Customer Reviews

Cold Hit

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4 star:		(1)
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"Cold Hit" is one of the best books in the Vincent Calvino series and I guarentee that when you pick it up, it definately WON'T be easy to put down!
Vinnie is his usual lovable, cynical-but-caring PI struggling to make a living in Bangkok and live in that unique world where Thai and farang meet. The painful events he has happen to him in the first chapter when he's merely off to deliver a birthday card to a bargirl are the best introduction to both the story and Calvino himself. As expected, the other characters, some based on real expats in Bangkok, are just as believable and just as easy to love or loathe or sometimes do both at the same time; this is indeed a brilliant writing characteristic of Christopher G. Moore. If this book proceeds for you the way it did for me, you'll wipe it out within a day or two but if you're anywhere in Thailand when you do, you might be in a bar, sipping a beer or some Mekhong and feel as though you've transported yourself into the heart of Moore's writing and that Vinnie will be joining you soon for a whiskey himself. If you want fun, fantastic literary work and the most enjoyable means to learn about Thailand, get this book lao-lao. You'll love it!

Vincent Calvino is classic noir detective . . . idealistic, tough, incorruptible, unstoppable and realistic. What makes this tale intriguing is its setting, among the "for hire" ladies in Bangkok and those who feed on them. In a nod to the noir tradition of Sam Spade, this novel bridges the Pacific between Los Angeles and Bangkok in an effective way.

Sexual tourists are flocking to Bangkok and some of them are ending up in a coffin. Calvino wants to know what's going on while everyone else ignores these deaths.

Calvino knows that if something sounds too good to be true . . . it surely is . . . but he keeps getting sucker punched in the process because he's on his uppers and needs the cash.

First he's hired to deliver a birthday card for $150. Then he's asked to be a body guard for a thousand dollars a day. Who wouldn't be tempted? Caveat detective!

The story has many twists and turns that are nicely tied together before the book ends. There's no lack of action.

The book positively swims in paid-for sex for exploitive men. I doubt if many women will find this book to be appealing.

The best part of the book comes in its development of Thai psychology. The subtlety and realism of the views are interesting to contemplate.

The story's main weakness is its slow development in the last 100 pages or so. This material was pretty predictable and could have been edited down to good effect.

This book will be most appealing to those who always wanted to take a vacation in a house of ill repute.

Awesome! Christopher Moore has done it again. If you haven't heard of this author, that's because he lives and work in Thailand. This is one of many novels from the Calvino series. I've read his previous Calvino novel Comfort Zone but I enjoyed this one even more. This is a must read book for any one who plan to take a trip to Thailand especially if your visit is not just business but also for pleasure. Christopher Moore seems to have a grasp the understanding of not just the Thai culture but also the Thai psyche. Example of this in the book is the Thai nightlife of the bars and the Ying(s) the book realistically portrayed the sights and sounds and the lights of Bangkok's nightlife in Soi Sukhumvit district. Also,it realistically relates to the sign of time when more and more people are exploring their sexual pleasures through the Internet. It was from this idea that the book start out with the new and innovative way in the technology of the net, which lured the foreign tourists to their deaths. The book takes you from that point on a roller coaster ride adventure through the eyes of an American Private Eyes Calvino. In this book, Calvino and his new found partner LAPD officer Jessada. Officer Jesseda who is Thai but grew up in L.A. joined the finest Police Department in the world... The LAPD. The two characters, through their fate and destiny, became partners working together to solve the mysteries in to the deaths of dth efive tourists and the over lined truth in the evilness of human greed & the profit of ever ending battle in law enforcement...Narcotics.

The author (although living in Thailand) did his research in writing this book by coming to Los Angeles and interviewed various crime fighting cops of the LAPD. You will find this book very enjoyable and hard to put down, not only in the excitment and actions of the story but the fascinating world of the two cultures(East VS West)I.E. The perspective of the Thais point of view as it is compared to the American Sexual psyche.

Thailand is a country with many faces and Moore is an artist who paints fascinating portraits. Though I am generally not a fan of deceive stories I am hooked on Moore's Calvino series. Moore has very intriguing way of commenting on life through his characters. Cold Hit is definitely one of Moore's finer works.

Like a great vintage wine Moore just gets better and better.His latest in the Calvino series is a great place to begin your probable addiction to his books.I can only warn you that after reading a few of Moores books you may find yourself on a plane to Bangkok and i guarentee you will be forwarned and better prepared for your adventure than from reading any guide book.