
January 14, 2016
This is the fourth in the pathologist Dr Siri series set in newly communist Laos. I love the way Colin Cotterill just captures the right not of humour in his descriptions. He has a similar style to Alexander Mc Coll Smith who is a wonderful observer of people and you really feel you get to know all the charcters in his books.
We have Dr Siri who was hoping for a nice quiet retirement but the Communist Laos govt decided that he should be the government corona. He is supported in his role by a nurse with a lot of character and a young man with Down's Syndrom who actually knows more about the pathologist department workings than either of the other two.
In this story Siri and his friends uncover a plot to overthrow the government and set about trying to get to the bottom of the plot. This involves a lot of espionage and the nurse and a policemen smuggling themselves into Thailand. Siri drinks a lot of Laos whisky with his government comrade while away from Vientiane incognito.
The story is interesting enough but for me what makes these books is the characters and the descriptions of their daily activities and the other odd folk they come into contact with.
It isn't essential but I think this book would be best read after the others as you get to know the people better and there are references to previous stories.
If you like No 1 Ladies Detective then give these books a try as they are another treasure and there is in fact more of a story to these books too.
We have Dr Siri who was hoping for a nice quiet retirement but the Communist Laos govt decided that he should be the government corona. He is supported in his role by a nurse with a lot of character and a young man with Down's Syndrom who actually knows more about the pathologist department workings than either of the other two.
In this story Siri and his friends uncover a plot to overthrow the government and set about trying to get to the bottom of the plot. This involves a lot of espionage and the nurse and a policemen smuggling themselves into Thailand. Siri drinks a lot of Laos whisky with his government comrade while away from Vientiane incognito.
The story is interesting enough but for me what makes these books is the characters and the descriptions of their daily activities and the other odd folk they come into contact with.
It isn't essential but I think this book would be best read after the others as you get to know the people better and there are references to previous stories.
If you like No 1 Ladies Detective then give these books a try as they are another treasure and there is in fact more of a story to these books too.
May 8, 2012
The real strengths of Colin Cotterill’s Dr Siri series are the colourful set of characters, the light and witty prose, and a wonderfully rich sense of place and history. Through the narrative he engages with weighty matters such as nationalism, socialism and familial relationships, without them dominating the story in some overloaded ideological manner. They’re a delight to read. Anarchy and Old Dogs is the fourth book in the series. Whilst the plot was interesting, I felt that it unfolded in a relatively straightforward manner, lacked some twists and turns, and the mystical elements used to good effect in the other stories was underplayed. There was also a sense that the book was doing a lot of work for the next book in the series, moving new characters and scenarios into place. As a result, it felt like a transition book, rather than having a fully rounded story of its own. For me, that meant it was an enjoyable read, but one that didn’t quite fulfil its promise. Regardless, it and the whole Dr Siri series is well worth checking out
December 1, 2010
In 1975, the communist/nationalist Pathet Lao seized power in Laos. Dr. Siri Paiboun was one of the young, idealistic partisans who spent 30+ years of their lives helping to bring that about. Now in his 70s, he's tired and disillusioned with the inadequacies and incompetence of the regime but he's also the only candidate with the correct politics and the skills to be the country's chief coroner (pretty much the only coroner). He's also the reincarnation of a powerful Hmong shaman and can talk to dead people.
The supernatural element is almost wholly absent from this entry in the series, which focuses on Siri's attempt to foil a Royalist-Thai plot to overthrow the government and discover how a 10-year-old boy wound up drowned in the river. As ever, he's aided in his endeavors by his nurse, Dtui, and Colonel Phosy, a member of the national police.
This is another solid entry in the series, and I would recommend it.
The supernatural element is almost wholly absent from this entry in the series, which focuses on Siri's attempt to foil a Royalist-Thai plot to overthrow the government and discover how a 10-year-old boy wound up drowned in the river. As ever, he's aided in his endeavors by his nurse, Dtui, and Colonel Phosy, a member of the national police.
This is another solid entry in the series, and I would recommend it.
August 17, 2011
Dr. Siri Paiboun is a hearty 73 year old that is quite proud of having been an active force in the thirty-year struggle of the Pathet Lao in their efforts to throw off the yoke of colonialism. Sometimes when Siri is in doubt about certain aspects of his job he turns to the French expert Inspector Maigret. This is the case when he discovers a blank piece of paper in the pocket of a blind dentist who was hit by a bus. He remembers how Maigret used a formula of sodium bicarbonate to reveal hidden messages written in invisible ink. Thus he uncovers an n encoded message that starts him on an adventure that caps a lifetime of struggle. It appears that is a rebellion afoot, a drive to bring the royalists back.
July 4, 2011
Another one in this series that I just loved. Our hero, Siri, and his supporting cast all get into a bunch of trouble, as usual. As always, there is the undercurrent of wry humor, disturbing politics, and murders and mysteries to solve. I can't say enough good things about this series. The books are easily read in one day... that's how long it took me to read this one, and I still had plenty of time to start another book! Now on to the next one!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.