The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel [Paperback]

Larry Watkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 20, 2001

Robert Patrick Merlyn thought he had it made. Easy duty in a tropical paradise, a beautiful girl who loved him and a trim craft to explore the many local islands, but then one night, on a golden sand beach, bathed in the silver light of a full moon, it exploded into betrayal, grief and sudden, violent death.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Larry has been involved with boats and the sea all of his life, starting with parents who owned powerboats. A hitch in the army aboard a tugboat taught him about enginerooms. After the military, he took up sailing and now he and his wife spend as much time as possible aboard their forty foot sloop in Southern California.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Leaning back into the leeward corner of the cockpit, I steered with one bare foot on the tiller and reveled in the motion as SHIELA, a Cheoy Lee Offshore 27, broadreached under the main and a striped 135 genoa.

Our destination was Ko Phai, a riot of green jungle and golden sand dropped into the cobalt blue water of the Bight of Bangkok, twenty-three nautical miles northwest of my duty station at the deep-water port of Sattahip, Thailand. The sleepy beach resort of Pattaya lay eight miles off our starboard beam.

Suddenly, Pen squealed, a sound of delighted surprise and practically jumped to the leeward side of the cockpit. I knew what she was excited about, I'd seen them coming. The pod of dolphin swarmed around us, leaping and blowing as they filled the air with their squeaks and clicks.

"Oh, Bob," Pen exclaimed, pronouncing my name in the Thai manner, with a short vowel, "I no see before!"

"Talk to 'em," I said, "they like it."

Clapping her hands, she called out, something I didn't understand, but those sea mammals moved in closer and rolled on their sides to eyeball her.

"Look," I said, "they say Hello."

Her hands in front of her, Pen gave the pod a deep, respectful bow. "Sawadde ka," she said solemnly. The squeaks and clicks increased. An idea came to me. It was a little devious, but not mean-spirited.

"You know," I said, "they like it when you take your clothes off, makes 'em think you same-same them."

I could see the battle being waged in her dark, almond-shaped eyes, skepticism versus a desire to believe and to offer encouragement, I slipped off my shorts.

She stood up and in a single flowing motion pulled her shirt off over her head. A gold amulet in the shape of the full moon glinted against her butterscotch skin, then the sarong she wore slung low across her hips slid down her legs to become a puddle of color on the worn grey teak grating of the cockpit sole. She pulled the ribbon loose and her hair became a long silky black telltale in the warm southwesterly breeze. An expression of guarded pleasure chased the apprehension from her face as she felt the caress of the sun and wind on her naked body for the first time and I thanked the Skipper on the Bridge in the Sky for bringing this show to us now. She grabbed my arm and laughed and I felt lifted by her contagious joy.

They stayed with us for twenty minutes while Pen cooed and laughed, then, as quickly as they appeared, they were gone.

The boat rose to a wave and settled. Pen's eyes flared, but only for a second, then, with a cat-like grace and agility, she scampered to the cabin top and hopped up onto the boom. Leaning back in the cradle of the taut mains'l, she raised her arms over her head and shook her sloping breasts for me.

"Your beautiful up there," I said. I knew she didn't think so. She thought her skin too dark and her nose too broad, but I couldn't get enough of her.

"I do for you, Bob," she said. The kiss she blew to me was heavy with promise and an enigmatic smile, the one that can mean so many things in Thailand, shaped her luscious lips. I shot a whole roll of film as she cavorted naked on the cabin top.

Little did I realize that the joy and happiness of that day would be short-lived and that the crushing weight of regret and recrimination could be so heavy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (July 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595184162
• ISBN-13: 978-0595184163
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,145,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Taking care of biz'nez, July 5, 2005

By 

Roger Reader "Roger" (FL, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel (Paperback)

Set in the seamy areas of steamy Thailand where "biz'nez" girls ply their ancient trade among con artists, Vietnam deserters, drug dealers, smugglers and assorted other bad guys, newly arrived soldier/sailor Robert Merlin sets up the beautiful Pen in his hooch. Merlin is mesmerized by the acquisitive Pen who knows how to take care of biz'nez. Merlin has some tough lessons to learn.

5.0 out of 5 stars Top-notch sea story, February 17, 2003

By 

Larry C. Watkins "book hound" (Redondo Beach, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel (Paperback)

A rousing, sea-going adventure story, written by a man who knows what he is talking about.

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrilling and original story, February 9, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel (Paperback)

The Bangkok Blues: An R.P. Merlyn Boating Adventure Novel by Larry C. Watkins is the dramatic saga of Robert Patrick Merlyn, a man who had everything -- an easy job in a beautiful tropical paradise, the love of a gorgeous woman, and a sleek sailing craft of his own. Then sudden onslaught of horror and tragedy tore apart his dreams with violence and destruction, forcing Robert to seek answers to painful questions and struggle to put his life back together. A superbly crafted novel, The Bangkok Blues is confidently recommended a thrilling and original story from beginning to end.