The Head on the Beach

I was given Grandad, There's a Head on the Beach by Colin Cotterill as a gift for Christmas. I just finished it and it is as enjoyable and entertaining as all his other books I have read. Excellent.

COlin Cotterill is a British born Australian living in Southeast Asia. I have been reading his mysteries since the first Dr. Siri mystery, The Coroner's Lunch which came out in 2004. He has been publishing a book a year since then, all entertaining. In addition to his Dr. Siri series which are set in Laos in the 1970's, he has also recent begun a new mystery series set in contemporary Thailand centered on the protagonist, Jimm Jurree. Jimm Juree is a journalist living on the fringe of Thailand, societally, professionally, and geographically.

I enjoy both series. They are well written and well plotted mysteries but I also enjoy picking up some history and cultural knowledge along the way. Southeast Asia is a hugely diverse region both ethnically and historically. The Coroner's Lunch revolves around the conflict between Thais and Burmese fleeing their own repressive regime and seeking a livelyhood in their neighbor next-door. Regrettably, the neighboring countries and ethnic heritages have a very long history of conflict.

The Burmese in Thailand are ruthlessly exploited by some sectors of Thai society and it is this context which provides the backdrop for Juimm Juree's efforts to solve the mystery of the head on the beach.

Recommended.