Hallinan’s ninth and final “Poke Rafferty” novel (after
Fools’ River) has Bangkok-based American journalist Poke, his Thai wife, Rose, and their adopted daughter, Miaow, adjusting to a new family member. Rose has just given birth to a son, and Poke’s life is in disarray. He’s been known for getting into some scrapes and doing a little detective work on the side, but now he faces the responsibilities of being a father and protecting his family. When his good friend vanishes, he tries to locate him and ends up running into his adopted daughter’s birth mother. When she is murdered, Poke is a suspect, but then he tries to solve her murder.
VERDICT This slow-paced, noir-style mystery can be read as a stand-alone, but newcomers will have a richer experience having read the previous books. Raw and atmospheric, this is a solid finale to the series.
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