Title: Curse of the Pogo StickAuthor: Colin CotterillISBN: 9781569474853Publisher: Soho/2008Pages: 240Those two verses are review of sorts for Curse of the Pogo Stick by Colin Cotterill.The first one tells us about Dr Siri Paiboun, the 73-year-old coroner of Laos, who has the spirit of Yeh Mind, thousand- year-old Shaman sharing his his body. The second one is the nutshell of the book.thousand-year-old spiritthrives in his aged bodydangerous keepsake for someFOR THE RESTLESS CORONERthat dangerous keepsake rejuvenates his aging bodyspirit found abode in 1000 years~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~seventy three-year-old doctor of Laos, restlessly slept through long boring speeches. Dangerous turn, kidnapped on the way back by seven young Hmong females. Twin sons of the Chief's daughter become his keepsake for sometime to come.
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A booby trapped corpse is delivered at the morgue in Vientiane. Dr Siri Paiboun is out of town attending a boring conference. His assistant Nurse Dtui somehow senses the danger at the last moment and all are saved. Dr Paiboun's fiancee, Madam Daeng, Civilai the retired higher authority, Phosey, Dtui's husband..all get together to find out who wants them dead and get caught in the midst of it.
Meanwhile, the good doctor is kidnapped by seven females of the Hmong village. The chief's daughter has been possessed by the demon and he wants Dr Siri to exorcise her. He has no other option but try to help them and stumbles upon some well kept secret. The 14-year-old daughter gives birth to twin sons and is gone. The doctor ends up taking care of the twin boys. He remembers a prophecy by a transvestite fortune teler who had predicted that he will have two children before the rains and he had puh-puh over it.
When he gets back, he finds all his friends disappeared from Ventiane. And from one adventure, he lands into another....
Dr Siri, at 73, seems like an unlikeleist detective but he is sprightly, lovable and is very intelligent. He doesn't let his age stop him from doing anything. His 66-year-old fiancee, madam Daeng too is a wonderful woman. Colin has created feasible characters. He has also given us glimpses of politically turmoiled Laos, the corruption, the poverty and all. And there are still redeeming features like its people, who never give up hope.
This is my second book by Cotterill in th Siri Paiboun series, although not in that order. I have already finished the third, which is yet to be released. Once one gets the hang of the country, the good doctor, his cronies, he/she is totally into Colin Cotterill. Like me. Give me more!
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13 comments:
I found the title to be funny :)
I have not read any of the books by this author :)
But good review :)
Love your two verses! This sounds like an interesting book. My library doesn't have this book, but it has The Coroner's Lunch. Is that the first book in the series?
This sounds so unique and interesting! Nice find.
What a great title! And the premise sounds very interesting!
A new title to me. Thanks!
This sounds really good, I will have to try out this series.
This sounds pretty intense to me! Booby-trapped corpses? Not sure it would be my cup of tea...
This sounds so interesting! I'm always looking for new characters and detective stories and am particularly drawn to those set in unusual places.
Thanks for the review and another good book for my TBR list!
What a crazy storyline! Looks like a real page turner though. I like a good page turner.
This sounds like a very unique book. I liked your poetry descriptions!
Definitely not my type of book but I think the title is hilarious!!
What an interesting title. This book is outside of my usual reading range but I think I am going to give it a go.
dang now I am going to have to get this one too!
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