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Powell's Q&A, Kids' Q&A | February 2, 2012

Emily Winfield Martin: IMG Kids' Q&A: Emily Winfield Martin

2 comments By Emily Winfield Martin

Describe your new book. Oddfellow's Orphanage is a series of stories/vignettes that tell the tale of the newest arrival to a curious orphanage, a... Continue »
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4 Burnside Mystery- A to Z

The Godfather of Kathmandu

by John Burdett

The Godfather of Kathmandu Cover

ISBN13: 9780307263193
ISBN10: 0307263193
Condition: Standard
Dustjacket: Standard
All Product Details

 

Review-A-Day

"'I need the vastness of dharma, so I'm sitting on the back of a motorbike taxi on the way to Wat Rachananda,' Jitpleecheep says in a typical juxtaposition that opens another chapter. The beauty of Burdett's fiction is that he can have both, the dharma and the motorbike, and so can you, farang." Jeff Baker, The Oregonian (read the entire Oregonian review)

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Sonchai Jitpleecheep — John Burdett's inimitable Royal Thai Police detective with the hard-bitten demeanor and the Buddhist soul — is summoned to the most shocking and intriguing crime scene of his career. Solving the murder could mean a promotion, but Sonchai, reeling from a personal tragedy, is more interested in Tietsin, an exiled Tibetan lama based in Kathmandu who has become his guru.

There are, however, obstacles in Sonchai's path to nirvana. Police Colonel Vikorn has just named Sonchai his consigliere (he's been studying The Godfather on DVD): to troubleshoot, babysit, defuse, procure, reconnoiter — do whatever needs to be done in Vikorn's ongoing battle with Army General Zinna for control of Bangkok's network of illegal enterprises. And though Tietsin is enlightened and (eerily) charismatic, he also has forty million dollars' worth of heroin for sale. If Sonchai truly wants to be an initiate into Tietsin's apocalyptic Buddhism, he has to pull off a deal that will bring Vikorn and Zinna to the same side of the table. Further complicating the challenge is Tara: a Tantric practitioner who captivates Sonchai with her remarkable otherworldly techniques.

Here is Sonchai put to the extreme test — as a cop, as a Buddhist, as an impossibly earthbound man — in John Burdett's most wildly inventive, darkly comic, and wickedly entertaining novel yet.

Review:

"The vivid portrait of 21st-century Thailand in part redeems the meandering plot of Burdett's fourth thriller to feature corrupt Bangkok police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep (after Bangkok Haunts). Jitpleecheep, a marijuana-smoking Buddhist whose marriage collapsed after his young son's death, investigates the peculiar murder of Frank Charles, a Hollywood director who regularly visited Thailand to sample the sexual delights offered by its young women. Someone disemboweled Charles, then cut his skull open and dined on his brains. Among the victim's books at the crime scene are The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Too much musing on spiritual awakenings and Tibetan philosophy as well as commentary on mundane details of daily life distract from the search for Charles's killer and a related subplot involving the heroin-smuggling operation controlled by Jitpleecheep's boss, Colonel Vikorn. Hopefully, Burdett will regain his usual narrative snap next time." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"Pick up The Godfather of Kathmandu the day it hits the stands...Once you start, you won't get anything else done until you finish it....Burdett has both the chops and the history to be a strong contender every time he turns out a new book, and The Godfather of Kathmandu is no exception." Bookpage

Review:

"Sonchai Jitlpleecheep has leapfrogged the field, vaulting from cult favorite to just possibly the most compelling crime-fiction hero in the genre. ...Burdett juggles the various plots with great dexterity...A whirlwind of a novel." Booklist (starred review)

Review:

"A blissfully nutty caper that brings back fond memories of the late lamented Ross Thomas's crazy-quilt crime fiction...Distinguishing crooks from good guys is only one of the pleasures [here]...Sonchai's wry narrative voice (think: exotic Philip Marlowe) keeps us hooked." Kirkus Reviews

Synopsis:

Sonchai Jitpleecheep — Burdett's inimitable Thai police detective — is summoned to the most shocking and intriguing crime scene of his career. Sonchai is more interested in finding Nirvana than in solving murders, in Burdett's most inventive, darkly comic novel yet.
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About the Author

John Burdett is a nonpracticing lawyer who worked in Hong Kong for a British firm until he found his true vocation as a writer. He has also lived in France, Spain, and Thailand. He is the author of A Personal History of Thirst, The Last Six Million Seconds, Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo and Bangkok Haunts.
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
ever, February 12, 2010 (view all comments by ever)
This is an excellent book which goes far beyond the mystery genre. Certainly, the review by Publishers Weekly(Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
misses the point of the story and most of the beauty of the novel. The primary thrust of this novel is the interplay and comparison between Thai and Western cultures. The murder and the investigation provides a clever framework for some fundamental and astute observations on human life from the viewpoints of these diverse cultures. Once you begin to read this book your are caught in the story and propelled to the end. When you finish, you feel you have been somewhere and have been introduced to fresh ways of viewing our world through the eyes of some quite interesting characters.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780307263193
Author:
Burdett, John
Publisher:
Knopf
Author:
John Burdett
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - General
Subject:
Mystery fiction
Subject:
Corruption
Subject:
JUVENILE FICTION / Animals/Cats
Subject:
Fiction : Mystery & Detective - General
Subject:
Mystery-A to Z
Copyright:
2010
Publication Date:
20100112
Binding:
Hardback
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
320
Dimensions:
9.48x6.56x1.23 in. 1.26 lbs.
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Related Aisles

The Godfather of Kathmandu Used Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$17.95 In Stock
Product details 320 pages Knopf Publishing Group - English 9780307263193 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "The vivid portrait of 21st-century Thailand in part redeems the meandering plot of Burdett's fourth thriller to feature corrupt Bangkok police detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep (after Bangkok Haunts). Jitpleecheep, a marijuana-smoking Buddhist whose marriage collapsed after his young son's death, investigates the peculiar murder of Frank Charles, a Hollywood director who regularly visited Thailand to sample the sexual delights offered by its young women. Someone disemboweled Charles, then cut his skull open and dined on his brains. Among the victim's books at the crime scene are The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. Too much musing on spiritual awakenings and Tibetan philosophy as well as commentary on mundane details of daily life distract from the search for Charles's killer and a related subplot involving the heroin-smuggling operation controlled by Jitpleecheep's boss, Colonel Vikorn. Hopefully, Burdett will regain his usual narrative snap next time." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
"Review A Day" by , "'I need the vastness of dharma, so I'm sitting on the back of a motorbike taxi on the way to Wat Rachananda,' Jitpleecheep says in a typical juxtaposition that opens another chapter. The beauty of Burdett's fiction is that he can have both, the dharma and the motorbike, and so can you, farang." (read the entire Oregonian review)
"Review" by , "Pick up The Godfather of Kathmandu the day it hits the stands...Once you start, you won't get anything else done until you finish it....Burdett has both the chops and the history to be a strong contender every time he turns out a new book, and The Godfather of Kathmandu is no exception."
"Review" by , "Sonchai Jitlpleecheep has leapfrogged the field, vaulting from cult favorite to just possibly the most compelling crime-fiction hero in the genre. ...Burdett juggles the various plots with great dexterity...A whirlwind of a novel." (starred review)
"Review" by , "A blissfully nutty caper that brings back fond memories of the late lamented Ross Thomas's crazy-quilt crime fiction...Distinguishing crooks from good guys is only one of the pleasures [here]...Sonchai's wry narrative voice (think: exotic Philip Marlowe) keeps us hooked."
"Synopsis" by , Sonchai Jitpleecheep — Burdett's inimitable Thai police detective — is summoned to the most shocking and intriguing crime scene of his career. Sonchai is more interested in finding Nirvana than in solving murders, in Burdett's most inventive, darkly comic novel yet.
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