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Poke Rafferty Mystery #9
Street Music
Eight years ago, Poke Rafferty, an American travel writer, and his Thai wife, Rose, adopted a Bangkok street child named Miaow, forming an unconventional intercultural family. That family has weathered extreme challenges—each of its three members carried the scars of a painful and dangerous history—but has stuck together with tenacity and love (and a little help from some friends).
Now that family is in the birth of Poke and Rose’s newborn son has littered their small apartment with emotional land mines, forcing Poke to question his identity as a dad and Miaow to question her identity as a daughter. At the same time, the most cantankerous member of the small gang of Old Bangkok Hands who hang out at the Expat Bar suddenly goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Engaged in the search for the missing American, Poke is caught completely off-guard when someone he thought was gone forever resurfaces—and she has the power to tear the Raffertys apart.
Now that family is in the birth of Poke and Rose’s newborn son has littered their small apartment with emotional land mines, forcing Poke to question his identity as a dad and Miaow to question her identity as a daughter. At the same time, the most cantankerous member of the small gang of Old Bangkok Hands who hang out at the Expat Bar suddenly goes missing under suspicious circumstances. Engaged in the search for the missing American, Poke is caught completely off-guard when someone he thought was gone forever resurfaces—and she has the power to tear the Raffertys apart.
- GenresMystery
384 pages, Paperback
First published April 28, 2020
28 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Timothy Hallinan
48 books453 followersI'm a thriller and mystery novelist with 22 published books in three series, all with major imprints. I divides my time between Los Angeles and Southeast Asia, primarily Thailand, where I've lived off and on for more than twenty years. As of now, My primary home is in Santa Monica, California.
I currently write two series, The Poke Rafferty Bangkok Thrillers, most recently FOOLS' RIVER, and the Junior Bender Mysteries, set in Los Angeles, Coming up this November is NIGHTTOWN. The main character of those books is a burglar who works as a private eye for crooks.
The first series I ever wrote featured an overeducated private eye named Simeon Grist. in 2017 I wrote PULPED, the first book in the series to be self-published, which was actually a lot of fun. I might do more of it.
I've been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the Shamus, and the Left, and won the Lefty in 2015 (?) for the Junior Bender book HERBIE'S GAME. My work has frequently been included in Best Books of the Year roundups by major publications.
I currently write two series, The Poke Rafferty Bangkok Thrillers, most recently FOOLS' RIVER, and the Junior Bender Mysteries, set in Los Angeles, Coming up this November is NIGHTTOWN. The main character of those books is a burglar who works as a private eye for crooks.
The first series I ever wrote featured an overeducated private eye named Simeon Grist. in 2017 I wrote PULPED, the first book in the series to be self-published, which was actually a lot of fun. I might do more of it.
I've been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the Shamus, and the Left, and won the Lefty in 2015 (?) for the Junior Bender book HERBIE'S GAME. My work has frequently been included in Best Books of the Year roundups by major publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
May 29, 2020
“Street Music” is Timothy Hallinan’s final book in the Poke Rafferty series which is distressing to me and probably all the other fans of this series. If Hallinan’s books were not so memorable, I would be tempted to go back to the first book “A Nail Through the Heart” and re-read all nine books. For now, I can just hope that he changes his mind and continues to write about Poke, Rose, Miaow, and Frank - an unconventional family living in Bangkok.
Family takes center stage in “Street Music” with the birth of Frank. Rose is enraptured with him but Poke is still trying to figure out how to be a father to a newborn. Teenage Miaow is questioning her place in the family since she was adopted after living as a street child. The bulk of the book is taken up with how Miaow ended up on the street as a young girl and it’s a heartbreaking and emotional story, but one that demonstrates the immense love parents have for their children and the sacrifices they are willing to make.
One of the many things I appreciate about the Poke Rafferty books is that Hallinan has provided a wealth of information about what life in Bangkok is really like. I trust the veracity of that information since he is a part-time resident there. For fans of the series this is a book not to be missed. For new readers I encourage them to start with the first book “A Nail Through the Heart,” and read all nine books in this fantastic series. If you’re craving more by Timothy Hallinan, the Junior Bender series is a lighter read but equally as well-written and enjoyable.
Family takes center stage in “Street Music” with the birth of Frank. Rose is enraptured with him but Poke is still trying to figure out how to be a father to a newborn. Teenage Miaow is questioning her place in the family since she was adopted after living as a street child. The bulk of the book is taken up with how Miaow ended up on the street as a young girl and it’s a heartbreaking and emotional story, but one that demonstrates the immense love parents have for their children and the sacrifices they are willing to make.
One of the many things I appreciate about the Poke Rafferty books is that Hallinan has provided a wealth of information about what life in Bangkok is really like. I trust the veracity of that information since he is a part-time resident there. For fans of the series this is a book not to be missed. For new readers I encourage them to start with the first book “A Nail Through the Heart,” and read all nine books in this fantastic series. If you’re craving more by Timothy Hallinan, the Junior Bender series is a lighter read but equally as well-written and enjoyable.
May 17, 2020
STREET MUSIC has been heavily publicized as the final installment in the long-running Poke Rafferty series. I hold out hope for more, being an absolute expert practitioner of the denial thing, but Timothy Hallinan wouldn’t say it was the last if it weren’t so (trust me on this). Taking his pronouncement at face value, it can be said with certainty that he has saved the best of himself for it.
For those who are just arriving at the dark, sweet party that Hallinan has been hosting for the past several years, Poke Rafferty is an expatriate travel writer who came to Bangkok to write a book and stayed. He married Rose, who worked the grim flesh bars of the city, and they adopted Miaow, a streetwise orphan who over the course of the series has blossomed under their patient guidance.
Given that information about Miaow’s background has trickled out in dribs and drabs over time, it is only fitting that the concluding volume should concern its longest-running and most perplexing mystery --- how Miaow, in the midst of her childhood, found herself tethered by her mother to a bus stop bench in the middle of Bangkok. Much of this story is told in flashback due to what is happening outside of the Rafferty house, which is unknown (at first) to them. What is occurring inside is that Poke and Rose have Frank, a two-week-old son who Rose has named after Poke’s largely absent father and who has disrupted everything as only a newborn can do.
Poke, who proceeds through life with a deep certainty possessed of his own strong center, is at loose ends, feeling displaced by this new thing called “fatherhood” and being totally at sea as to what he should do. He is also experiencing guilt because he does not feel more than he does for his little son, a sad fact that is not lost on Rose or her former coworkers who have descended upon the Rafferty residence to help care for Frank, who is being held so much (though never too much) that he probably won’t learn to walk for a bit. However, there are forces at work that will cause the past to collide with the present on more than one front, and tragically so, though not without the ultimate opportunity for redemption. Whether or not that will be taken is a question not answered until almost the book’s conclusion.
It crossed my mind as I read the last page that, if it were possible to sustain some sort of low-grade, localized amnesia that left me without the ability to recall reading this book for all seasons, I would inflict it upon myself just for the joy of getting to experience it again for the first time. I’m really not kidding. It’s as funny, sad, horrific and memorable as anything you are ever likely to read. There are countless passages here that will stand up two, five or seven decades from now. It’s as good as it gets, and if you’re looking for something to read and linger over, you simply should not pass up STREET MUSIC --- or, for that matter, anything else that Hallinan has written.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
For those who are just arriving at the dark, sweet party that Hallinan has been hosting for the past several years, Poke Rafferty is an expatriate travel writer who came to Bangkok to write a book and stayed. He married Rose, who worked the grim flesh bars of the city, and they adopted Miaow, a streetwise orphan who over the course of the series has blossomed under their patient guidance.
Given that information about Miaow’s background has trickled out in dribs and drabs over time, it is only fitting that the concluding volume should concern its longest-running and most perplexing mystery --- how Miaow, in the midst of her childhood, found herself tethered by her mother to a bus stop bench in the middle of Bangkok. Much of this story is told in flashback due to what is happening outside of the Rafferty house, which is unknown (at first) to them. What is occurring inside is that Poke and Rose have Frank, a two-week-old son who Rose has named after Poke’s largely absent father and who has disrupted everything as only a newborn can do.
Poke, who proceeds through life with a deep certainty possessed of his own strong center, is at loose ends, feeling displaced by this new thing called “fatherhood” and being totally at sea as to what he should do. He is also experiencing guilt because he does not feel more than he does for his little son, a sad fact that is not lost on Rose or her former coworkers who have descended upon the Rafferty residence to help care for Frank, who is being held so much (though never too much) that he probably won’t learn to walk for a bit. However, there are forces at work that will cause the past to collide with the present on more than one front, and tragically so, though not without the ultimate opportunity for redemption. Whether or not that will be taken is a question not answered until almost the book’s conclusion.
It crossed my mind as I read the last page that, if it were possible to sustain some sort of low-grade, localized amnesia that left me without the ability to recall reading this book for all seasons, I would inflict it upon myself just for the joy of getting to experience it again for the first time. I’m really not kidding. It’s as funny, sad, horrific and memorable as anything you are ever likely to read. There are countless passages here that will stand up two, five or seven decades from now. It’s as good as it gets, and if you’re looking for something to read and linger over, you simply should not pass up STREET MUSIC --- or, for that matter, anything else that Hallinan has written.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
May 17, 2020
“Street Music” by Timothy Hallinan is part of the “Poke Rafferty” series. Rafferty, whose real name is Philip but everyone calls him Poke, narrates this story of his life, adventures, and misadventures in Bangkok. This is mostly just the back-and-forth dialogue that constitutes his life as if having a chat with friends. At times the story continues in another perspective so readers learn what Rafferty does not yet know. This is Rafferty’s personal story filled with family trauma, family joy, and family love. Readers get to know all the people first, connect with them, and establish relationships with them; the history, the mystery, and the connections come later. Rafferty struggles to adjust to his ever more complicated life and to resolve long buried secrets from the past.
The strength of the story lies in the little details, the vignettes that provide the vivid background for events and create character and life on every page.
“Street Music” opens slowly by establishing characters and relationships, thus setting the scene for events that follow. It is filled with social commentary, personal relationships, and cultural nuances. Hallinan’s descriptions paint vibrant scenes on every page. I received a review copy of “Street Music” from Timothy Hallinan, Soho Crime, and Random House Publishing. Every word was a joy to read.
The strength of the story lies in the little details, the vignettes that provide the vivid background for events and create character and life on every page.
“The fine spun flaxen hair he was born with, absolutely straight, standing at vertical attention atop his head as though his toe were in a socket.”Hallinan makes even an ordinary little incident important, interesting, and mysterious.
“She took a fall not too long ago, recently enough that she still hurts, recently enough that she’s still trailing the pink ghost of pain and her palms still sting.”
“Street Music” opens slowly by establishing characters and relationships, thus setting the scene for events that follow. It is filled with social commentary, personal relationships, and cultural nuances. Hallinan’s descriptions paint vibrant scenes on every page. I received a review copy of “Street Music” from Timothy Hallinan, Soho Crime, and Random House Publishing. Every word was a joy to read.
May 28, 2020
There are so many things to love about this character Poke Rafferty. I first met him in an earlier book Breathing Water, and I was intrigued by the nuances of character that emerged in that story. He’s just gotten better as the years have passed and his life experience in Bangkok has expanded. In this latest and sadly the last story, I learned another reason why I have always been drawn to this character. Just like me, and so many others, when life is confusing and uncertain, we turn to chocolate. And his favorite ice cream is chocolate almond. Yes! I love chocolate almond.
I also liked the fact that in this story he was able to be so incredibly vulnerable as he worked through the reactions to the birth of his son.
Poke Rafferty is surrounded by a wonderful cast of supporting characters, and I liked meeting Bob Campeau again in the opening chapter of the book. Campeau has been a member of the expat group that meets at Leon and Toot’s Bar, claiming the same stool with each visit and being such a fixture that Toots “occasionally dusts him.”
The relationship between the two men can be best described as one of love-hate, although neither would voice the love part. Still, there is something that bonds them together as ex-pats who abhor the Vietnam war that brought them both to this part of the world.
This first encounter ends with them coming to blows and Toots kicking them both out. Later, when Poke seeks him out to apologize for starting the argument that led to the fight, they are able to talk a little more civilly, especially when the conversation revolves around Miaow. At one point Bob says to Poke, “Probably easier to shoot you than to pay you a compliment. You changed that kid’s life, and just shut up about it.”
Poke responds, “You’ve got to be careful Bob. You’re going to make me like you.”
“Don’t worry,” Campeau says, “I’ll never go that far.”
This book lacks some of the suspense and tension of previous books, focusing more on the human relationships and offering background on how Miaow came to be orphaned. For me, that was okay. Even good. I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I’ve read several, and that was enough for me to get fully invested in these people and this family. It is good to have the mystery of Miaow’s mother’s past revealed. And now these people, who have been so very real to so many readers, can live out their lives in Bangkok in peace, knowing the truth that is filled with tragedy, but also undying love.
I also liked the fact that in this story he was able to be so incredibly vulnerable as he worked through the reactions to the birth of his son.
Poke Rafferty is surrounded by a wonderful cast of supporting characters, and I liked meeting Bob Campeau again in the opening chapter of the book. Campeau has been a member of the expat group that meets at Leon and Toot’s Bar, claiming the same stool with each visit and being such a fixture that Toots “occasionally dusts him.”
The relationship between the two men can be best described as one of love-hate, although neither would voice the love part. Still, there is something that bonds them together as ex-pats who abhor the Vietnam war that brought them both to this part of the world.
This first encounter ends with them coming to blows and Toots kicking them both out. Later, when Poke seeks him out to apologize for starting the argument that led to the fight, they are able to talk a little more civilly, especially when the conversation revolves around Miaow. At one point Bob says to Poke, “Probably easier to shoot you than to pay you a compliment. You changed that kid’s life, and just shut up about it.”
Poke responds, “You’ve got to be careful Bob. You’re going to make me like you.”
“Don’t worry,” Campeau says, “I’ll never go that far.”
This book lacks some of the suspense and tension of previous books, focusing more on the human relationships and offering background on how Miaow came to be orphaned. For me, that was okay. Even good. I haven’t read all the books in the series, but I’ve read several, and that was enough for me to get fully invested in these people and this family. It is good to have the mystery of Miaow’s mother’s past revealed. And now these people, who have been so very real to so many readers, can live out their lives in Bangkok in peace, knowing the truth that is filled with tragedy, but also undying love.
September 10, 2020
Poke Rafferty's wife, Rose, former Patpong bar girl, has finally had her baby. It's a boy and Rose has named him Frank after Poke's father; Poke prefers Arithit, in honor of his friend in the Thai police. But, Poke is not going to rock the boat at this delicate stage of the game. Every day, Rose's friends fill the house, especially Fon, who is keeping the house running. Miaow, their adopted daughter is rehearsing for her role as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, at school. Her boyfriend, Edward, has been cast as Freddy. One morning, Miaow opens the door and screams and runs into back into her room, slamming and locking the door behind her. Poke sees a small woman standing at the door, who appears to be a street person. He takes her to a local sundae shop and extracts the story of Miaow and how she came to Bangkok. It is a tragedy, but a story that needs telling. I am so sad to see the end of the Poke Rafferty books. I have learned so much about Thailand and appreciate the author's ability to place the readers directly into the story and the locale. This is one of the best crime series in fiction. don't miss it.
July 22, 2020
Travel from the United States to Thailand is currently restricted due to the pandemic. Still, I spent half a day in Bangkok this week. How did I get there for around twenty bucks? Via Tim Hallinan’s latest novel, Street Music. A nominee for just about every crime fiction award there is, Hallinan downplays identifying the killer in this book. Yet mysteries abound. Where did protagonist Poke Rafferty’s adopted daughter come from? What’s happened to his frenemy Bob Campeau? How will the birth of his newborn son affect him? Can he support his family through his writing? On every page we are right with Poke in the tumult and sultriness of Bangkok as he tries to make it in a world half foreign to him and totally foreign to us. This is the ninth and last volume of the Poke Rafferty series. While readers will sorely miss Poke and his wife Rose, Hallinan has given them a heart-wrenching and compelling valedictory. Bravo!
June 10, 2020
I'm heartsick. I just can't believe we won't get to visit this world again.
This was a loving goodbye, and a tie up of the saddest thread in the intricately woven fabric of the Rafferty family. I feel privileged to have known them.
This was a loving goodbye, and a tie up of the saddest thread in the intricately woven fabric of the Rafferty family. I feel privileged to have known them.
August 5, 2020
This is the last in his Poke Rafferty series. I am very sad that it is over. Hallinan is such a good writer - really puts you in the scene, in this case in Bangkok. Miaoww, Poke & Rose's adoptive daughter must confront the reality of her roots as the family adjusts to having a new baby in the household. He describes the lives of people who live on the streets of this city and their humanity. Highly recommend but you should start at the beginning of the series for the full effect.
May 5, 2020
Ah, lovely! I am sorry Hallinan decided to end this series. His descriptions of the seedy areas of Bangkok are wonderful. There is an extended passage describing the various types of smiles given by the bar girls to their clients that is WONDERFUL!
It's not getting the fifth star because I found Hom's story, which makes up about a third of the novel, a bit draggy and predictable. But I suspect I would be in the minority in this assessment.
It's not getting the fifth star because I found Hom's story, which makes up about a third of the novel, a bit draggy and predictable. But I suspect I would be in the minority in this assessment.
June 14, 2020
This is the lowest I've rated a Poke Rafferty novel, and I'm a bit sad about that. I liked the first half of the book very much, but then it took a significant turn, becoming much more about the past: 30% or more of the book is Hom's story from ~10-15 years earlier. All the setup from the first half of the book--Campeau's disappearance, Poke being stalked, the new family dynamics--just seemed to be disposed of without much concern (to the point where the main bad guy is never confronted and is disposed of "off-screen," and Campeau's storyline is completely defused in a chapter literally called "Coda").
I think I was disappointed because I read these books not for the plots, but because I really like spending time with Poke, Rose, and Miaow--and the various secondary characters like Arthit--and hearing them interact with one another. In this, the last novel of the series, I felt like I didn't get anywhere near enough of that, just a overlarge helping of depressing backstory that I could have inferred. When I do a re-read of the full series, my immediate thought is that I'll likely skip this one.
I think I was disappointed because I read these books not for the plots, but because I really like spending time with Poke, Rose, and Miaow--and the various secondary characters like Arthit--and hearing them interact with one another. In this, the last novel of the series, I felt like I didn't get anywhere near enough of that, just a overlarge helping of depressing backstory that I could have inferred. When I do a re-read of the full series, my immediate thought is that I'll likely skip this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2020
At Bouchercon 2005, Dennis Lehane said that realistically, a mystery series has a lifespan of four or five books. After that, readers know all there is to know about a protagonist and if they come back for future books it’s out of a sense of comfort, like visiting an old friend. I think there’s a lot of truth in that. Tim Hallinan has stretched Poke Rafferty’s saga to nine books and even here at the last one, we’ve managed to learn something new about Poke. We’ve seen him grow from daring investigator to family man and as Hallinan says in the afterword, it’s always been about family. We never saw Travis McGee, Philip Marlowe, or James Bond become family men. But we’ve watched Poke grow into this role and here at the end, even though this volume is farther from a mystery/thriller than any of the others, it feels natural--like we’ve completed something. The story belongs to Miaow and even though she rarely appears, she steals every scene she’s in—even talking through doors. The bulk of the story is about Miaow’s natural mother—definitely a tangent and a departure from the usual mystery/thriller theme. Yet it has its own suspense, its own dangers and we do come to a fuller understanding of how Miaow came about. It’s rich in the slice of street life it portrays and the struggle to survive in a third world country. As in all the Rafferty books, the tone is authentic. It IS an unusually lengthy side trip and sure to disappoint readers who expected another thriller episode, but it’s also a loving and rewarding endcap for the characters we’ve grown close to over the series. The afterward is well worth reading (especially for writers) because he discusses the feelings involved in ending the series his feelings about saying goodbye to these characters. Most books/series in this genre end on triumph or tragedy. It's rare for one to end on realization and hope. I’m not happy that the series is over, but I’m happy that it ended the way it did. Meanwhile I’m crossing my fingers that the Junior Bender series keeps going.
August 8, 2021
I'm going to miss Poke, Rose and Miaow. All the characters (and their friends) and their lives in Bangkok are dear to me. I know they're not real people, but they made me laugh and feel every time I read them. I love Timothy Hallinan's writing and do enjoy Junior Bender as well. He creates clever and funny and vivid characters and I'm hooked for life. I may have to go back to Bangkok again with Miaow in a few years.
January 30, 2021
Excellent farewell to Poke, Rose, Miaow and now Frank? But the newest character, Hom, explains much about Bangkok and her inhabitants.
Street Music bridges the joy of a newborn with the tears of a sad adieu.
Thanks, Tim, job well-done.
Street Music bridges the joy of a newborn with the tears of a sad adieu.
Thanks, Tim, job well-done.
July 13, 2023
Tim Hallinan is a gifted writer. No one writes dialogue like his. No matter which of his books I'm reading, I always say to myself, "When I grow up I want to speak like these folks". Not a word is wasted, yet everything is expressed with truth and deep understanding. Great stuff.
As for the book under discussion, Street Music is the 9th and last installment of a series unlike any other. Set mostly in Bangkok, it features Poke Rafferty, an American who came to write a book and never left. This episode is the wrap up, wherein we learn the backstory of Miaow, the ex-street child and adopted daughter of Poke and his Thai wife Rose, who have a two-week-old baby of their own, and the process of the ongoing flood of young women coming to Bangkok who one way or another are reduced to selling themselves. Miaow was abandoned, left on a bus bench when she was four by her parents, who hoped that some solid citizen would take pity on her and give her a life her parents couldn't possibly provide. Instead, she is swept up by a boy who is a member of clutch of abandoned or orphaned children.
About 10 years later, a street woman named Hom is forced to follow Poke by a cruel, vicious man, who is never identified until the end. There follow several chapters about Hom, who once was the most beautiful girl in her village, but eventually suffers the loss of everything and everyone once dear to her. Poke notices that Hom is following him, and after cajoling her to talk, he learns that this woman is Miaow's mom, and that what Miaow has said about her abandonment is not entirely as she remembers it. The Man with No Name forces her to go to Poke's apartment, and very briefly she and Miaow see each other; Miaow recognizes her mother immediately, which sends her screaming to her room, plagued by all the hurtful memories. But Hom has not managed to cadge the money the bad guy wants. He corners her at her hiding place in a park, brandishing a knife. Hom throws herself on the knife, the bad guy continues to cut her, and she dies. No happy ending there.
When Hom had been sleeping in the park, there was another vagrant, a young boy, for whom she would leave food from time to time. Poke goes to the park with a sign, asking for help in regard to Hom. The boy saw the entire deadly episode, tells it all to Poke, who then contacts his policeman friend. The man, Yai, will soon be arrested.
We end with Poke returning to his family, with the world not necessarily a better place.
As for the book under discussion, Street Music is the 9th and last installment of a series unlike any other. Set mostly in Bangkok, it features Poke Rafferty, an American who came to write a book and never left. This episode is the wrap up, wherein we learn the backstory of Miaow, the ex-street child and adopted daughter of Poke and his Thai wife Rose, who have a two-week-old baby of their own, and the process of the ongoing flood of young women coming to Bangkok who one way or another are reduced to selling themselves. Miaow was abandoned, left on a bus bench when she was four by her parents, who hoped that some solid citizen would take pity on her and give her a life her parents couldn't possibly provide. Instead, she is swept up by a boy who is a member of clutch of abandoned or orphaned children.
About 10 years later, a street woman named Hom is forced to follow Poke by a cruel, vicious man, who is never identified until the end. There follow several chapters about Hom, who once was the most beautiful girl in her village, but eventually suffers the loss of everything and everyone once dear to her. Poke notices that Hom is following him, and after cajoling her to talk, he learns that this woman is Miaow's mom, and that what Miaow has said about her abandonment is not entirely as she remembers it. The Man with No Name forces her to go to Poke's apartment, and very briefly she and Miaow see each other; Miaow recognizes her mother immediately, which sends her screaming to her room, plagued by all the hurtful memories. But Hom has not managed to cadge the money the bad guy wants. He corners her at her hiding place in a park, brandishing a knife. Hom throws herself on the knife, the bad guy continues to cut her, and she dies. No happy ending there.
When Hom had been sleeping in the park, there was another vagrant, a young boy, for whom she would leave food from time to time. Poke goes to the park with a sign, asking for help in regard to Hom. The boy saw the entire deadly episode, tells it all to Poke, who then contacts his policeman friend. The man, Yai, will soon be arrested.
We end with Poke returning to his family, with the world not necessarily a better place.
May 10, 2020
Bangkok-based travel writer Poke Rafferty has dealt with a lot of challenges in his time in the best worst city in the world. But his latest one -- real, actual fatherhood -- may just be the death of him.
He's still coming to grips with the weird responsibilities and altered schedules that come with the position -- not to mention the fact his boy is named after his wayward father, Frank. So when one of his companions (not really a friend) from the expat bar goes missing under decidedly strange circumstances, he's almost a little too grateful for a reason to get out of the apartment.
Unfortunately, that bit of amateur sleuthing gets him noticed by the wrong person, who's acting under the orders of someone even more wrong (and terrifying). At some point they will encounter one another, and when they do the pieces of a certain, long-unsolved mystery -- in some ways the primal mystery of Rafferty's life in Bangkok -- will start to come together.
And what that entails will both shock and sadden...
The ninth -- and final -- chapter in the Poke Rafferty series has our favorite anti-hero trying to juggle a couple different puzzles at once, only this one hits a lot closer to home than he'd like. It's to mama Bangkok's credit that, even here, one bit of final mercy is shown -- and one last piece of rough justice doled out -- before the Street Music finally winds down.
Many people claim to write about certain aspects of life in Thailand. For nine books, award-winning author Timothy Hallinan has provided an intriguing and heartfelt window into life there. It's to his eternal credit that the saga ends on a poignant note, rather than what one generally expects from the end of a series.
But then, these books have never been about excitement and thrills (though they've all had both) but rather the strange workings of people's hearts as they struggle to get by in a city that alternates between kissing and kicking its many children. The ending will hopefully satisfy long-term readers, and possibly bring tears of relief, sadness, and finally joy.
He's still coming to grips with the weird responsibilities and altered schedules that come with the position -- not to mention the fact his boy is named after his wayward father, Frank. So when one of his companions (not really a friend) from the expat bar goes missing under decidedly strange circumstances, he's almost a little too grateful for a reason to get out of the apartment.
Unfortunately, that bit of amateur sleuthing gets him noticed by the wrong person, who's acting under the orders of someone even more wrong (and terrifying). At some point they will encounter one another, and when they do the pieces of a certain, long-unsolved mystery -- in some ways the primal mystery of Rafferty's life in Bangkok -- will start to come together.
And what that entails will both shock and sadden...
The ninth -- and final -- chapter in the Poke Rafferty series has our favorite anti-hero trying to juggle a couple different puzzles at once, only this one hits a lot closer to home than he'd like. It's to mama Bangkok's credit that, even here, one bit of final mercy is shown -- and one last piece of rough justice doled out -- before the Street Music finally winds down.
Many people claim to write about certain aspects of life in Thailand. For nine books, award-winning author Timothy Hallinan has provided an intriguing and heartfelt window into life there. It's to his eternal credit that the saga ends on a poignant note, rather than what one generally expects from the end of a series.
But then, these books have never been about excitement and thrills (though they've all had both) but rather the strange workings of people's hearts as they struggle to get by in a city that alternates between kissing and kicking its many children. The ending will hopefully satisfy long-term readers, and possibly bring tears of relief, sadness, and finally joy.
June 30, 2020
I loved this book. I did not read the previous books in the series, but I shall now. As the mother of a cross/ cultural adopted daughter, I was enthralled by the description of the blended family that this Thai-American family created . The story revolves around Polk, a survivor of of the Vietnam war who is earning a living as a travel writer in Thailand. He is one one of the many walking wounded left in the Far East from that war who never completes recovered. He and his wife adopted a street child , and in this book, the end of a series. the couple also have a biological son. There is a a good deal of family interaction as Polk tries to deal with his new role as father to an infant son while also helping his daughter accept that she has not been replaced in the family.dynamic because of this birth. There is also a heinous crime being committed , and the background of a very poor street person to be explored at length. It all ties in beautifully, and all the characters from the series are quite nicely settled from what I can gather. I do know the from living in Iran and adopting a daughter while there that Tim Halliann
March 23, 2025
After a long hiatus I returned to the Poke Rafferty series and loved it again. It took me a little bit to get back into the world of Bangkok but I eventually found my rhythm and really appreciated being able to finish the series. The last book had all the elements that make this series so good. Character development, mystery and tension, and that unique sense of humor even in the face of dark topics. At first I was a little frustrated with section that focused on Hom but was able to come to see it as an important part of the story and very well done. It is hard to read at times but tackles a reality, drug addiction and the resulting poverty, homelessness, etc., that impacts millions of people around the world. Kinda sad to say good bye to Poke, Rose and Miaow after all these years. One of my favorite series for sure.
June 16, 2020
I've enjoyed Hallinan's Junior Bender series and this series about Poke. But this book frustrated me a bit when the middle section seemed to bog down in a tedious back story. A woman who is being coerced to stalk Poke is revealed to be Hom, who is Miaow's biological mother. Miaow is Poke's adopted daughter. The the middle section describes Hom's terrible past and why she abandoned Miaow. Then we return to the main story and a good rousing ending. In the afterword to the novel, Hallinan explains why he went into details of Hom's past. So I forgive him for slowing the book down to carefully explain this part of the story. The book is, as usual, very authentic and great in exploring Thailand culture. and people.
July 12, 2020
Timothy Hallinan’s latest Poke Rafferty book STREET MUSIC is seemingly the end of this series. After the longest pregnancy in fiction, Rose and Poke finally welcome their baby to the household that includes their adopted daughter tween/teen Miaow.
Kind of a tender mystery that ties up all the previous loose ends. Missed some of the usual characters that feature in the Rafferty series.
I have loved many of the characters in the Rafferty series and enjoyed the many armchair trips to Bangkok. Hallilnan takes a gentle brush to all of the characters in this series yet so many are fully developed I feel like I’d recognize them anywhere. The authors note is a farewell to Poke and friends and I will genuinely miss them. Recommend.
Kind of a tender mystery that ties up all the previous loose ends. Missed some of the usual characters that feature in the Rafferty series.
I have loved many of the characters in the Rafferty series and enjoyed the many armchair trips to Bangkok. Hallilnan takes a gentle brush to all of the characters in this series yet so many are fully developed I feel like I’d recognize them anywhere. The authors note is a farewell to Poke and friends and I will genuinely miss them. Recommend.
February 10, 2021
Number nine in the Poke Rafferty series, we find Poke out of his element with an infant son and a high school Miao/Eliza. Even better, Edward is still in the picture (helping Miao capture Eliza from Pygmalion) and Rose's friends are in the apartment (helping with the infant). Between all of this, Campien from the bar is lovesick for his day of wine and Rose and Poke is asked to follow his (blood) trail. Throught the book, we learn more about Miao's childhood. But is Miao ready?
While this wasn't the most adrenolin-pumping installation of the series, it fills in much of the family's lore, allowing long time readers our answers and satisfaction. It's not as much a story of Bangkok as the other books have been, but I don't read series because of a desire for formulaic books.
While this wasn't the most adrenolin-pumping installation of the series, it fills in much of the family's lore, allowing long time readers our answers and satisfaction. It's not as much a story of Bangkok as the other books have been, but I don't read series because of a desire for formulaic books.
June 19, 2025
This is the last of a 9 book series by Halinan about a family in Bangkok, Thai wife, American husband, adopted Thai girl and newborn boy. I have not read any of the earlier books but this is a "stand" alone book and I didn't even realize until I finished it that it was part of a series. I feel very "entangled" in the story, couldn't put it down and made a strong "connection" to the characters, each of whom had a believable and entangling story - including Vietnam vets who have never returned home and have never recovered from their actions in that war. And Thai bar girls, and so many interesting characters.
May 20, 2020
The final installment in a series focusing on the assembled family of Poke Rafferty, an American travel writer, and his Thai wife, Rose, who adopted a Bangkok street child named Miaow. An at times wrenching story of the downfall of a poor girl from a small village in the evil big city. For those who have enjoyed the series this should be a satisfying end to a series with engaging and interesting characters. This is the first in the series for me and I think I would have rated it higher if I had read the whole series in order.
April 7, 2023
Admittedly, this was not the strongest entry in this this series, hence the three stars. HOWEVER, I still shed some tears at the end, knowing this is the last one. The ending is fitting, and you can use your imagination to envision the future for this fearless little family.
Thank you Mr. Hallinan for giving us so many great adventures with Poke, Rose, Miaow, and the array of eclectic folks in their orbit.
Thank you Mr. Hallinan for giving us so many great adventures with Poke, Rose, Miaow, and the array of eclectic folks in their orbit.
May 8, 2020
The book's afterword says this is the end of the Poke Rafferty series. If you haven't read any of the earlier books, you'll really need to start from the beginning because this one is long on characters and short on new mystery. Part One of this book is particularly well written prose poetry. This is Hallinan at his best painting pictures.
May 17, 2020
A series closes
Rarely does an author announce that this will be the last of a well liked series. I was saddened to hear there would be no more. I love Poke's little family. Probably my favorite person is Mieow. She really knows how to pay it on the line. This book tells the story of how Mieow before she gets Poke, and we get to see it with her. Great job Tim.
Rarely does an author announce that this will be the last of a well liked series. I was saddened to hear there would be no more. I love Poke's little family. Probably my favorite person is Mieow. She really knows how to pay it on the line. This book tells the story of how Mieow before she gets Poke, and we get to see it with her. Great job Tim.
August 10, 2021
I enjoyed the cultural experience, especially from the vantage point of a Farang. However, I walk away from this book not clear about what happened to Campeau. Did he end up abck with the girl who stiffed him years ago? The blood? The bandaged wrist? That whole arc just didn't resolve itself for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2023
At times when reading this book, I felt I'd been bait-and-switched. At more generous times, I viewed it as a book-within-a-book. Either way, I felt the interpolated section giving extensive background on the character Hom was over-long, a slog to get through, a slow and unwelcome interruption from the Poke story. I did very much like the rest of the book, and am sorry to see this series end.
June 2, 2020
I've really enjoyed this series. This latest is not so much a mystery as a social commentary and I found myself wondering if the portrayals in the book were true about the life and culture of Thailand.
June 5, 2020
Timothy is compelled to tell the story of Miaw's mother.
Far too detailed and boring.
And to tell the story of a new father and older daughter's bad reaction to the birth of a sibling.
OK but not as good as the early Poke stories.
Far too detailed and boring.
And to tell the story of a new father and older daughter's bad reaction to the birth of a sibling.
OK but not as good as the early Poke stories.
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