And yet another undiscovered author!! Who would have thought that a Laotian coroner trying to unravel mysteries set in Laos in the 1970s would be at all gripping or absorbing? Colin Cotterill recreates the environment and atmosphere of the struggling People’s Democratic Republic of Laos, and adds unseasonable rains as well. Dr. Siri as the lone coroner in the country receives all the unexplained deaths, and one newly arrived case is obviously murder—a young woman, impaled by fencing equipment, and carved with a Z, is quickly followed by two more unfortunate victims. This glimpse into a lost era, overlaid with the threat of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Dr. Siri’s kidnapping, and the pervasive black humor that wafts over the whole story make this a fascinating read—highly recommended!