Killed at the Whim of a Hat

Here's something new: a screwball whodunit set in Southern Thailand. Cotterill's wisecracking heroine, Jimm, is a freelance crime reporter who completely out-sleuths the corrupt local police force on the case of an abbot who is murdered while wearing an implausible orange hat. Jimm has help from her mother, who may be going dotty; her monosyllabic grandfather, who used to be a policeman; and her computer-hacking sister, who used to be her brother. Unfortunately, Jeany Park attempts a plummy British accent for Jimm that doesn't come off. This could have been as much fun as a Janet Evanovitch/ Stephanie Plum fandango, which is saying a lot. You still may love it if you aren't too busy mourning the lost opportunity for a totally delightful listening experience. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

Starred review from May 2, 2011
At the start of Cotterill's excellent first in a new series, 34-year-old Jimm Juree, who's poised to become only the second female senior crime reporter in all of Thailand, has her professional ambitions dashed when her eccentric mother abruptly sells the family home and business in Chiang Mai in the north of the country. Juree must join her relatives in an obscure southern province, where she seizes the opportunity to exercise her atrophied journalism skills after two human skeletons are found in a buried Volkswagen van. With the help of her grandfather, a former policeman forced off the job for his excessive honesty, Juree persistently probes the story behind the grisly discovery as well as the truth behind a more recent crime. Cotterill (The Coroner's Lunch and six other mysteries featuring Laotian coroner Dr. Siri Paiboun) combines a wry narrative voice with an appealing picture of a world unfamiliar to most Americans.

August 29, 2011
When crime reporter Jimm Juree finds herself in a tiny coastal village in Thailand, she thinks her career is over. But soon she’s investigating a murdered abbot and the discovery of two dead hippies who’ve been buried for decades in their van. During the course of this humorous mystery, protagonist Jimm describes her odd patois: “I speak English with a sort of Thai accent that makes words sound as if they don’t have endings.” That’s a tall order for any narrator, but Jeany Park does her best to fill it, providing Jimm with odd vocal cadences and an affected, non-native British accent. However, the book’s ultra-whimsical characters and leisurely pace are themselves something of a test for listener perseverance. And that is unfortunate, because once the quirky plot begins to gel, Park’s performance proves as entertaining as it is charming. Additionally enjoyable are the malapropisms—read by Park without accent—that serve as the book’s title and chapter headings. A Minotaur Books hardcover.

Starred review from October 15, 2011
When crime reporter Jimm Juree's mother uproots the family by selling their urban Thai home for a sight unseen beach resort—which turns out to be a worn-down and sad affair—Jimm is certain she is bound for an eternity of cleaning mackerel. But then a VW bus containing two bodies is found buried on Old Mel's palm oil plantation, and the Buddhist monastery's abbot is stabbed to death. Eccentric family members and new police friends join in the pursuit of information and fresh fish for lunch. Jeany Park provides a great range in portraying Jimm, her eccentric family, the police, and other characters. This will appeal to those who enjoy mysteries set in exotic locations and books featuring clever female protagonists and cozy fans. ["This outstanding series debut from the author of the Dr. Siri Paiboun mysteries would appeal to crossover readers who enjoy well-developed ensemble casts and a sense of the absurd," read the starred review of the Minotaur: St. Martin's hc, "LJ" 5/1/11.—Ed.]—J. Sara Paulk, Wythe-Grayson Regional Lib., Independence, VA

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