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Dr. Siri Paiboun #10
Six and a Half Deadly Sins
Dr. Siri Paiboun, der rüstige Pathologe, der eigentlich seinen wohlverdienten Ruhestand genießen möchte, erhält ein anonymes Paket. Darin findet sich ein handgewebter pha sin, ein farbenfroher Rock, der vor allem im Norden Laos getragen wird. Ein wunderschönes Geschenk – wäre da nicht ein abgetrennter Finger in den Saum des Kleidungsstücks genäht. Siri ist sicher, dass ihm jemand eine Nachricht übermitteln wollte, und er wird nicht ruhen, bis er herausgefunden hat wer. Also organisiert er eine Reise in den Norden. Doch an der laotischen Grenze droht ein blutiger Konflikt auszubrechen – und Siri und seine Entourage halten geradewegs darauf zu ...
245 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2015
125 people are currently reading
1049 people want to read
About the author
Colin Cotterill
72 books1,022 followersColin Cotterill was born in London and trained as a teacher and set off on a world tour that didn't ever come to an end. He worked as a Physical Education instructor in Israel, a primary school teacher in Australia, a counselor for educationally handicapped adults in the US, and a university lecturer in Japan. But the greater part of his latter years has been spent in Southeast Asia. Colin has taught and trained teachers in Thailand and on the Burmese border. He spent several years in Laos, initially with UNESCO and wrote and produced a forty-programme language teaching series; English By Accident, for Thai national television.
Ten years ago, Colin became involved in child protection in the region and set up an NGO in Phuket which he ran for the first two years. After two more years of study in child abuse issues, and one more stint in Phuket, he moved on to ECPAT, an international organization combating child prostitution and pornography. He established their training program for caregivers.
All the while, Colin continued with his two other passions; cartooning and writing. He contributed regular columns for the Bangkok Post but had little time to write. It wasn't until his work with trafficked children that he found himself sufficiently stimulated to put together his first novel, The Night Bastard (Suk's Editions. 2000).
The reaction to that first attempt was so positive that Colin decided to take time off and write full-time. Since October 2001 he has written nine more novels. Two of these are child-protection based: Evil in the Land Without (Asia Books December 03), and Pool and Its Role in Asian Communism (Asia Books, Dec 05). These were followed by The Coroner’s Lunch (Soho Press. Dec 04), Thirty Three Teeth (Aug 05), Disco for the Departed (Aug 06), Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug 07), and Curse of the Pogo Stick (Aug 08), The Merry Misogynist (Aug 09), Love Songs from a Shallow Grave (Aug 10) these last seven are set in Laos in the 1970’s.
On June 15, 2009 Colin Cotterill received the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for being "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users".
When the Lao books gained in popularity, Cotterill set up a project to send books to Lao children and sponsor trainee teachers. The Books for Laos programme elicits support from fans of the books and is administered purely on a voluntary basis.
Since 1990, Colin has been a regular cartoonist for national publications. A Thai language translation of his cartoon scrapbook, Ethel and Joan Go to Phuket (Matichon May 04) and weekly social cartoons in the Nation newspaper, set him back onto the cartoon trail in 2004. On 4 April 2004, an illustrated bilingual column ‘cycle logical’ was launched in Matichon’s popular weekly news magazine. These have been published in book form.
Colin is married and lives in a fishing community on the Gulf of Siam with his wife, Kyoko, and ever-expanding pack of very annoying dogs.
Ten years ago, Colin became involved in child protection in the region and set up an NGO in Phuket which he ran for the first two years. After two more years of study in child abuse issues, and one more stint in Phuket, he moved on to ECPAT, an international organization combating child prostitution and pornography. He established their training program for caregivers.
All the while, Colin continued with his two other passions; cartooning and writing. He contributed regular columns for the Bangkok Post but had little time to write. It wasn't until his work with trafficked children that he found himself sufficiently stimulated to put together his first novel, The Night Bastard (Suk's Editions. 2000).
The reaction to that first attempt was so positive that Colin decided to take time off and write full-time. Since October 2001 he has written nine more novels. Two of these are child-protection based: Evil in the Land Without (Asia Books December 03), and Pool and Its Role in Asian Communism (Asia Books, Dec 05). These were followed by The Coroner’s Lunch (Soho Press. Dec 04), Thirty Three Teeth (Aug 05), Disco for the Departed (Aug 06), Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug 07), and Curse of the Pogo Stick (Aug 08), The Merry Misogynist (Aug 09), Love Songs from a Shallow Grave (Aug 10) these last seven are set in Laos in the 1970’s.
On June 15, 2009 Colin Cotterill received the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for being "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users".
When the Lao books gained in popularity, Cotterill set up a project to send books to Lao children and sponsor trainee teachers. The Books for Laos programme elicits support from fans of the books and is administered purely on a voluntary basis.
Since 1990, Colin has been a regular cartoonist for national publications. A Thai language translation of his cartoon scrapbook, Ethel and Joan Go to Phuket (Matichon May 04) and weekly social cartoons in the Nation newspaper, set him back onto the cartoon trail in 2004. On 4 April 2004, an illustrated bilingual column ‘cycle logical’ was launched in Matichon’s popular weekly news magazine. These have been published in book form.
Colin is married and lives in a fishing community on the Gulf of Siam with his wife, Kyoko, and ever-expanding pack of very annoying dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 269 reviews
April 29, 2024
I don’t write reviews.
I’m not sure if this is a fabulous return to form for the series or a fresh view after a long break, or both. I felt things were getting a bit tired by the ninth installment, but this volume brings back every character in an engaging mystery.
Dr. Siri and Madame Daeng are longing for new adventure when they are sent a northern style skirt with a severed finger sewn into the hem. Of course they are compelled to travel north and follow the trail of clues. Here they meet Civilai, who is spying on the Chinese army as they start to invade Vietnam via Laos. This story is worth it just for the witty repartee of Dr. Siri, Daeng and Civilai: all three, clever, curious and ultimately lovable characters.
In a completely unrelated thread of the tale, or not, Inspector Phosy is called up to the same northern region to investigate the murder of two tribal headmen. Dtui and Mr. Geung, though left at home, play their part, as do the many eccentrics living at Dr. Siri’s house. We are even treated to a peek into Judge Haeng’s sorted private life.
I think I’ll finish this series since it truly is great entertainment.
I’m not sure if this is a fabulous return to form for the series or a fresh view after a long break, or both. I felt things were getting a bit tired by the ninth installment, but this volume brings back every character in an engaging mystery.
Dr. Siri and Madame Daeng are longing for new adventure when they are sent a northern style skirt with a severed finger sewn into the hem. Of course they are compelled to travel north and follow the trail of clues. Here they meet Civilai, who is spying on the Chinese army as they start to invade Vietnam via Laos. This story is worth it just for the witty repartee of Dr. Siri, Daeng and Civilai: all three, clever, curious and ultimately lovable characters.
In a completely unrelated thread of the tale, or not, Inspector Phosy is called up to the same northern region to investigate the murder of two tribal headmen. Dtui and Mr. Geung, though left at home, play their part, as do the many eccentrics living at Dr. Siri’s house. We are even treated to a peek into Judge Haeng’s sorted private life.
I think I’ll finish this series since it truly is great entertainment.
May 29, 2015
*warning* I love this series so this is a biased review.
Reading a Dr. Siri Paiboun novel is for me like visiting an old friend. The characters continue to age and evolve as Dr. Siri, his wife Madame Daeng and long time friend Civilai try to solve mysteries in the exotic location of communist Laos. These main characters are in their sixties and seventies and seem to muddle through all of the complexities of Laos as the government builds during the late 1970's. I have seen this series referred to as a 'cozy' mystery but I find it a bit more complex than that but it is certainly not in the thriller category. Also, the series is best understood if read from the beginning.
Wonderful!
Reading a Dr. Siri Paiboun novel is for me like visiting an old friend. The characters continue to age and evolve as Dr. Siri, his wife Madame Daeng and long time friend Civilai try to solve mysteries in the exotic location of communist Laos. These main characters are in their sixties and seventies and seem to muddle through all of the complexities of Laos as the government builds during the late 1970's. I have seen this series referred to as a 'cozy' mystery but I find it a bit more complex than that but it is certainly not in the thriller category. Also, the series is best understood if read from the beginning.
Wonderful!
November 15, 2015
Funny, cleverly plotted story, sprinkled with delightful observations:
“Now, anyone who’s ever engaged a monk in a gunfight will know a saffron body cloth does not lend itself to a quick draw.”
“...a nebulous aid group by the name of Physicians Eschewing Agendas….had been invited to stay on in the country and do...whatever it was they’d been doing before the takeover. Nobody was too clear what that was. But brotherhood had to be rewarded.”
“One of the elders, a ginseng root of a man….”
This book is the most recent in a series about a Laotian coroner who loves a good mystery. i will definitely be reading another.
“Now, anyone who’s ever engaged a monk in a gunfight will know a saffron body cloth does not lend itself to a quick draw.”
“...a nebulous aid group by the name of Physicians Eschewing Agendas….had been invited to stay on in the country and do...whatever it was they’d been doing before the takeover. Nobody was too clear what that was. But brotherhood had to be rewarded.”
“One of the elders, a ginseng root of a man….”
This book is the most recent in a series about a Laotian coroner who loves a good mystery. i will definitely be reading another.
May 9, 2015
First Sentence: Om December 25, 1978, the concrete public-address system pole in South That Luang’s Area Six unexpectedly blue itself up, a Lao skirt with a severed finger sewn into the hem passed through the national postal system unchallenged and Vietnam invaded Cambodia.
Things have changed in Laos. Dr. Siri is no longer the national coroner—there isn’t one—has his team has been disbanded. That doesn’t mean his curiosity is any less sharp. When he receives an anonymous package containing a traditional Northern Laotian skirt and a severed finger, Siri and his wife, with the help of friends and a couple of spirits, set off following a trail of clues against a brutal adversary and a potentially unseen killer.
Even if you’re not read a previous Dr. Siri book—which would be a shame—one cannot help but be charmed by him and his friend Civilai. Then you set the two of them next to the time period of Laos in 1979, and you know you’re in for something different and special. In spite of Siri’s increasing age, it’s clear he has lost none of his skills of negotiation.
Cotterill does an excellent job of introducing his characters, providing their backgrounds and an understanding of the relationships. This is particularly important for those who come into the series with this book. His descriptions of people make you smile, but also impress the character clearly in your mind…”The choirmaster was an elderly balding version of what Santa Claus might have looked like after a crash diet.”
He also provides a good sense of where and when we are in history. Kudos to the Soho Crime for providing a map at the front of the book. In addition to the wonderful descriptions…”There was far more action in that sky than there was on the ground, meteoroids shooting back and forth like drunken fireflies.”…He also makes you stop and think…”Driving alone on bad roads gave a man far too much time to weigh the good against the bad. Bad invariably won, though.”…and the Chinese attitude toward war…”They win wars by sending in wave after wave of expendable militia until the enemy runs out of bullets. It’s like Stalin said, ‘One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.”
“Six and a Half Deadly Sins” takes you down a seemingly innocent road. And then, the road turns to dark and dangerous with the danger and threat steadily increasing all the way to the end.
SIX AND A HALF DEADLY SINS (Lic Invest-Dr. Siri Paiboun-Laos-Contemp) – G+
Cotterill, Colin – 9th in series
Soho Crime – May 2015
Things have changed in Laos. Dr. Siri is no longer the national coroner—there isn’t one—has his team has been disbanded. That doesn’t mean his curiosity is any less sharp. When he receives an anonymous package containing a traditional Northern Laotian skirt and a severed finger, Siri and his wife, with the help of friends and a couple of spirits, set off following a trail of clues against a brutal adversary and a potentially unseen killer.
Even if you’re not read a previous Dr. Siri book—which would be a shame—one cannot help but be charmed by him and his friend Civilai. Then you set the two of them next to the time period of Laos in 1979, and you know you’re in for something different and special. In spite of Siri’s increasing age, it’s clear he has lost none of his skills of negotiation.
Cotterill does an excellent job of introducing his characters, providing their backgrounds and an understanding of the relationships. This is particularly important for those who come into the series with this book. His descriptions of people make you smile, but also impress the character clearly in your mind…”The choirmaster was an elderly balding version of what Santa Claus might have looked like after a crash diet.”
He also provides a good sense of where and when we are in history. Kudos to the Soho Crime for providing a map at the front of the book. In addition to the wonderful descriptions…”There was far more action in that sky than there was on the ground, meteoroids shooting back and forth like drunken fireflies.”…He also makes you stop and think…”Driving alone on bad roads gave a man far too much time to weigh the good against the bad. Bad invariably won, though.”…and the Chinese attitude toward war…”They win wars by sending in wave after wave of expendable militia until the enemy runs out of bullets. It’s like Stalin said, ‘One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.”
“Six and a Half Deadly Sins” takes you down a seemingly innocent road. And then, the road turns to dark and dangerous with the danger and threat steadily increasing all the way to the end.
SIX AND A HALF DEADLY SINS (Lic Invest-Dr. Siri Paiboun-Laos-Contemp) – G+
Cotterill, Colin – 9th in series
Soho Crime – May 2015
December 28, 2021
Another madcap adventure for Siri, Madame Daeng and Civilai. This time they have to acquire transportation where there is none and petrol without money or permits. Siri has received a woven pha san (woman's skirt) in the post which has a finger sewn into the hem. Each design is particular to a village and each village knows who has woven that design. Is this a wild goose chase or is something going on - highly likely when Siri is involved! Meanwhile Vietnam has been invaded by China - but is that all it's meant to look like? A funeral and a death concludes the action.
More great fun in this latest instalment of the series.
More great fun in this latest instalment of the series.
June 11, 2015
Clever title. You'll see once you read the book. Another fine mystery and adventures for Dr. Siri and his friends. I just love the humor and slice-of-life way of living in Laos. This series is one of my favorites.
June 21, 2024
I've run out of superlatives for this series. Suffice it to say this unique group of individuals and their fearlessness in the face of danger are an absolute treat to read about. Start from the beginning though, it's a series best enjoyed in order.
July 3, 2015
I love the character of Dr. Siri Paiboun, so I hope the end of this book still leaves open the possibility of future books in this series. This speaks to the power of character-driven stories, as I continue to read these books even as the mayhem level rises, because I cannot resist spending time with the characters. These books are so impressive in their combination of politics, history, and plot with charming characters and humor, I would hate to see the series come to an end, and hope the author keeps up the good work.
March 27, 2020
It’s been a while since I visited Dr. Siri and all my friends in 1970s Laos. As usual, the characters were delightful and even though I wasn’t fooled by the plot twist near the end, it was still loads of fun!
February 23, 2016
This series is fun to read and still producing a nail-biter with book #10.
February 22, 2018
Dr Siri and his gang are back. A little bit older and now in retirement, Siri seems to be more relaxed and cheeky. His exploits are in the north of Laos at a time Vietnam has invaded Cambodia and in turn was invaded by China.
It's a fun book that pokes fun at the struggling Laos government, is cleverly written, provides some graphic murders and a lot of the power of the friendship that Dr Siri and his menagerie of waifs and orphans bring to each other.
It's a fun book that pokes fun at the struggling Laos government, is cleverly written, provides some graphic murders and a lot of the power of the friendship that Dr Siri and his menagerie of waifs and orphans bring to each other.
July 9, 2015
Finally! Another Dr. Siri mystery. It seems like I've been waiting for this forever.
We rejoin Dr. Siri Paiboun and his cohorts in late 1978. Dr. Siri's second resignation from the position of national coroner of Laos seems to have taken. The up side of this is that Dr. Siri is now retired. The down side is that Laos now has no national coroner.
Retirement has not in any way dulled Dr. Siri's curiosity or his appetite for solving mysteries, so when the postman delivers a package to him that contains a traditional Laotian skirt that has a severed human finger sewn into the hem, he is, naturally, intrigued and determined to find out who sent it and what it means. From the pattern woven into the skirt, he is able to deduce that its origin is somewhere in the north of Laos. He proposes to his wife that they go on an adventure to the north of the country and trace the source of the mystery.
Travel in Laos in the late 1970s is not easy. Neither is communication. Two elderly people heading out from Vientiane to the north face many challenges, but these two have long experience of the newly established socialist society that they fought for throughout decades and they are talented "fixers." They make the trip, arrive in the north, and begin following the clues that they have.
This is a time when Vietnam (at long last) has just invaded Cambodia to overthrow the Pol Pot regime. China, Pol Pot's ally, has, in turn, invaded Vietnam and, possibly, Laos, as well. Things are very confused in the north.
Coincidentally (or is it?), Siri's friend, the policeman Phosy, has been sent to the north to investigate the deaths of two headmen from two neighboring villages there. After Siri and his wife leave Vientiane, Siri's oldest friend, Civilai, the former government functionary and erstwhile spy, is also sent north to gather intelligence regarding the possible invasion by China. Soon enough, the entire Dr. Siri team, except for Nurse Dtui, is in the north, pursuing clues of various mysteries, which gradually coalesce into one single mystery. The mystery of human depravity.
These stories are such a joy to read. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite part, but, if pressed, I would probably say that my favorites are the scenes between Siri and Civilai as they sit on their favorite log by the Mekong having their lunch. Talking over the events of the day and the past and philosophizing about the state of affairs and the future of Laos - priceless! The humor is often laugh-out-loud funny.
Also, I have to say that I very much appreciate the way that Colin Cotterill weaves the troubled history of Southeast Asia into these stories, much as those weavers of the traditional fabrics at the heart of this mystery weave different strands and colors to make a whole picture.
Cotterill also is very skillful in giving us sketches of his characters so that, even if you haven't read the previous nine books in this series, you are not lost. You are able to follow along with the action and get the gist of the personalities involved. That being said, PLEASE read this series from the beginning and read the books in order. It will make the stories much more meaningful, and you don't want to miss a single minute or a single sentence of Dr. Siri and friends.
Six and a Half Deadly Sins starts as an interesting jaunt in the country for Siri and his wife. Before the end, the story turns really dark and dangerous and we are reminded of some of the sadder bits of history. In that regard, China, Siri says, "win(s) wars by sending in wave after wave of expendable militia until the enemy runs out of bullets. It's like Stalin said, 'One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.'"
In Dr. Siri's world, any death is a tragedy and a mystery waiting to be solved.
We rejoin Dr. Siri Paiboun and his cohorts in late 1978. Dr. Siri's second resignation from the position of national coroner of Laos seems to have taken. The up side of this is that Dr. Siri is now retired. The down side is that Laos now has no national coroner.
Retirement has not in any way dulled Dr. Siri's curiosity or his appetite for solving mysteries, so when the postman delivers a package to him that contains a traditional Laotian skirt that has a severed human finger sewn into the hem, he is, naturally, intrigued and determined to find out who sent it and what it means. From the pattern woven into the skirt, he is able to deduce that its origin is somewhere in the north of Laos. He proposes to his wife that they go on an adventure to the north of the country and trace the source of the mystery.
Travel in Laos in the late 1970s is not easy. Neither is communication. Two elderly people heading out from Vientiane to the north face many challenges, but these two have long experience of the newly established socialist society that they fought for throughout decades and they are talented "fixers." They make the trip, arrive in the north, and begin following the clues that they have.
This is a time when Vietnam (at long last) has just invaded Cambodia to overthrow the Pol Pot regime. China, Pol Pot's ally, has, in turn, invaded Vietnam and, possibly, Laos, as well. Things are very confused in the north.
Coincidentally (or is it?), Siri's friend, the policeman Phosy, has been sent to the north to investigate the deaths of two headmen from two neighboring villages there. After Siri and his wife leave Vientiane, Siri's oldest friend, Civilai, the former government functionary and erstwhile spy, is also sent north to gather intelligence regarding the possible invasion by China. Soon enough, the entire Dr. Siri team, except for Nurse Dtui, is in the north, pursuing clues of various mysteries, which gradually coalesce into one single mystery. The mystery of human depravity.
These stories are such a joy to read. It's almost impossible to pick a favorite part, but, if pressed, I would probably say that my favorites are the scenes between Siri and Civilai as they sit on their favorite log by the Mekong having their lunch. Talking over the events of the day and the past and philosophizing about the state of affairs and the future of Laos - priceless! The humor is often laugh-out-loud funny.
Also, I have to say that I very much appreciate the way that Colin Cotterill weaves the troubled history of Southeast Asia into these stories, much as those weavers of the traditional fabrics at the heart of this mystery weave different strands and colors to make a whole picture.
Cotterill also is very skillful in giving us sketches of his characters so that, even if you haven't read the previous nine books in this series, you are not lost. You are able to follow along with the action and get the gist of the personalities involved. That being said, PLEASE read this series from the beginning and read the books in order. It will make the stories much more meaningful, and you don't want to miss a single minute or a single sentence of Dr. Siri and friends.
Six and a Half Deadly Sins starts as an interesting jaunt in the country for Siri and his wife. Before the end, the story turns really dark and dangerous and we are reminded of some of the sadder bits of history. In that regard, China, Siri says, "win(s) wars by sending in wave after wave of expendable militia until the enemy runs out of bullets. It's like Stalin said, 'One death is a tragedy. A million deaths is a statistic.'"
In Dr. Siri's world, any death is a tragedy and a mystery waiting to be solved.
May 29, 2016
I devoured this in a single Saturday. I was catching cold and felt like death, and wanted a good read. This was it.
Why has someone sent Dr Sri a pha sin with a human finger sewn into the lining? Where is Phosy? And why did he tell Dtui to go into hiding?
A fitting end to the Sri Paiboun series. It took me a bit to catch on to the joke in the title, but as I say, I'm not well. ;) The plotting is good, and even the cuts between people/plot threads weren't quite as abrupt and "made for TV" as some other installments. The ending is a bit choppy, and I found myself having to go back and re-read the last few pages, but I was running a low fever so that may have been it.
I was surprised by some of the odd language Cotterill used; his proofreaders must either be under 25 or have taken the day off. We are told that "religious ceremonies fell under the auspices of superstitious nonsense." Oh? does superstitious nonsense sponsor religious ceremonies? No dear it does not. Therefore those ceremonies might "fall into the category" of nonsense, but not "under its auspices." At one point Sri "walks up a ladder" onto the front deck of a house. Granted he's a bit old for climbing, but surely that's the right verb for a ladder--and surely an author with so many novels to his credit should know that? Let alone saying that Phosy "would stop heaven and earth to do (X)." The phrase is "move heaven and earth"--at least, up to now.
And then there's the fact that his Laotians talk like Americans in spots. I doubt that a 1979 Laotian village gas-station attendant would say a truck had "bull bars the size of Alaska"; I doubt he would know Alaska existed. Let alone saying that someone had "a frog's chance in a French restaurant of that happening." They eat a lot of frogs in S. E. Asia, according to my Cambodian cousin-in-law; I have pictures of her, cooking some up. Surely if Cotterill spent the amount of time there he claims to, he would know that.
But hey, it was a good enough light read for a day when I needed entertainment. I will miss the series, but of course all things come to an end.
Why has someone sent Dr Sri a pha sin with a human finger sewn into the lining? Where is Phosy? And why did he tell Dtui to go into hiding?
A fitting end to the Sri Paiboun series. It took me a bit to catch on to the joke in the title, but as I say, I'm not well. ;) The plotting is good, and even the cuts between people/plot threads weren't quite as abrupt and "made for TV" as some other installments. The ending is a bit choppy, and I found myself having to go back and re-read the last few pages, but I was running a low fever so that may have been it.
I was surprised by some of the odd language Cotterill used; his proofreaders must either be under 25 or have taken the day off. We are told that "religious ceremonies fell under the auspices of superstitious nonsense." Oh? does superstitious nonsense sponsor religious ceremonies? No dear it does not. Therefore those ceremonies might "fall into the category" of nonsense, but not "under its auspices." At one point Sri "walks up a ladder" onto the front deck of a house. Granted he's a bit old for climbing, but surely that's the right verb for a ladder--and surely an author with so many novels to his credit should know that? Let alone saying that Phosy "would stop heaven and earth to do (X)." The phrase is "move heaven and earth"--at least, up to now.
And then there's the fact that his Laotians talk like Americans in spots. I doubt that a 1979 Laotian village gas-station attendant would say a truck had "bull bars the size of Alaska"; I doubt he would know Alaska existed. Let alone saying that someone had "a frog's chance in a French restaurant of that happening." They eat a lot of frogs in S. E. Asia, according to my Cambodian cousin-in-law; I have pictures of her, cooking some up. Surely if Cotterill spent the amount of time there he claims to, he would know that.
But hey, it was a good enough light read for a day when I needed entertainment. I will miss the series, but of course all things come to an end.
December 27, 2015
‘It was all a little complicated.’
This is the tenth book in the Dr Siri series and it literally starts with a bang. A concrete public address system mysteriously explodes. Dr Siri Paiboun and Civilai Songsawat are retired, and bored. So when Dr Siri receives a package containing a severed finger in the hem of a traditional Lao skirt (or pha sin), it’s a welcome mystery to investigate. The package, of course, contains neither a letter nor a return address which adds an additional challenge. Madame Daeng, Dr Siri’s wife is also bored. Life hasn’t been the same since an arsonist destroyed the noodle shop, and Madame Daeng knows a thing or two about traditional Lao skirts.
Dr Siri is convinced that someone is trying to send him a message, and with Madame Daeng and Civilai to assist him, he’s determined to investigate. First, he needs to arrange a trip to the northern province where this particular pha sin was made. His old friend the judge may be able to help, if Dr Siri can help him first.
‘Finally, the judge dismissed the students with the motto, “A good socialist is like a motorcar. At the pump of life, he is fitted with valuable information which he uses to complete his journey. And any information that is contradictory or anticommunist he allows to blow out of his exhaust pipe.”’
When Dr Siri tracks down the origin of the pha sin, he finds an answer in the form of another clue which sends him somewhere else. It’s a gruesome scavenger hunt. Dr Siri and Civilai are both ill. And the northern Lao border is about to explode.
‘Good corruption was something perfected over decades. Siri knew it would be back.’
This book includes most of the characters I’ve come to know and love from earlier books in the series. There’s plenty of Dr Siri’s own special brand of humour, lots of commentary on the world, and those pesky challenges that can be a feature of advancing age. Madame Daeng plays a significant role in the war against drugs.
And the ending? Well, there’s a funeral …..
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This is the tenth book in the Dr Siri series and it literally starts with a bang. A concrete public address system mysteriously explodes. Dr Siri Paiboun and Civilai Songsawat are retired, and bored. So when Dr Siri receives a package containing a severed finger in the hem of a traditional Lao skirt (or pha sin), it’s a welcome mystery to investigate. The package, of course, contains neither a letter nor a return address which adds an additional challenge. Madame Daeng, Dr Siri’s wife is also bored. Life hasn’t been the same since an arsonist destroyed the noodle shop, and Madame Daeng knows a thing or two about traditional Lao skirts.
Dr Siri is convinced that someone is trying to send him a message, and with Madame Daeng and Civilai to assist him, he’s determined to investigate. First, he needs to arrange a trip to the northern province where this particular pha sin was made. His old friend the judge may be able to help, if Dr Siri can help him first.
‘Finally, the judge dismissed the students with the motto, “A good socialist is like a motorcar. At the pump of life, he is fitted with valuable information which he uses to complete his journey. And any information that is contradictory or anticommunist he allows to blow out of his exhaust pipe.”’
When Dr Siri tracks down the origin of the pha sin, he finds an answer in the form of another clue which sends him somewhere else. It’s a gruesome scavenger hunt. Dr Siri and Civilai are both ill. And the northern Lao border is about to explode.
‘Good corruption was something perfected over decades. Siri knew it would be back.’
This book includes most of the characters I’ve come to know and love from earlier books in the series. There’s plenty of Dr Siri’s own special brand of humour, lots of commentary on the world, and those pesky challenges that can be a feature of advancing age. Madame Daeng plays a significant role in the war against drugs.
And the ending? Well, there’s a funeral …..
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
December 18, 2015
One of my favorite series. Always strange but fascinating this book had many surprises. Siri and his wife go north towards the Chinese border on a "treasure hunt" of sorts involving cloth and weavers. Never mind it takes place when China invades Vietnam in 1979. Siri's good friend Inspector Phosy is also up north investigating a double murder. There are plenty of language barriers but Dr Siri always seems to know the good from the bad regardless. I just wonder how long the author will keep spinning these tales as Siri is no spring chicken but this series could continue even after death as Siri is a portal to the next world. Siri is a charming character who doesn't take anything or anybody seriously. He's a socialist, a capitalist, a pragmatist, and a great human being.
December 6, 2015
I am sad that I am now all caught up with the Siri mysteries - sure hope there are more coming. They are exceptional because:
- they have a diverse, interesting cast of characters that you grow to care for.
- the setting in 1970's post revolutionary Loas is fascinating. This series sent me to read up on the history of SE Asia more than once and is in itself historically and culturally accurate. I enjoyed learning about the Laotian peoples and cultures, including the mysticism.
- the mystery plots were engaging and usually had me stumped or not bothering to guess the answer before the real ending - complex, witty, even sometimes belly laugh funny, yet serious, deep and heart wrenching at times.
- they have a diverse, interesting cast of characters that you grow to care for.
- the setting in 1970's post revolutionary Loas is fascinating. This series sent me to read up on the history of SE Asia more than once and is in itself historically and culturally accurate. I enjoyed learning about the Laotian peoples and cultures, including the mysticism.
- the mystery plots were engaging and usually had me stumped or not bothering to guess the answer before the real ending - complex, witty, even sometimes belly laugh funny, yet serious, deep and heart wrenching at times.
January 17, 2018
Probably my least favourite of the series but still a good read. Towards the end I thought I was missing the point of quite a lot of what was said, almost as if I had not paid attention earlier on - but I did pay attention all the way through - perhaps I was just missing the point.
September 20, 2018
This was a reread....loved it.
August 2, 2022
DNF.
Positives -
Unique perspective of an investigator in Communist Laos, so very informative diving into this part of the world I want to visit some day, and in a historic time period. I generally liked the characters, especially Dr Siri.
Negatives -
It is misleading to put this under "cozy mystery and humorous" category. The setting definitely was NOT cozy - and involves looming threat of authoritarian government, famine and starvation and possibility of war and invasion.
Secondly, the characters themselves achieve goals by blackmailing each other, which can land them in state prison which is played off as humor. The characters are definitely humorous, but it is often dark humor, about subjects like gendered violence, gulags, starvation, and severed body-parts etc.
Less of this -
And more of this -
An actual cozy mystery alternative set in South-East Asia is Singapore Sapphire
Positives -
Unique perspective of an investigator in Communist Laos, so very informative diving into this part of the world I want to visit some day, and in a historic time period. I generally liked the characters, especially Dr Siri.
Negatives -
It is misleading to put this under "cozy mystery and humorous" category. The setting definitely was NOT cozy - and involves looming threat of authoritarian government, famine and starvation and possibility of war and invasion.
Secondly, the characters themselves achieve goals by blackmailing each other, which can land them in state prison which is played off as humor. The characters are definitely humorous, but it is often dark humor, about subjects like gendered violence, gulags, starvation, and severed body-parts etc.
Less of this -
And more of this -
An actual cozy mystery alternative set in South-East Asia is Singapore Sapphire
May 12, 2018
This was an amusing, well structured tale of a treasure hunt gone awry. Lots of interesting elements, good flow and as ever, focus on the dry and wonderful humor of the 3 elder friends. Siri and Daeng are a love story for the ages.
June 9, 2019
Another hilarious adventure of Dr Siri and his crew. Even if it took me half the book to get the awful pun in the title.
April 22, 2022
Another solid entry from Laos, this one featuring heroin.
November 23, 2017
Ugly, der Hund
Dr. Siri kann nicht widerstehen. Er und seine Frau Daeng bekommen einen Folklorerock zugesandt, in dessen Saum ein Finger eingenäht ist. Ein Hilferuf? Ein Mord? Wer sucht nach einem Finger? Zumindest lässt sich feststellen, dass das Kleidungsstück im Norden des Landes hergestellt worden sein muss. Und Dr. Siri, der inzwischen eine ganze Menagerie in seiner Wohngemeinschaft angesammelt hat, angefangen von diversen Geistern bis zu seinem Hund Ugly, möchte diese Gelegenheit nutzen, mit seiner Frau ein paar Tage trauter Zweisamkeit zu genießen. Schwester Dtui möchte indessen herausfinden, ob der Besitzer des Fingers zum Zeitpunkt seines bedauerlichen Verlustes noch lebte oder bereits tot war.
In seinem zehnten Auftritt erfreut Dr. Siri, der inzwischen pensionierte einzige Leichenbeschauer und Gerichtsmediziner in Laos, erneut mit seinem frechen Mundwerk und seinem unvergleichlich scharfen Verstand. Für kurze Zeit kann er mit seiner Frau seinem turbulenten Haushalt entfliehen. Im Jahr 1978 herrscht in Laos die Angst vor einer chinesischen Invasion. Trotzdem machen sich Dr. Siri und Daeng auf den Weg in den Norden. Schließlich gilt es herauszufinden, was es mit dem folkstümlichen Kleidungsstück auf sich hat. An der Art wie der Stoff gewebt ist, kann man erkennen, wer die Weberin ist. Und so können Dr. Siri und Daeng den Spuren der Stoffe folgen. Werden sie es allerdings schaffen des Polizisten Phosys Wege zu kreuzen?
Kurzweilig, witzig und hintersinnig. Diese kleinen Entführungen in ein kommunistisches Land zur Zeit der 1970er haben immer noch nichts von ihrem Reiz verloren. Dr. Siri, der sich von keiner Macht, noch nicht einmal der Weltmacht China, unterkriegen lässt, der solange nachbohrt, bis er zum Kern vorgestoßen ist, ist jemand, den man gerne in sein Lesezimmer einlädt. Wer mit Hilfe des verqueren aber sehr sympathischen Dr. Siri etwas über das Leben in einem fernen Land lernen und gleichzeitig einer spannenden Krimihandlung folgen möchte, kann hier nichts falsch machen.
4,5 Sterne
Dr. Siri kann nicht widerstehen. Er und seine Frau Daeng bekommen einen Folklorerock zugesandt, in dessen Saum ein Finger eingenäht ist. Ein Hilferuf? Ein Mord? Wer sucht nach einem Finger? Zumindest lässt sich feststellen, dass das Kleidungsstück im Norden des Landes hergestellt worden sein muss. Und Dr. Siri, der inzwischen eine ganze Menagerie in seiner Wohngemeinschaft angesammelt hat, angefangen von diversen Geistern bis zu seinem Hund Ugly, möchte diese Gelegenheit nutzen, mit seiner Frau ein paar Tage trauter Zweisamkeit zu genießen. Schwester Dtui möchte indessen herausfinden, ob der Besitzer des Fingers zum Zeitpunkt seines bedauerlichen Verlustes noch lebte oder bereits tot war.
In seinem zehnten Auftritt erfreut Dr. Siri, der inzwischen pensionierte einzige Leichenbeschauer und Gerichtsmediziner in Laos, erneut mit seinem frechen Mundwerk und seinem unvergleichlich scharfen Verstand. Für kurze Zeit kann er mit seiner Frau seinem turbulenten Haushalt entfliehen. Im Jahr 1978 herrscht in Laos die Angst vor einer chinesischen Invasion. Trotzdem machen sich Dr. Siri und Daeng auf den Weg in den Norden. Schließlich gilt es herauszufinden, was es mit dem folkstümlichen Kleidungsstück auf sich hat. An der Art wie der Stoff gewebt ist, kann man erkennen, wer die Weberin ist. Und so können Dr. Siri und Daeng den Spuren der Stoffe folgen. Werden sie es allerdings schaffen des Polizisten Phosys Wege zu kreuzen?
Kurzweilig, witzig und hintersinnig. Diese kleinen Entführungen in ein kommunistisches Land zur Zeit der 1970er haben immer noch nichts von ihrem Reiz verloren. Dr. Siri, der sich von keiner Macht, noch nicht einmal der Weltmacht China, unterkriegen lässt, der solange nachbohrt, bis er zum Kern vorgestoßen ist, ist jemand, den man gerne in sein Lesezimmer einlädt. Wer mit Hilfe des verqueren aber sehr sympathischen Dr. Siri etwas über das Leben in einem fernen Land lernen und gleichzeitig einer spannenden Krimihandlung folgen möchte, kann hier nichts falsch machen.
4,5 Sterne
May 19, 2015
From its punny title to its very last sentence, I loved immersing myself in the world of septuagenarian Dr. Siri Paiboun once again. There's no other character quite like him in all of crime fiction, and the rest of the characters Colin Cotterill has created are every bit as wonderful. Time has passed since the last book (The Woman Who Wouldn't Die), and the Communist government hasn't been kind to Dr. Siri's friends and former co-workers, but they're all managing to work with what they've been given. Moreover, it would seem that what they've been given is pretty dull because they're more than happy to help Siri in his latest investigation.
One of the things I love about this series is its glimpse into the culture of Laos and of life in a Communist regime. In Six and a Half Deadly Sins I learned what a precarious position Laos was in at that time due mainly to its location-- surrounded by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and China. Three of those countries would have been more than happy to gobble this poor country up, and all any of them would need was the smallest excuse.
The mystery in this book completely engaged my interest because it kept changing as more information was learned. No one is whom they appear to be-- even the good guys-- and this isn't always a bad thing. Cotterill kept me guessing, and he certainly had me worried for Siri's safety.
If you're new to this series, you should be able to read this book as a standalone and still enjoy it, but I would recommend beginning with the very first book, The Coroner's Lunch. What you'll learn about the culture and the time period is invaluable, but it's the humor and the characters who will take hold of your heart. Colin Cotterill's Dr. Siri Paiboun series is essential reading for me, and I sincerely hope that it becomes that for you, too.
One of the things I love about this series is its glimpse into the culture of Laos and of life in a Communist regime. In Six and a Half Deadly Sins I learned what a precarious position Laos was in at that time due mainly to its location-- surrounded by Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and China. Three of those countries would have been more than happy to gobble this poor country up, and all any of them would need was the smallest excuse.
The mystery in this book completely engaged my interest because it kept changing as more information was learned. No one is whom they appear to be-- even the good guys-- and this isn't always a bad thing. Cotterill kept me guessing, and he certainly had me worried for Siri's safety.
If you're new to this series, you should be able to read this book as a standalone and still enjoy it, but I would recommend beginning with the very first book, The Coroner's Lunch. What you'll learn about the culture and the time period is invaluable, but it's the humor and the characters who will take hold of your heart. Colin Cotterill's Dr. Siri Paiboun series is essential reading for me, and I sincerely hope that it becomes that for you, too.
April 19, 2016
When authors entertain me from cover to cover, this solidifies my belief that the art of writing is fun. Every writer knows to balance reading with writing. How easy that goal is to meet with books that are fun to read - from cover to cover; books like Six And A Half Deadly Sins.
Six And A Half Deadly Sins by author Colin Cotterill is a Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos. When I learned that Mr. Cotterill was invited to be a guest speaker at the 2017 Left Coast Crime Conference in Honolulu (another event where you can have fun being a writer), I looked for his books at the main library on King Street. How lucky of me to have found this book, one of my “fun-est” reads of the year.
Dr. Siri Paiboun’s witticisms make him a loveable character who never becomes overbearing or boring. The novel's humor is subtle, woven into the fabric of the story. It creeps up on you with a quick punch while the action continues to move forward, leaving you to catch up.
Retired coroner Siri and his wife are the quintessential happily-married couple; their love undying. When the doctor receives a mysterious package containing a handwoven skirt, known as a “pha sin” with a human finger sewn into the hem, it sends them on a scavenger hunt of clues around the countryside of Northern Laos.
Adventure within the pages, the historical narrative, clever clues, and dangers encountered along the way make this a unique mystery. Another Dr. Siri Paiboun Mystery will be available on August 2, 2016, I Shot the Buddha. With a fun title like that, how can I resist?
Six And A Half Deadly Sins by author Colin Cotterill is a Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos. When I learned that Mr. Cotterill was invited to be a guest speaker at the 2017 Left Coast Crime Conference in Honolulu (another event where you can have fun being a writer), I looked for his books at the main library on King Street. How lucky of me to have found this book, one of my “fun-est” reads of the year.
Dr. Siri Paiboun’s witticisms make him a loveable character who never becomes overbearing or boring. The novel's humor is subtle, woven into the fabric of the story. It creeps up on you with a quick punch while the action continues to move forward, leaving you to catch up.
Retired coroner Siri and his wife are the quintessential happily-married couple; their love undying. When the doctor receives a mysterious package containing a handwoven skirt, known as a “pha sin” with a human finger sewn into the hem, it sends them on a scavenger hunt of clues around the countryside of Northern Laos.
Adventure within the pages, the historical narrative, clever clues, and dangers encountered along the way make this a unique mystery. Another Dr. Siri Paiboun Mystery will be available on August 2, 2016, I Shot the Buddha. With a fun title like that, how can I resist?
December 31, 2015
A package arrives addressed to Dr. Siri Paiboun, the retired Laos coroner, containing a pha sin (a knitted dress). Examining it, he discovers a severed finger sewn into the hem, setting him, his wife and a friend on a sort of treasure hunt in the northern part of the country in the midst of the beginning of an invasion of Vietnam by China, with PRC troops making incursions into Laos to establish a third front. To complicate matters, the good doctor and his wife exhibit flu-like symptoms, which continually worsen as the trip progresses.
The object of the trip is to discover who sent the package, which had no return address. So, traveling from village to village, from weaver to weaver, to identify each package containing another pha sin and a clue sewn into the hem given to him at each location, the trio plod on. Along the way they encounter an opium-and heroin-smuggling operation and a nasty, murderous foreman of a road-building group sponsored by the Chinese.
All in all, this is another bizarre adventure for Dr. Siri, and he is complemented by his madcap entourage and their caustic humor enabling them to cope with the vagaries of the communist regime in Vientiane. This time, his sardonic humor doesn’t help him solve the couple of mysteries haunting him. But logic and planning come to the fore. Lots of fun, and recommended.
The object of the trip is to discover who sent the package, which had no return address. So, traveling from village to village, from weaver to weaver, to identify each package containing another pha sin and a clue sewn into the hem given to him at each location, the trio plod on. Along the way they encounter an opium-and heroin-smuggling operation and a nasty, murderous foreman of a road-building group sponsored by the Chinese.
All in all, this is another bizarre adventure for Dr. Siri, and he is complemented by his madcap entourage and their caustic humor enabling them to cope with the vagaries of the communist regime in Vientiane. This time, his sardonic humor doesn’t help him solve the couple of mysteries haunting him. But logic and planning come to the fore. Lots of fun, and recommended.
October 4, 2015
I am a devotee of the Dr. Siri Paiboun series.Set in Laos during the 1960 - 1970's, the books follow the adventures of the elderly Dr. Paiboun - who may or may not be immortal because he is the "vessel" for the spirit of a thousand-year-old shaman - and his band of misfits as they solve complicated mysteries using only the minimum of resources. The stories are humorous, scary and enigmatic. Sadly, with Six and a Half Deadly Sins, Colin Cotterill seems to be struggling to find a way to put Dr. Siri to rest. The plot is a mishmash of vignettes: the Chinese invasion of Vietnam, a serial killer construction foreman, revenge through arsenic poisoning, the heroin trade, mysterious Lao skirts with clues sewn into the hems and more. Throughout it all, Dr. Paiboun has fallen ill (arsenic or not?)and is failing fast. The end comes with a quick tie-together of the plots, a faked funeral (or was it?) and the question of whether Dr. Paiboun is alive, dead, or existing as a ghost. None of the supporting characters have closure and there is no hint of mysteries to come. I feel I've lost a good fried. I would have preferred Dr. Paiboun retire and lead the gang from his easy chair as he sits resting on the banks of the Mekong River.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 24, 2015
Another in the unique and delightful Dr. Siri books. An unlikelier hero (and Siri is a hero) has scarcely graced the pages of literature, but he is ably supported by a cast of others almost as charming, sly, clever, and morally straight as he is.
This one almost gave me a heart attack at the end, because I love Siri so much ... nuff said, else risk a terrible spoiler, but the plot involves ordinary people fighting back against drug lords, the Chinese invasion of Viet Nam, an old enemy returned and planning revenge, and of course Siri's continuing romance with his new wife (he's in his late 70's, she's in her upper 60's).
The picture of Laos is loving and open-eyed; the spirit of the entire series lies in the title, once a western reader understands that sin refers to both malicious acts and the traditional woven skirts of southeast Asia - that is, it's a pun with meaning. Love Siri; will read anything by Cotterill as a result.
This one almost gave me a heart attack at the end, because I love Siri so much ... nuff said, else risk a terrible spoiler, but the plot involves ordinary people fighting back against drug lords, the Chinese invasion of Viet Nam, an old enemy returned and planning revenge, and of course Siri's continuing romance with his new wife (he's in his late 70's, she's in her upper 60's).
The picture of Laos is loving and open-eyed; the spirit of the entire series lies in the title, once a western reader understands that sin refers to both malicious acts and the traditional woven skirts of southeast Asia - that is, it's a pun with meaning. Love Siri; will read anything by Cotterill as a result.
October 11, 2015
My new favorite series! In some ways I was lucky in that I didn't stumble upon the series until there were already 10 books available. This means that I've been able to immerse myself in Siri Paiboun and 1970s Laos for a good long stretch. The books just get better and better with time. The level of knowledge about Laos and Southeast Asian history and culture is incredible. This book is thus written by both an insider and an outsider - one who truly loves and understands the culture but also one who is enough of an outsider to observe. He is able to pull out snippets of the culture that fit into the narrative form of a mystery but also that conveys an important, tasty morsel to be absorbed by the reader. I lived in Southeast Asia myself and though these novels take place 15 years before my time, they definitely take me back, capturing the color and flavor and societal eccentricities that I miss. I can't wait until Dr. Siri 11 is available!
July 17, 2015
Quirky but fascinating and upbeat definitely describes this book. I've loved the series and this is one of the best.
I started reading this series several years before I decided to visit Cambodia and Laos. The series gave me a good start on what had happened in the region in the 1970s and also of the people. In this book, Siri, the "retired" pathologist of Laos, is off on on adventure with his wife and friend/retired Communist leader Civilai to the north of the country near the border with China, when there is political intrigue along the Chinese and Vietnamese borders. For mystery lovers, the plot develops nicely and the end has several surprising turns. I love the very quirky characters who often succeed when the police cannot. The little bit of paranormal fits in nicely with the customs of some Laotians.
I started reading this series several years before I decided to visit Cambodia and Laos. The series gave me a good start on what had happened in the region in the 1970s and also of the people. In this book, Siri, the "retired" pathologist of Laos, is off on on adventure with his wife and friend/retired Communist leader Civilai to the north of the country near the border with China, when there is political intrigue along the Chinese and Vietnamese borders. For mystery lovers, the plot develops nicely and the end has several surprising turns. I love the very quirky characters who often succeed when the police cannot. The little bit of paranormal fits in nicely with the customs of some Laotians.
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