Killed at the Whim of a Hat

Jimm Juree was a crime reporter for the Chiang Mai Daily Mail with a somewhat eccentric family. When she is forced to follow her family to a rural village on the coast of Southern Thailand, she's convinced her career--maybe her life--is over. So when a van containing the skeletal remains of two hippies is inexplicably unearthed in a local farmer's field, Jimm is thrilled. Shortly thereafter an abbot at a local Buddhist temple is viciously murdered.

Suddenly Jimm's new life becomes somewhat more promising--and a lot more deadly. And if Jimm is to unravel the inexplicable events, it will take luck, perseverance, and the help of her entire family.

"When crime reporter Jimm Juree finds herself in a tiny coastal village in Thailand, she thinks her career is over. But soon she's investigating a murdered abbot and the discovery of two dead hippies who've been buried for decades in their van. During the course of this humorous mystery, protagonist Jimm describes her odd patois: 'I speak English with a sort of Thai accent that makes words sound as if they don't have endings.' That's a tall order for any narrator, but Jeany Park does her best to fill it, providing Jimm with odd vocal cadences and an affected, non-native British accent. However, the book's ultra-whimsical characters and leisurely pace are themselves something of a test for listener perseverance. And that is unfortunate, because once the quirky plot begins to gel, Park's performance proves as entertaining as it is charming. Additionally enjoyable are the malapropisms — read by Park without accent — that serve as the book's title and chapter headings. A Minotaur Books hardcover. (July)" Publishers Weekly Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

"Cotterill understands people and writes subtle humor like a master."

      --Library Journal [starred review] Library Journal

“Cotterills sense of humor is really what drives this. . . . Jeany Park was a good choice for the narration. . . . Her light, satirical tone matches that of the book perfectly.”
       —Audiobook Heaven Booklist

“A beautifully crafted look at life with a Thai twist. . . . Cotterills language is musical, with an offbeat cadence. . . . A solid plot runs neck and neck with the plain and simple joy of . . . a crackerjack narrative filled with droll humor and small asides that are never throwaways.”
       —BookPage Publishers Weekly

“May be the best new international mystery series since the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.”
       —Booklist [starred review] Charlotte Observer

“Cotterill’s excellent first in a new series . . . combines a wry narrative voice with an appealing picture of a world unfamiliar to most Americans.”
       —Publishers Weekly [starred review] Publishers Weekly

“An affirmation that the universal language of nutty families is spoken everywhere.”
       —Charlotte Observer

“Jeany Park provides a great range in portraying Jimm, her eccentric family, the police, and other characters. This will appeal to those who enjoy mysteries set in exotic locations and books featuring clever female protagonists and cozy fans.”
       —Library Journal [starred review]

The launch of a new series set in rural Thailand, from the internationally bestselling author of The Coroner's Lunch.

Born in London, COLIN COTTERILL worked as teacher in Israel, Australia, the U.S. and Japan before he started training teachers in Thailand. Cotterill lives in a small fishing village on the Gulf of Siam in Southern Thailand. Hes won the Dilys and a CWA Dagger award. JEANY PARK has acted with regional theatre companies such as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, where she was a company member for three years, the Guthrie Theater, Penumbra Theatre, Mu Performing Arts, Victory Gardens Theatre, the Madison Repertory Theatre, and the History Theatre. She has also appeared in the feature film Drop Dead Gorgeous and on television in a special for ABCs Kingdom Hospital. Jeany has also written for the stage and has had her plays produced in the Twin Cities, and in Geneseo, New York. She is a founding member of MaMa mOsAiC, a women of color theatre collective based in Minneapolis. Ms. Park currently resides in Ashland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.