The
Thai Amulet (ISBN 0-425-19487-6, Berkley Publishing 2004) is one of a
series of thrillers written by Canadian author Lyn Hamilton. They have the
common thread of archeology, but you should not be put off, thinking this
refers to old stuffy books and million year old pieces of bone.
At the back of the book there is an interview with the
author, in which she explains her rationale behind the archeological
theme, linking the books. “When I started thinking about the series,
however, it struck me how similar archaeology and detection are. Both the
archeologist and the detective sift through seemingly unrelated clues, use
logical and scientific methods in their investigations, and make intuitive
leaps based on their particular expertise. In a sense, both speak for the
dead, the detective for the murder victim, the archeologist for ancient
people.”
In this book, her heroine Lara McClintoch, an
antiquities dealer, goes to Thailand to accompany her partner’s daughter
who is meeting the rich Thai family of the girl’s boyfriend. Since she
was going to Bangkok, she was also asked if she would look up another
Canadian antique dealer, who seemed to have dropped out of public view.
This man had left behind a wife and child in Canada,
and whilst some males in this country have ‘fled the scene’ to join
others similarly fleeing, there was doubt that this was the case.
Especially when the deserted wife receives a mysterious package with
peculiar notes and a couple of broken Thai amulets.
Lyn Hamilton has done her homework reasonably well,
particularly in her research into rich Thai families, their lifestyles and
the infighting. As in all societies, there’s nothing like a good death
in the family to bring the sabers out of their scabbards.
While many ‘old’ families also like to keep the
‘purity’ of the bloodlines intact, there are just as many that have
more than a little murkiness in the past, but it is amazing what a
difference a large pot of gold can do to clean things up a little. Buying
respectability is an art form in SE Asia, is it not?
The book steps up the pace in the latter half, as a few
more bodies begin to turn up, and not all of them cold; however, the
intuitive Lara manages to find all the threads and tie them together very
successfully.
The book should be available in all good bookstores,
and Bookazine informed me that the RRP for the paperback is B. 295. I also
enjoyed the parallel story of intrigue in Ayutthaya from centuries before,
with which she introduced each chapter. A novel approach, and also very
interesting. In fact, I could have done with more.
The Thai Amulet is a good, cheap read, but is one that can be picked up
and put down at will. I enjoyed it on my AirAsia flight to Chiang Mai,
other than the fact that in a bid to save fuel or something equally as
fatuous, they turned off the cabin lights for half the journey! Perhaps by
paying more you get reading lights. I must inquire!
Mott’s CD review: Queen – Queen
5
Stars *****