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The Last Six Million Seconds
by
John Burdett
It is April 1997, and all of Hong Kong is counting down to July 1, when Britain will hand over rule of the country to China. Public anxiety about the transfer of power is running high, but “Charlie” Chan Siu-kai’s biggest concern is a gruesome triple murder case, with no solid leads. Chan, a half-Chinese, half-Irish Hong Kong native and chief inspector with the Royal Hong...more
Paperback, 400 pages
Published
May 29th 2012
by Vintage
(first published 1996)
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This book is advertised as being in print for the first time in 15 years – a significant time frame, for fifteen years ago Hong Kong was getting ready for the handover of rule of the country from England to China, a momentous occasion after one hundred years of British rule. This is a fascinating book, with writing that is by turn wonderful, delightful and enchanting. The protagonist, “Charlie” Chan Siu-kai, Chief Inspector, Homicide, Eurasian – half Irish, half Chinese, 36 years old, and divorc...more
Not to be confused with Burdett's Bangkok series of crime novels, The Last Six Million Seconds is a stand-alone novel, set in Hong Kong a few weeks before Britain returns ownership to the Chinese, but one which easily has potential to become its own series because of the compelling main character, "Charlie" Chan Siu-kai. Chan is half Chinese and half Irish, an investigator with a high rate of solving homicides. At the beginning of the book he's on a high-profile case: the Mincer Murders. Three u...more
The title refers to the time left, at the start of the novel, to the official handover of Hong Kong to China by the British. As a thriller set in the politics of the period, it's great. The author obviously understands the political and cultural environment of the period, and one can only desperately hope that he's exaggerating (though I suspect not...).
Unfortunately, his understanding of some of the technical details of his plot seem a bit weak. Our hero, Chief Inspector "Charlie" Chan, discove...more
Unfortunately, his understanding of some of the technical details of his plot seem a bit weak. Our hero, Chief Inspector "Charlie" Chan, discove...more
I read the first six chapters of this book, decided I really didn't care and skimmed the rest just so I could say I'd read it. The premise is excellent, a Chinese-Irish Police Detective is trying to solve a triple homicide (that may actually have been perpetrated by the Chinese Government) in the Last Six Million Seconds before Britain returns Hong Kong to China in 1997. The problem is that the characters are not at all compelling, and are introduced without any backstory at all. I had an extrem...more
This is the second book by John Burdettt, the author of the Sonchai Jitpleecheep novels, a series that shares several characteristics with The Last Six Million Seconds. This earlier book is, however, a superior work of fiction in my opinion. Burdett might have been a less experienced craftsman when writing it, but the book somehow has more charm, the story more to say, and the characters more appeal, even when they come off as unsympathetic, than those of his later books. Don't get me wrong, I e...more
I wasn't aware that Burdett has worked as a lawyer in HK. I had read all of his Bangkok-based books and just assumed that was the society he knew best. But, the HK work, particularly this one (not so much Vulture Peak which seemed off mark somewhat), demonstrates a keen understanding of HK society as well. Apart from the crime story itself, the most interesting aspect of this book is the slow reveal of the HK-mainland China relationship, and the power imbalance between the two. Burdett has a cle...more
John Burdett's new character, "Charlie" Chan Siu-kai (Charlie because English-speakers can't be bothered to come up with a better nickname), is chief inspector in the Hong Kong that will soon be turned over to the Chinese, after 99 years under British rule. he is working on a gruesome case of three bodies minced so that only DNA can be used to match them to the three heads found floating in waters at the border between China and Hong Kong. even this investigation is not as complicated as the res...more
Not quite as polished or as chock full of colorful characters as his later Bangkok mysteries, nevertheless this is a fun Burdett. He loves his Eurasian characters who struggle with mixed parentage and divided sympathies – and, that also allow him to delve into the mysteries of culture. This is a Hong Kong populated by expats who are filthy rich, triad chiefs who move people like pawns and then there’s our humble Charlie (“Chan”) who stands up to them all.
Wow. As always JB is brilliant and very terribly dark. How he knows this nasty side of Asia and is still alive is beyond me. A triad (mob) murder case in Hong Kong is connected to a wildly corrupt Chinese general and the imminent handover of Hong Kong to the Chinese (set in 1996). The Chinese government, specifically the army, is portrayed as by far the largest criminal organization in the world. If half of this is true the world should be scared.
Chief Inspector Chan Siukai (nicknamed Charlie), a gifted detective, is the product of an Irish father and Chinese mother. He is assigned to solve the grisly murder of three people, crushed through a mincer, during the two months prior to the Chinese takeover of Hong Kong. The murders are very sensitive because of political ramifications and the triads. Good portrayal of frenetic Hong Kong and various cultures.
The unlikely city of Hong Kong has always fascinated me, though I've never been there. So I was pleased to find this thriller by John Burdett, whose Bangkok novels are terrific, set there on the eve of the hand-back to China in 1997. A Eurasian copper investigates a grisly murder, with the clock ticking toward the end of Hong Kong as we know it.
As books/mysteries go this was okay. The real interest of the book is the development of Burdett as a writer. Featuring a multiracial police detective in Hong Kong (6 million seconds before it is turned over to China) you can see the seeds of Sonchai and Bangkok. It seems Burdett knew where his character was going; he just was initially not sure how to get him there. Fascinating stuff.
The other part of interest is the subtext that you cannot have control without corruption; whether that be the C...more
The other part of interest is the subtext that you cannot have control without corruption; whether that be the C...more
In this book about Hong Kong detective (Charlie) Chan Sui-Kai's investigation of gruesome murders we see the pattern for Burdett's Bangkok series. While classified a mystery, Burdett entwines gangsterism, history, literature and culture in a fascinating tale.
I liked this book until about 3/4 of the way through. I found Chan an interesting character and Hong Kong before it's reversion to China an interesting locale. Towards the end, however, the storyline became just a bit too far fetched for me.
Like the other Burdett books: easy to read, fast-paced, well developed characters, and interesting social observations on the city where the story takes place (in this case, Hong Kong).
So far so good- classic Burdett style crime novel. He has some inflammatory remarks about the PRC: hope that part is embellishment. If not, holy crap.
Six Million Seconds equals 2 months (give or take) and that is the amount of time Hong Kong has left (in this novel) before the Communist Chinese take Hong Kong back from the British. It is an interesting historical time, with a brutal mystery, and a very appealing detective.
I'm a bigger fan of Colin Cotterill who writes with more humor/love of life. But John Burdett has interesting things to say, even when he takes forever to say them.
I'm a bigger fan of Colin Cotterill who writes with more humor/love of life. But John Burdett has interesting things to say, even when he takes forever to say them.
Great book, captures Hong Kong just before the handover, it was as evocative of place as was Rogue Island. Both enoyable thrillers in which the location was a palpable character in the story.
Great novel about the last months before China took over Hong Kong! Terrific, smart, interesting.
A good politic's thriller. Intense, once I've started the story I just needed to end quickly!
Captures a vivid picture of life in Hong Kong during the handover in 1997. Having lived in Hong Kong during that period, it triggered many memories of this contradictory metropolis.
OK, Slow start. Good dectivtive, Chan, but a few things unresloved at the end.
Good detective story, happening in Hong Kong. If you've been there, read it.
Good feel for location, with an interestingly conflicted main character. Enough truth to the actual reality to make it feel as if it could be true.
Totally unlike Burdett's later Bangkok series. Clever, complex murder mystery. Very Hong Kong.
Exciting cross-cultural thriller
liked it but not a "memorable book"
Pretty good thriller.
A mystery/thriller from a Chinese/Eurasian perspective. I loved the book.
Not as well written as his "Bangkok" books, but still an interesting story.
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John Burdett is a novelist and former lawyer. He was born in England and worked in Hong Kong; he now lives in Thailand and France.
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