2 by author Martin Limon this week.
Blog friend Tracy over at her Bitter Tea and Mystery blog
alerted me to this author back in December 2014 when she reviewed Slicky Boys.
I was conflicted over whether I ought to take a pass, as let’s
face it I have more books than I can sensibly hope to read in the next thirty
years anyway. In the end I bought the first two, probably persuaded in part by the Korean setting and the review linked above.
The series will be 10 books long with the publication of The
Ville Rat this coming October, plus there was a short story collection – Nightmare
Range – published in 2013. I ought really to be patting myself on the back for
the remarkable restraint I have shown!
I will see how these two go before taking up more in the series!
Martin Limon served for 20-odd years in the US military,
including 10 years spent in Korea. He now lives in Seattle. I can't see that he has his own website.
Jade Lady Burning (1992)
The Korean police should have been responsible for
investigating the bizarre killing of Miss Pak. But, her amorous associations
with American servicemen in Seoul also made her death US army business, and
sergeants Ernie Bascom and George Sueno are on the case.
Slicky Boys (1997)
In the Criminal Investigation Division of the US Army in
Korea, George Sueno and Ernie Bascom are pulled into the Slicky Boy culture
they barely understand. Checking into every bar to ensure the bourbon is
chilled, they are drawn into a murder that could end their careers, or their
lives.
Interesting setting and context for these, Col. I'll be interested in what you think of them. If they're good I may have to look them up; I should read more Korea-based crime fiction.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I have some from the other side of the divide - James Church's North Korean set books. It would interesting to see the contrast between the two states.
DeleteI was wondering why this author sounded familiar, and I think it must be because I read about him on Tracy's blog too. It is an intriguingly exotic setting isn't it?
ReplyDeleteKorea does sound good doesn't it. Did you like the restraint shown, only 2 not 10?
DeleteThanks for the mention, Col. I did like both of these books a lot. The first one was distasteful in ways, but I liked so much about the book I continued to pursue the series. I have several more in the series, including Nightmare Range, but still haven't found a copy of the third one. I do hope you like them.
ReplyDeleteTracy - thanks for tipping me off to these....I think :) - I'm obviously hoping I like them, but maybe not too much!
DeleteI echo TracyK on 'distasteful' - generally I can shrug and say, "well, things were like that then", but sometimes that can be a bit harder. That said, I thought it was an excellent book in terms of setting, characters, etc., and I probably would read more of the series.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely intrigued now. time to shuffle it closer to the top of the pile I reckon!
DeleteCol, I think the setting in Korea in the backdrop of the US army's presence should make these novels interesting. I haven't read a novel set in Korea.
ReplyDeleteI echo your thoughts, Prashant. Vicki and Tracy have me keen to make a start on this series.
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