This one was too complicated for me though I liked the ending. You wouldn't think this would be a problem but there were too many American characters to keep track of. Not enough time with the characters sitting around and eating sandwiches. I did learn something: I had assumed Air America was a CIA project name rather than a separate business entity. The Plain of Jars intrigues me mightily, I need to look for a book about that. ( )

This installment in the wonderful Dr Siri series is much lighter in tone than the previous tale. Here the plot is the thing and a great plot it is to-full of twists and turns and trying to guess who is the 'bad guy'; plus some wonderful comedy moments. Dr Siri and his 'gang' are a wonderful creation. ( )

I am mean with the stars - actually I really liked it. He tosses loads of characters in the air and mixes them around and I didn't get confused at all. I read that an Australian company was closing down a Laos gold mine in 2014 and it sounds like it was spite because the Lao government had realised it was making virtually nothing from the mining concession and wanted a decent cut! So 30 years after the book is set the 'Western Powers' are still extracting wealth from the country..... no surprises there. ( )

This story opens in 1968 when Boyd Bowry, son of a U.S. senator, is presumed dead after the helicopter he was flying exploded over a remote village in the northern mountains of Laos. Flash forward ten years where septuagenarian, Doctor Siri Paiboun, the country's only coroner, has been tasked with forming a delegation to meet with some Americans who are interested in finding out what happened to Boyd and to see if they can recover any remains. Dr. Siri decides it's the perfect time to gather his close friends and family for a little “mini” vacation.

That means fans of this humorous series will travel along with Dr Siri, his wife (Madame Daeng), his nurse (Dtui) and his Down's Syndrome morgue attendant (Mr. Geung). He also brings along Dtui's husband, along with his oldest friend, his nasty boss and a transvestite fortune teller. Mountainous terrain and rainy weather are just some of their problems, but it soon becomes apparent the Americans want to control the flow of information. Naturally, someone will end up dead and Dr Siri and his eccentric team will have to solve the murder themselves.

This might not be the series for everyone but if you are a fan, you will love another trek into the jungle with this wonderfully peculiar group of characters. Everyone around Dr Siri plays their part in solving the mystery of not just the more recent murder, but the crash and disappearance of Boyd Bowry. I loved the audio, narrated by Clive Chafer and can't wait to get my hands on the next Dr. Siri adventure.
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It was okay, at times difficult to follow because of language and unfamiliar locations. Should have read previous books in the series. RIO ( )