Npr coverage of the coroners lunch by colin cotterill. And so this 72yearold physician is appointed state coroner, despite the fact that he has no training or even supplies to use in performing his. The coroner s lunch by colin cotterill and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill a slight change of plan in book talk this month im doing something different.
Colin cotterill booklist colin cotterill message board. The country s sole surviving doctor is forced, at the age of seventytwo, to become the nation s chief coroner. The communist pathet lao has taken over this former french colony. A friend recommended the coroners lunch as the start of a series i might be interested in. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill, quercus waterstones.
The coroners lunch book charlotte mecklenburg library. Siri paiboun, a paristrained doctor whose late wife had been an ardent communist, remains. Praise for the coroners lunch a booklist book of the year an independent mystery booksellers association killer book of the year a book sense selection a wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery. Siri paiboun series summary despite a total lack of training, an utter dearth of experience and a complete absence of inclination, dr. Im glad she did, otherwise the idea of a 72 year old coroner in laos in 1975, immediately after the communist revolution, would not have struck me as my sort of thing and i would have missed out on meeting dr. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill overdrive rakuten.
Denver post a wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery. Holmesian sleuthing, political satire, and a droll comic study of a prickly late bloomer. The coroner s lunch is set in the exact same time and place from which my little friend fled communist laos. A friend recommended the coroner s lunch as the start of a series i might be interested in.
Any summary description of this book will seem a bit hokey. Siri paiboun has just been appointed state coroner for the lao peoples democratic republic. Siri paiboun, a 72yearold medical doctor, has unwillingly been appointed the national coroner of the new socialist laos. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill a wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery. The coroner s lunch is set in 1976, a year after the end of a long civil war that resulted in the sovietbacked communist pathet lao coming to power. The coroners lunch book king county library system. The coroners lunch by colin cotterilla wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery. The coroners lunch ebook redwood city public library. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. But siris sense of humor gets him through his often fru. The coroner s lunch is a crime novel by british author colin cotterill first published in 2004 plot summary. Siri establishes that the cause of death was not drowning they seem to have been electrocuted. He is untrained for the job, but the independent seventytwo.
The coroners lunch is an amazing debut novel, with a lot of promise for future fun theres a sequel, called thirtythree teeth that is darned good, but which delivers in the hereandnow too. Siri paiboun has just been appointed state coroner for the lao people s democratic republic. Siri paiboun keeps his cool in cotterills engaging whodunit. This book, actually part of a series, is similar to phillip kerr s bernie gunther novels set in the third reich, where an honest coroner detective foils the corrupt system. The protagonist of this wonderful book is siri paiboun, a doctor and a widower who, rather than being able to enjoy a peaceful retirement at the age of 72, is made the country s only coroner. Most of the countrys intelligentsia fled but septuagenarian paris. Siri paiboun mystery reissue by colin cotterill isbn. But siri s sense of humor gets him through his often frustrating days.
Siri paiboun, a seventytwoyearold paristrained doctor, is appointed national coroner. Despite a total lack of training, an utter dearth of experience and a complete absence of inclination, dr. The coroners lunch is an elegant thriller, packed with eccentric characters and colourful descriptions of the newly formed peoples democratic republic of laos. Siri paiboun, a paristrained doctor, remains and is appointed state coroner. In 1975 the pathet lao takes over laos incorporating a communist bureaucracy centered from the capitol at vientiane. Colin cotterill is the author of twelve other books in the dr. Siri paiboun, one of the last doctors left in laos after the 1975 communist takeover, has been drafted to be national coroner. The coroners lunch by colin cotterill librarything. He knows nothing about forensic medicine but he does know about truth and corruption in high places. Fans of alexander mccall smiths books will love this one. This enthralling book is a keeper, with a fascinating setting and an absolutely lovable. I decided to listen to the audio format of this one. Although he has no training for the job, there is no one else. Plot summary edit despite a total lack of training, an utter dearth of experience and a complete absence of inclination, dr.
Siri paiboun remains behind expecting to gently retire. The coroners lunch is set in the exact same time and place from which my little friend fled communist laos. His lab is underfunded, his boss is incompetent, and his support staff is quirky, to say the least. Praise for the coroners lunch a booklist book of the year an independent mystery booksellers association killer book of the year a book sense selection a. As a member of the revolution himself, he fights for the rights of his people, both living and dead. Most of the country s intelligentsia fled but septuagenarian paris trained physician dr. When three bodies are recovered from a reservoir, dr. The protagonist of this wonderful book is siri paiboun, a doctor and a widower who, rather than being able to enjoy a peaceful retirement at the age of 72, is made the countrys only coroner. Siri paiboun is a doctor who would very much like to retire. But siris sense of humor gets him through his often frustrating days. The coroners lunch is set in 1976, a year after the end of a long civil war that resulted in the sovietbacked communist pathet lao coming to power. The countrys sole surviving doctor is forced, at the age of seventytwo, to become the nations chief coroner. The coroner s lunch is an elegant thriller, packed with eccentric characters and colourful descriptions of the newly formed people s democratic republic of laos.
Siri establishes that the cause of death was not drowningthey seem to have been electrocuted. Set in laos in 1975, the coroners lunch introduces a terrific new sleuth, dr. I stand accused of being a little too serious in my reading habits and apparently i need to lighten up. Shortly after the monarchy of laos falls in late 1975, the party takes over, and most of the intelligentsia flee the country. Sweet but not sappy, offbeat but not selfconscious about it, this book doesnt so much pull you in as open a door and let you walk happily through. The coroners lunch book the seattle public library. When an elderly doctor takes over as state coroner of newly communist laos, he unexpectedly stirs the bureaucratic pot and gets a new lease on life. Siri, the communistappointed coroner of laos, provides a glimpse into the corruption that rattles his country. I write characterbased accessible literary fiction. Siri paiboun, book 1 by colin cotterill book cover, description, publication history. Open road mediawhen a party officials wife turns up dead in communist laos, an elderly doctor becomes an unlikely detective in this engaging mystery. The coroners lunch was published in 2004 and is a highly special find for me. Laos as character in the coroners lunch january 19, 2005 nprs karen grigsby bates talks with author colin cotterill about his new novel the coroners lunch. The coroners lunch book san mateo county libraries.
It is not only because author colin cotterill gives us the unique setting of laos and an elderly sleuth. The setting may be unique in western fiction, and the characters are unique to themselves. The coroner s lunch by colin cotterilla wonderfully fresh and exotic mystery. Siri paiboun series, including the coroners lunch, thirtythree teeth, six and a half deadly sins. This enthralling book is a keeper, with a fascinating. Review the coroners lunch by colin cotterill euro crime. The coroners lunch book redwood city public library. The protagonist of this wonderful book is siri paiboun, a doctor and a widower who, rather than being able to enjoy a peaceful retirement at the age of 72, is made. A booklist book of the year an independent mystery booksellers association killer book of the year a book sense selection. Siri paiboun, a 72yearold paristrained doctor, is appointed national coroner. The coroner s lunch is an amazing debut novel, with a lot of promise for future fun there s a sequel, called thirtythree teeth that is darned good, but which delivers in the hereandnow too.
Siri paiboun, a physician trained in paris, suddenly finds himself asked to be the chief and only coroner in the village of vientiane, located in. Its 1976, the royal family has been deposed, the professional classes continue reading the. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel. Siri paiboun, a 72yearold paristrained doctor, the new national coroner. Laos as character in the coroners lunch january 19, 2005. This book, actually part of a series, is similar to phillip kerrs bernie gunther novels set in the third reich, where an honest coronerdetective foils the corrupt system. Colin cotterill, author of six previous books in the dr siri paiboun series, lives in chumphon, thailand with his wife. He is untrained for the job, but this independent 72year. Siri paiboun, one of the last doctors left in laos after the communist takeover, has been drafted to be national coroner. The book is written in a dryly humorous style, cocking a slight. The coroners lunch the coroners lunch audiobook, by colin cotterill.
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