A Detective in Laos

Fans of Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency set in Botswana, and Tarquin Hall’s Vish Puri Detective series set in India, may find this a lovely addition to their reading list. Set in Laos, this series follows the adventures of Dr. Siri Paiboun, a retired doctor who becomes the national coroner of Laos, and subsequently a detective.

Set in 1980s Laos, this adventure follows Dr. Siri and his wife Madama Daeng as they try to uncover the meaning of the obscure entries in a mysterious diary that they received in the mail. A diary that was written in WWII by a Kamikaze pilot, who write in Japanese and Laotian. The story brings out much of the Asian cultures involved in the story and has a charming quality that is very reminiscent of the series written McCall Smith and Hall,

If you liked this title, you might also enjoy the following books that involve other cultures:

The Case of the Missing Servant by Tarquin Hall: 

The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett:

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee:

Must I Go by Yiyun Li: