Travel writer Poke Rafferty, introduced in A NAIL THROUGH THE HEART, is almost ready to give up his Looking for Trouble book series which would allow him to stay put in Bangkok, with his girlfriend Rose and his newly adopted daughter, Miaow. And with any luck, Rose will finally agree to marriage. But luck is not in Poke-s immediate future, a fact that becomes all too apparent when his long lost father, Frank, who walked out on Poke and his mother when Poke was a child, resurfaces, bringing trouble with him. And trouble, in this case, takes the form of the merciless and desperate Colonel Chu whose -retirement- plans have gone up in smoke, thanks to Poke-s father. Chu-s priceless rubies that have taken years to amass, not to mention the papers that establish a new identity for him, have been stolen and Chu will do anything to get them back. When Frank hands them over to Poke for safekeeping, he puts Rose and Miaow in frightening danger and getting them out of it will take every skill Poke has at his disposal.
--This text refers to the
Kindle Edition
edition.
2011 Edgar Nominee Timothy Hallinan has written ten published novels, all thrillers, all critically praised.
In the 1990s he wrote six mysteries featuring the erudite private eye Simeon Grist, beginning with "The Four Last Things," which made several Ten Best lists, including that of The Drood Review. The other books in the series were widely and well reviewed, and several of them were optioned for motion pictures. The series is now regarded as a cult favorite.
In 2007, the first of his Poke Rafferty Bangkok thrillers, "A Nail Through the Heart", was published to unanimously enthusiastic reviews. "Hallinan scores big-time," said Kirkus Reviews, which went on to call the book "dark, often funny, and ultimately enthralling." "Nail" was a Booksense Pick of the Month and was named one of the top mysteries of the year by The Japan Times and several major online review sites.
Rafferty's Bangkok adventures continued with "The Fourth Watcher" (2008) and "Breathing Water" (2009), both of which also appeared on "year's best" lists. New York Times bestselling author John Lescroart said about the 2010 book, "The Queen of Patpong," "You won't read a better thriller this year," and Ken Bruen said, "John Burdett writes about Bangkok. Tim Hallinan is Bangkok. I adore this book."
Hallinan has written full-time since 2006. Since 1982 he has divided his time between Los Angeles and Southeast Asia, the setting for his Poke Rafferty novels.
