What do you think?
Rate this book
Sergeants Sueño and Bascom #7
Mr. Kill (A Sergeants Sue? and Bascom Novel) by Limon, Martin (2012) Paperback
On a crowded train from Pusan to Seoul, the brutal rape of a young mother sparks rage on the powder–keg peninsula of Korea, pitting Koreans against Americans and the 8th Army brass against the truth. Eyewitness accounts indicate the culprit was most likely a U.S. serviceman, but by the time Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, U.S. Army investigators, are called in, the rapist has disappeared and anti–American fervor in this proud Asian country is threatening to explode. With the help of legendary Korean detective Mr. Kill, Lieutenants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom embark on what may just be the most dangerous case of their careers.
Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
17 people are currently reading
197 people want to read
About the author
Martin Limón
44 books96 followersMartin Limon retired from U.S. military service after 20 years in the Army, including a total of ten years in Korea. He and his wife live in Seattle. He is the author of Jade Lady Burning, which was a New York Times Notable Book, Slicky Boys and Buddha's Money.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
October 6, 2013
Over the last few years, I've become a huge fan of Martin Limon's series featuring Army CID Investigators, George Sueno and Ernie Bascom. Like a lot of other good crime novels, the characters are engaging and the stories are entertaining and compelling. But what makes these books so special is the setting, which is unique in crime fiction.
Sueno and Bascom are with the 8th United States Army, stationed in Seoul, Korea, in the middle 1970s And in addition to being excellent thrillers, the books provide a very interesting glimpse into the Korea of that time, into the inner workings of the U.S. Army stationed there, and particularly into the complicated relationships between and among the American military, the Korean civilian population, and the Korean authorities--particularly the Korean police force. Limon, who retired after a twenty-year career in the Army, including ten years in Korea, clearly knows the territory and writes about it beautifully.
This is the seventh book in the series and one of the best. It opens when a Korean woman is viciously raped on a train in front of her small children. The people on the train identify the attacker as an American and, although the perpetrator was in civilian clothing, he is almost certainly a military man.
Sueno and Bascom are sent to meet the train and the passengers are all held on board until they arrive. Theoretically, it should have been impossible for the rapist to leave the train, but somehow he has managed to do so. The two detectives interview the other Americans on the train but glean precious few clues to lead them in the right direction.
Understandably, the Korean people are outraged by the attack and demand swift justice. But, as is often the case in these books, the biggest obstacle in the way of Sueno and Bascom's investigation is the Army itself. The last thing the Army wants is for a U.S. serviceman to be identified and convicted as the rapist. They'd rather massage the case into disappearing rather than face the bad publicity.
The Powers That Be, make it clear that they want Sueno and Bascom to conduct a cursory investigation and to help insure that they do, the Army assigns them to babysit a group of female country and western singers who are touring U.S. bases in Korea as part of a USO tour.
Sueno, who provides the brains for the team while Bascom provides the muscle, refuses to be deterred. He and Bascom are determined to provide justice for the victim, irrespective of what the consequences might be for the Army. Sueno also fears that if the rapist isn't caught, he could strike again.
Battling a clever criminal, a paucity of evidence and their own bureaucracy, the two investigators cover a great deal of South Korean ground in their pursuit of justice. As always, it's enormous fun to watch them work, and very educational as well. The book has a lot of twists and turns and a very satisfying climax. Mr. Kill should appeal to any reader who enjoys well-written crime fiction.
Sueno and Bascom are with the 8th United States Army, stationed in Seoul, Korea, in the middle 1970s And in addition to being excellent thrillers, the books provide a very interesting glimpse into the Korea of that time, into the inner workings of the U.S. Army stationed there, and particularly into the complicated relationships between and among the American military, the Korean civilian population, and the Korean authorities--particularly the Korean police force. Limon, who retired after a twenty-year career in the Army, including ten years in Korea, clearly knows the territory and writes about it beautifully.
This is the seventh book in the series and one of the best. It opens when a Korean woman is viciously raped on a train in front of her small children. The people on the train identify the attacker as an American and, although the perpetrator was in civilian clothing, he is almost certainly a military man.
Sueno and Bascom are sent to meet the train and the passengers are all held on board until they arrive. Theoretically, it should have been impossible for the rapist to leave the train, but somehow he has managed to do so. The two detectives interview the other Americans on the train but glean precious few clues to lead them in the right direction.
Understandably, the Korean people are outraged by the attack and demand swift justice. But, as is often the case in these books, the biggest obstacle in the way of Sueno and Bascom's investigation is the Army itself. The last thing the Army wants is for a U.S. serviceman to be identified and convicted as the rapist. They'd rather massage the case into disappearing rather than face the bad publicity.
The Powers That Be, make it clear that they want Sueno and Bascom to conduct a cursory investigation and to help insure that they do, the Army assigns them to babysit a group of female country and western singers who are touring U.S. bases in Korea as part of a USO tour.
Sueno, who provides the brains for the team while Bascom provides the muscle, refuses to be deterred. He and Bascom are determined to provide justice for the victim, irrespective of what the consequences might be for the Army. Sueno also fears that if the rapist isn't caught, he could strike again.
Battling a clever criminal, a paucity of evidence and their own bureaucracy, the two investigators cover a great deal of South Korean ground in their pursuit of justice. As always, it's enormous fun to watch them work, and very educational as well. The book has a lot of twists and turns and a very satisfying climax. Mr. Kill should appeal to any reader who enjoys well-written crime fiction.
December 17, 2021
I do not expect everyone to rate this book as highly as I do. I spent over two years in Korea as a Peace Corps Volunteer and I love the place. This book is about two U.S. soldier detectives who investigate crimes by soldiers and coordinate with the Korean police. The two soldiers are very good at what they do and are sent all around the country, places I traveled, too. The crime takes place on the fast train between Busan and Seoul, which I have been on many times. I got such joy reading about the places and the interaction between the U.S. military and the Korean police. As is so typical when there is a military presence from another country, each blames the other. The two U.S. detectives feel certain that the rapist and murderer is an American military person. The military is certain that it is not military but a Korean person. It is a mystery, and the detectives from each side have to help each other a lot. Mr. Kill is really a very good Korean high-ranking detective but Americans cannot say his Korean name correctly so they choose to mispronounce it and call him Mr. Kill.
A great read with extra for anyone who knows Korea.
A great read with extra for anyone who knows Korea.
October 15, 2018
Another great book in this series. I've skipped a few early books, but I'm going to try to find them since there were plot elements in this book from older books and further plot twists continued.
September 13, 2017
It was better than "OK", but there just seemed to be too many balls being juggled by Sr. Limon in this one. I never really engaged with the USO troupe & as one reviewer remarked, licenses may have been taken with the Green Berets' sequence.
Still, I am a HUGE fan of this series & will continue to read through them. I even went for a kim chi omelet today, having been inspired by my reading! I have eaten kim chi many times in the past & Café Onions' is a bit Americanized, but still ...
I am taking a short break to read a brand-new library book with a waiting list & then it will be back to Georgie & Ernie.
Still, I am a HUGE fan of this series & will continue to read through them. I even went for a kim chi omelet today, having been inspired by my reading! I have eaten kim chi many times in the past & Café Onions' is a bit Americanized, but still ...
I am taking a short break to read a brand-new library book with a waiting list & then it will be back to Georgie & Ernie.
July 11, 2015
MR. KILL by Martin Limon…..
I lost sleep over what to say about this book. Everyone knows the old maxim that a writer’s work gets better with experience. This book shoots that theory in the head.
I’m surprised that Soho Press would let this go out as it did. And after reading six other of Martin Limon’s 8th Army CID mysteries, I’m confident he didn’t want that either. I think they saddled him with a very young, second string editor, recruited at a college in outer space, who suggested all the things in this book that should have been forgotten, but weren’t.
MR. KILL started off nicely during those all-important initial chapters. I thought Limon’s writing had improved by more of an economy of words, but then I found so many technically wrong things in the story that I hoped readers didn’t think there was any reality to the police procedures depicted within. Before writing this review, I looked at many more to see what others were saying. I really hope that those who gave this five stars were friends or relatives of the author. If they weren’t, they’re probably the kinds of people who would for vote McDonalds as the best restaurant in their town or the Yugo as the best compact car in history.
There is no doubt that Martin Limon did twenty years in the Army and spent half that time in Korea. He knows the Army and he knows Korea. But it’s obvious that he was never an MP nor was he ever in CID, and in this book, it became evident he never had any affiliation with US Special Forces.
During my past readings, I was able to overlook his lack of knowledge of the hierarchy and structure of the Army CID program. His stories represent Sergeants Sueno and Bascom as [probably] the only criminal investigators in the Republic of Korea. He depicts 8th Army CID (actually, at the time, an administrative and supervisory unit) as the operational detachment in the county. Okay, I knew this was not the case, but I overlooked that because it wouldn’t be as important to readers not quite the pain-in-the-ass I am and he did such a good job with the geography, civics, language, and cultural nuances of the country.
But in MR. KILL, someone may have forced him to go over the top with a basically good story that ran amuck with extraneous filler and sidetracks which looked amateurish. This wasn’t just full of red herrings, they were red whale sharks that wasted lots of time. It reminded me of the classic troop of Albanian acrobats that appear in the beginning of a book to create action, but never appear again and are never explained later in the story.
After finishing the book, I thought the title, Mr. Kill, seemed inappropriate. There are only about 300 family names in Korea and Kill (actually Gil and given a Hangul pronunciation) is not one I’ve ever seen. I thought the title name might represent an arch-criminal. It was actually a very competent and cooperative Korean National Police investigator who was never developed to his potential and in the role with which he was presented, never deserved title status. Calling this book The Rapist on the Blue Train or The Train to Disaster or who knows what might have worked better.
Since this book was uncharacteristic of his other novels, I believe the editor suggested that Limon create more than the usual amount of interpersonal tension. In doing so, he had one of the main characters, Sgt. Ernie Bascom, go totally overboard, constantly losing his temper and punching out so many minor characters and picking fights or arguments with just about every young officer and MP that he and George Sueno encountered. This behavior is totally unbelievable for a CID agent who is required to qualify for a top secret clearance. One or two incidents like these and Sgt. Bascom would have ended up as PFC Bascom, standing guard in a compound gate shack. Having him as a former heroin addict is also beyond belief. Depicting Sueno and Bascom as criminal investigators by day and low class “ville rats” by night does nothing to enhance the protagonist’s images.
George Sueno is often shown as a level-headed, competent investigator, and an unusual GI who went the extra mile to learn the Korean language. He respects the indigenous people, thereby gaining respect from them. Bascom could have been shown as less inspirational, relatively headstrong, a good investigator, but not such a major screw-up, and still made a good partner for the squared away Sueno.
More stretching of our imagination: Sueno and Bascom are assigned to investigate the very high profile rape of a Korean woman on the Seoul to Pusan train and later a rape-homicide of another passenger from the same train. In all his wisdom, the provost marshal of the 8th Army also assigns them to simultaneously provide security for a troop of USO country & western singers…not because it makes any sense, but because the lead singer wants it. Hogwash. Even our Army isn’t that stupid.
The problems that befall the USO band provide a few diversions worth someone’s time, but they are not felonies and could have been handled by MPs at the bases where these minor thefts or Peeping Tom episodes occurred. They are not things CID agents would investigate. All of this band business is so loosely related to the rest of the story (by a convoluted connection) that it detracts from the actual story-worthy problem. In the end, I just shook my head and wondered why (other than to provide Ernie with a voluptuous woman with whom to have sex) this made it into print.
I could complain more, but I won’t. I’m not sorry I read this book, but I’m sorry that Martin Limon has made this his last installment in a series that was not without fault, but were all much better books than MR. KILL. 2.5 stars.
I lost sleep over what to say about this book. Everyone knows the old maxim that a writer’s work gets better with experience. This book shoots that theory in the head.
I’m surprised that Soho Press would let this go out as it did. And after reading six other of Martin Limon’s 8th Army CID mysteries, I’m confident he didn’t want that either. I think they saddled him with a very young, second string editor, recruited at a college in outer space, who suggested all the things in this book that should have been forgotten, but weren’t.
MR. KILL started off nicely during those all-important initial chapters. I thought Limon’s writing had improved by more of an economy of words, but then I found so many technically wrong things in the story that I hoped readers didn’t think there was any reality to the police procedures depicted within. Before writing this review, I looked at many more to see what others were saying. I really hope that those who gave this five stars were friends or relatives of the author. If they weren’t, they’re probably the kinds of people who would for vote McDonalds as the best restaurant in their town or the Yugo as the best compact car in history.
There is no doubt that Martin Limon did twenty years in the Army and spent half that time in Korea. He knows the Army and he knows Korea. But it’s obvious that he was never an MP nor was he ever in CID, and in this book, it became evident he never had any affiliation with US Special Forces.
During my past readings, I was able to overlook his lack of knowledge of the hierarchy and structure of the Army CID program. His stories represent Sergeants Sueno and Bascom as [probably] the only criminal investigators in the Republic of Korea. He depicts 8th Army CID (actually, at the time, an administrative and supervisory unit) as the operational detachment in the county. Okay, I knew this was not the case, but I overlooked that because it wouldn’t be as important to readers not quite the pain-in-the-ass I am and he did such a good job with the geography, civics, language, and cultural nuances of the country.
But in MR. KILL, someone may have forced him to go over the top with a basically good story that ran amuck with extraneous filler and sidetracks which looked amateurish. This wasn’t just full of red herrings, they were red whale sharks that wasted lots of time. It reminded me of the classic troop of Albanian acrobats that appear in the beginning of a book to create action, but never appear again and are never explained later in the story.
After finishing the book, I thought the title, Mr. Kill, seemed inappropriate. There are only about 300 family names in Korea and Kill (actually Gil and given a Hangul pronunciation) is not one I’ve ever seen. I thought the title name might represent an arch-criminal. It was actually a very competent and cooperative Korean National Police investigator who was never developed to his potential and in the role with which he was presented, never deserved title status. Calling this book The Rapist on the Blue Train or The Train to Disaster or who knows what might have worked better.
Since this book was uncharacteristic of his other novels, I believe the editor suggested that Limon create more than the usual amount of interpersonal tension. In doing so, he had one of the main characters, Sgt. Ernie Bascom, go totally overboard, constantly losing his temper and punching out so many minor characters and picking fights or arguments with just about every young officer and MP that he and George Sueno encountered. This behavior is totally unbelievable for a CID agent who is required to qualify for a top secret clearance. One or two incidents like these and Sgt. Bascom would have ended up as PFC Bascom, standing guard in a compound gate shack. Having him as a former heroin addict is also beyond belief. Depicting Sueno and Bascom as criminal investigators by day and low class “ville rats” by night does nothing to enhance the protagonist’s images.
George Sueno is often shown as a level-headed, competent investigator, and an unusual GI who went the extra mile to learn the Korean language. He respects the indigenous people, thereby gaining respect from them. Bascom could have been shown as less inspirational, relatively headstrong, a good investigator, but not such a major screw-up, and still made a good partner for the squared away Sueno.
More stretching of our imagination: Sueno and Bascom are assigned to investigate the very high profile rape of a Korean woman on the Seoul to Pusan train and later a rape-homicide of another passenger from the same train. In all his wisdom, the provost marshal of the 8th Army also assigns them to simultaneously provide security for a troop of USO country & western singers…not because it makes any sense, but because the lead singer wants it. Hogwash. Even our Army isn’t that stupid.
The problems that befall the USO band provide a few diversions worth someone’s time, but they are not felonies and could have been handled by MPs at the bases where these minor thefts or Peeping Tom episodes occurred. They are not things CID agents would investigate. All of this band business is so loosely related to the rest of the story (by a convoluted connection) that it detracts from the actual story-worthy problem. In the end, I just shook my head and wondered why (other than to provide Ernie with a voluptuous woman with whom to have sex) this made it into print.
I could complain more, but I won’t. I’m not sorry I read this book, but I’m sorry that Martin Limon has made this his last installment in a series that was not without fault, but were all much better books than MR. KILL. 2.5 stars.
February 13, 2012
Martin Limpn has written seven excellent novels about Army CID investigators George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, who serve in Korea during the late 1960s. I read the first, "Jade Lady Burning," when it came out. It was of particular interest to me because it was set on the base that I had worked at (8th Army HQ at Yongsan Mountain) during the time that the novel's events took place. Limon got all of the local details right the first time, and his picture of Korea was both colorful and accurate. I received this particular novel as a free book through the aegis of Goodreads, but I would have tracked it down anyway. Limon's consistent strengths get even more highly developed with each book in the series.
It was an interesting time. The United States had entered into a status-of-forces agreement with the Korean government that subjected off-duty Americans to Korean law. There had been growing tensions resulting from the long-time freedom of American personnel from prosecution for crimes committed against Koreans (a vestige of extraterritorial rights). With the SOFA arrangement, Korean police were eager to balance the scales of justice. Limon's book is a very good depiction of what happened when Americans committed crimes under the new agreement. In this case, the crime is the brutal rape and murder of a young Korean woman. Sueño and Bascom find themselves engaged in a race with a particularly eager and ruthless Korean investigator. They also find themselves hindered by the large number of apologists for troop behavior within the American military and diplomatic force. The tensions they face are considerable, and Limon presents them well. He is a first-class mystery writer with an eye for an interesting locale and believable characters.
It was an interesting time. The United States had entered into a status-of-forces agreement with the Korean government that subjected off-duty Americans to Korean law. There had been growing tensions resulting from the long-time freedom of American personnel from prosecution for crimes committed against Koreans (a vestige of extraterritorial rights). With the SOFA arrangement, Korean police were eager to balance the scales of justice. Limon's book is a very good depiction of what happened when Americans committed crimes under the new agreement. In this case, the crime is the brutal rape and murder of a young Korean woman. Sueño and Bascom find themselves engaged in a race with a particularly eager and ruthless Korean investigator. They also find themselves hindered by the large number of apologists for troop behavior within the American military and diplomatic force. The tensions they face are considerable, and Limon presents them well. He is a first-class mystery writer with an eye for an interesting locale and believable characters.
November 9, 2011
When a young mother is brutally raped by a foreigner on a train in South Korea, public indignation threatens relations with the U.S. military.
George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, investigators with the Criminal Investigation Division of the 8th U.S. Army, are assigned to join Korean National Police in hunting down the perpetrator. Leading the investigation for the KNP is an inspector whose surname is mispronounced Kill by English speakers. His name may be justified by his reputation.
The situation intensifies when another woman is raped and murdered in her hotel room and investigators learn their quarry has an agenda for even more violence.
True to military procedure, the American investigators are diverted from the task with a double duty assignment to look after the women of a touring USO band which has been targeted by peeping toms and petty theft. It makes the job tougher, but the boys come through despite some amusing and a few dangerous detours.
An Army retiree, Limon spent 10 years in South Korea and offers an old hand’s insight to a setting which should be new and interesting for many American mystery readers. For those of us who have lived in the country, either in the military or as a civilian (I’ve done both), it will provoke some pleasant memories.
This is the seventh in the series, though it isn’t necessary to have read the others to enjoy this tale. As always, Martin Limon provides a gripping plot, engaging characters and a moving look at the two-sided coin of American/Korean relations.
George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, investigators with the Criminal Investigation Division of the 8th U.S. Army, are assigned to join Korean National Police in hunting down the perpetrator. Leading the investigation for the KNP is an inspector whose surname is mispronounced Kill by English speakers. His name may be justified by his reputation.
The situation intensifies when another woman is raped and murdered in her hotel room and investigators learn their quarry has an agenda for even more violence.
True to military procedure, the American investigators are diverted from the task with a double duty assignment to look after the women of a touring USO band which has been targeted by peeping toms and petty theft. It makes the job tougher, but the boys come through despite some amusing and a few dangerous detours.
An Army retiree, Limon spent 10 years in South Korea and offers an old hand’s insight to a setting which should be new and interesting for many American mystery readers. For those of us who have lived in the country, either in the military or as a civilian (I’ve done both), it will provoke some pleasant memories.
This is the seventh in the series, though it isn’t necessary to have read the others to enjoy this tale. As always, Martin Limon provides a gripping plot, engaging characters and a moving look at the two-sided coin of American/Korean relations.
June 4, 2017
Mr. Kill was overdue so I read it in an evening. I love this series.
October 21, 2018
Having lived in Korea in the early '70s and loving a good mystery, I enjoyed this story and look forward to reading more in the series. References to the locations, language and culture of the day made this a worthwhile page turner for me!
February 7, 2012
George Sueno is an Army criminal investigator in Korea in the mid-1970s. He is career military, fairly content in his own skin and appreciative of life. He loves Korea, and the most striking element in his portrayal is his respect and sympathy for its people - the bar girls and "professional ladies", the old people getting by, the innkeepers, madams and all the others at the same time dependent on the military and resentful of being occupied by a foreign power. He pursues the rape and rape-murder cases that are the storyline with a deep sadness at the humiliation and suffering of the victims and the terrified children forced to watch their mothers' destruction. Sueno treats them with dignity; they are only sketchily presented but his attitude makes them come alive as more than pawns to be moved around on the storyboard. His shrewd and tenacious pursuit of the elusive killer despite being warned off by the Army chain of command is driven by this quiet morality.
In parallel with all this is a lighter and more laconic side to the story. Sueno's partner, Ernie Bascom, is his complement and opposite - large, horny, boozy and always ready to calmly debate with his fists. He lives very much for the moment and lacks self-doubt, curiosity, tact or any social graces. He is also intensely loyal, honest and reliable and together the unlikely duo makes a formidable pair of investigators. The main linchpin in the stories is the pair's dismissive response to military authority and the efforts to block investigations by a bureaucracy cautious about stirring up tensions between Korean citizens and government and the U.S. They raise insubordination to an art form, often amusingly so. Much of the plot involves their wiliness in disobeying orders and avoiding their next arrest or beating up.
I'd describe the writing as NBD - no big deal - in the sense that it is compact and measured, with little adornment, but somehow pitched just right. It is carefully and clearly laid out without drawing attention to phrasing or adding literary bells and tootles. NBD - keep a balance between straightforward story-telling, enough description and scene-setting to flesh out the context, vivid character sketches, and natural dialog. It works well. It's always interesting and succinct.
In parallel with all this is a lighter and more laconic side to the story. Sueno's partner, Ernie Bascom, is his complement and opposite - large, horny, boozy and always ready to calmly debate with his fists. He lives very much for the moment and lacks self-doubt, curiosity, tact or any social graces. He is also intensely loyal, honest and reliable and together the unlikely duo makes a formidable pair of investigators. The main linchpin in the stories is the pair's dismissive response to military authority and the efforts to block investigations by a bureaucracy cautious about stirring up tensions between Korean citizens and government and the U.S. They raise insubordination to an art form, often amusingly so. Much of the plot involves their wiliness in disobeying orders and avoiding their next arrest or beating up.
I'd describe the writing as NBD - no big deal - in the sense that it is compact and measured, with little adornment, but somehow pitched just right. It is carefully and clearly laid out without drawing attention to phrasing or adding literary bells and tootles. NBD - keep a balance between straightforward story-telling, enough description and scene-setting to flesh out the context, vivid character sketches, and natural dialog. It works well. It's always interesting and succinct.
September 25, 2012
"Mr. Kill" by Martin Limon is an engaging tale about Sergeants Sueno and Bascom set in the 1970s realm of military life in South Korea. It is this South Korea connection that drew me in, having lived in South Korea as a soldier in the 1980s, and as a civilian studying martial arts in the 1990s and 2000s. A lot of what Limon writes about reminded me of my service time with the 2nd Infantry Division.
Even if you never served in Korea, the story is a fun, intense thriller that will keep you guessing, as well as caring for the characters. There were six previous books in the Sergeant George Sueno series, but I've not yet read them. (I want to go back and read them now.) If you haven't read them, you can still enjoy this book like I did. However, the ending of this book will make you want to read the next one.
It's obvious that the author spent considerable time in Korea, and he writes with the knowledge of the military on the peninsula during that time frame. His heroes are not supermen, and are fallible, and that makes them more like regular guys, just trying to do their best at the job they are assigned too. That is refreshing, and added to the story.
There was one part of the story I didn't care for, but won't mention it here because I don't want to spoil any parts of the book. And while I wish the author would have treated that part differently, it wasn't that it was bad. I just felt it could have been better if written a bit different, and maybe a little more added. With that said, it did not take away from my enjoying the book.
If I hadn't been a soldier stationed in South Korea, would I have enjoyed this book as much? Maybe not, but it is hard to say. As I mentioned, you don't have to have been stationed in Korea to enjoy this story. But since I was, I enjoyed it a bit more, and I'd recommend it to everyone else who was stationed there, because I think it will bring back memories and added enjoyment to your reading. For everyone else, if you enjoy military themed mysteries with a flavor of an Asian country, check out "Mr. Kill" by Martin Limon and have an exciting, fun read.
Even if you never served in Korea, the story is a fun, intense thriller that will keep you guessing, as well as caring for the characters. There were six previous books in the Sergeant George Sueno series, but I've not yet read them. (I want to go back and read them now.) If you haven't read them, you can still enjoy this book like I did. However, the ending of this book will make you want to read the next one.
It's obvious that the author spent considerable time in Korea, and he writes with the knowledge of the military on the peninsula during that time frame. His heroes are not supermen, and are fallible, and that makes them more like regular guys, just trying to do their best at the job they are assigned too. That is refreshing, and added to the story.
There was one part of the story I didn't care for, but won't mention it here because I don't want to spoil any parts of the book. And while I wish the author would have treated that part differently, it wasn't that it was bad. I just felt it could have been better if written a bit different, and maybe a little more added. With that said, it did not take away from my enjoying the book.
If I hadn't been a soldier stationed in South Korea, would I have enjoyed this book as much? Maybe not, but it is hard to say. As I mentioned, you don't have to have been stationed in Korea to enjoy this story. But since I was, I enjoyed it a bit more, and I'd recommend it to everyone else who was stationed there, because I think it will bring back memories and added enjoyment to your reading. For everyone else, if you enjoy military themed mysteries with a flavor of an Asian country, check out "Mr. Kill" by Martin Limon and have an exciting, fun read.
March 23, 2014
MR. KILL is the 7th book in the series of stories about US Army CID investigators George Sueño and Ernie Bascom. Set in Korea during the early 1970s, Mr. Kill deals with the pair as they try to track the Blue Train rapist, supposedly an American who attacked a Korean woman on the express between Pusan and Seoul. As there are few other types of foreigners within the country, suspicion naturally falls upon a G.I.
Another, more brutal rape occurs in a Seoul hotel adding to the need for a rapid resolution, but due to politics between the Military and the Korean government, there are many rules and restrictions placed upon the duo. They have to work with the Korean National Police, in the person of Mr. Gil, a name that sounds like Kill to American ears.
Battling against time, the disapproval of much of the Korean population who wish to have no more of America in their country, their own Military higher-ups and conflicting policy, this pair of CID agents work hard at uncovering the killer. Yet we have a lot of information given to us about Korea and its people and manners, as well as a good look into the ways of the military. Along the way each agent’s personality and preferences are played out for us.
There is a side story about an all female Country-Western band that are agents have to protect from 50,000 rabid soldiers and at least one ex-husband, but that only adds to the fun.
The story has a series of satisfying conclusions to the varied shorter episodes within the book as well as a good set-up for the next chapter in Sueño and Bascom’s history. Quickly paced and interesting in all it’s facets, MR. KILL is a welcome addition to my mystery shelf.
Another, more brutal rape occurs in a Seoul hotel adding to the need for a rapid resolution, but due to politics between the Military and the Korean government, there are many rules and restrictions placed upon the duo. They have to work with the Korean National Police, in the person of Mr. Gil, a name that sounds like Kill to American ears.
Battling against time, the disapproval of much of the Korean population who wish to have no more of America in their country, their own Military higher-ups and conflicting policy, this pair of CID agents work hard at uncovering the killer. Yet we have a lot of information given to us about Korea and its people and manners, as well as a good look into the ways of the military. Along the way each agent’s personality and preferences are played out for us.
There is a side story about an all female Country-Western band that are agents have to protect from 50,000 rabid soldiers and at least one ex-husband, but that only adds to the fun.
The story has a series of satisfying conclusions to the varied shorter episodes within the book as well as a good set-up for the next chapter in Sueño and Bascom’s history. Quickly paced and interesting in all it’s facets, MR. KILL is a welcome addition to my mystery shelf.
February 15, 2012
This book is a fascinating look at US-South Korean relations and the functioning of the US Army in 1974 South Korea. It is a quick read that moves around the country, illustrating its diversity, and I found myself wanting to refer to a map as I read to better picture the distances traveled. Despite being the 7th book in a series, I didn't feel I had missed out on anything important, and previous stories were not mentioned for the most part. There is a third plot line that I suspect is related to a previous book. However, it seems to have been brought into the story more to lay groundwork for the next novel.
The lead characters are sympathetic and do their best to work around the internal Army politics in order to find a criminal within the ranks. Violence is somewhat casual as many of the Americans are quick to throw a punch. However, the leads are quite likable and have their hearts in the right place.
The plot is interesting, although the way the ends get wrapped up is a bit predictable. Fortunately, the reader is kept guessing until near the end as we learn about things as Sueno and Bascom do. It is possible the attentive read could put things together about 1 chapter earlier, but not well in advance. Another positive is that while this is a book about a serial criminal, the crime scenes are not described in great gory detail. The essential are described, but not dwelt upon.
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
The lead characters are sympathetic and do their best to work around the internal Army politics in order to find a criminal within the ranks. Violence is somewhat casual as many of the Americans are quick to throw a punch. However, the leads are quite likable and have their hearts in the right place.
The plot is interesting, although the way the ends get wrapped up is a bit predictable. Fortunately, the reader is kept guessing until near the end as we learn about things as Sueno and Bascom do. It is possible the attentive read could put things together about 1 chapter earlier, but not well in advance. Another positive is that while this is a book about a serial criminal, the crime scenes are not described in great gory detail. The essential are described, but not dwelt upon.
I received this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.
February 15, 2012
I selected this book, even though I hadn't read anything in the Sergeants Sueno and Bascom series, because I was interested in learning more about Korea through a novel. The book certainly served that purpose since Sueno is an American soldier who wants to learn Korean culture. He also speaks the language. Bascom is sort of a lout who flaunts custom as much as possible.
The mystery is less successful, but interesting in the way that they must cooperate with the Korean police and military to determine who is responsible for rapes and murders on the Blue Train. The victims are Korean women traveling with children.
Also figuring in the story is an all-woman country band from Texas who feel they are being stalked and robbed. Sueno and Bascom are assigned to protect them as well as solving the Blue Train crimes.
I really couldn't get into this story. The characters, with the exception of Sueno and Bascom, were indistinct to me. The band seemed like a group of hysterical women and I felt no connection to them at all.
However, I'm glad I read it because of the picture I got of the scenery in South Korea as well as the way people near the U.S. military bases survive. I might even try another book in this series to see if I just chose the wrong one to start with.
The mystery is less successful, but interesting in the way that they must cooperate with the Korean police and military to determine who is responsible for rapes and murders on the Blue Train. The victims are Korean women traveling with children.
Also figuring in the story is an all-woman country band from Texas who feel they are being stalked and robbed. Sueno and Bascom are assigned to protect them as well as solving the Blue Train crimes.
I really couldn't get into this story. The characters, with the exception of Sueno and Bascom, were indistinct to me. The band seemed like a group of hysterical women and I felt no connection to them at all.
However, I'm glad I read it because of the picture I got of the scenery in South Korea as well as the way people near the U.S. military bases survive. I might even try another book in this series to see if I just chose the wrong one to start with.
July 31, 2014
Basically a police procedural with a dash of mystery and clues for readers who like a small challenge, "Mr. Kill" takes place in South Korea. The police in question are Army CID officers Sueno and Bascom.
With a slight tendency toward stereotype, sometimes slapstick, Limon tells the story from the point of view of Sgt. Sueno. We learn interesting things about Korea, about the Army, about the political situation which existed just before the dawn of the computer/cellphone age. Being politics and a military organization, not much substantial has changed.
The killer is a bad guy, the bureaucrats hinder and confuse things as best they can, Mr. Kill is actually Inspector Gil Kwon-up. Americans can not usually pronounce 'Gil' the Korean way, and so he becomes Mr. Kill, one of the good guys, although we are left with plenty of room for him to be a bad guy in the next installment of the series.
Competently written, this deserves more than Three stars, but I am stretching to go Four. With that caveat, I will
Recommend.
With a slight tendency toward stereotype, sometimes slapstick, Limon tells the story from the point of view of Sgt. Sueno. We learn interesting things about Korea, about the Army, about the political situation which existed just before the dawn of the computer/cellphone age. Being politics and a military organization, not much substantial has changed.
The killer is a bad guy, the bureaucrats hinder and confuse things as best they can, Mr. Kill is actually Inspector Gil Kwon-up. Americans can not usually pronounce 'Gil' the Korean way, and so he becomes Mr. Kill, one of the good guys, although we are left with plenty of room for him to be a bad guy in the next installment of the series.
Competently written, this deserves more than Three stars, but I am stretching to go Four. With that caveat, I will
Recommend.
February 17, 2012
This is my first mystery involving Sergeants George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, who are US Army investigators in 190’s Korea. First, there is a rape of a Korean woman on a Seoul bound train that could have been done by a member of the U.S. Army. When the perpetrator vanishes, the duo investigates further, especially when another woman is raped and murdered. Meanwhile there is also an investigation of petty theft from a USO troupe performing. While trying to clear the name of the U.S. Army, they have to deal with a Korean investigator aptly named Mr. Kill.
I found the premise intriguing enough to want to read the book, and I was glad I did. I thought the characters of Sueno and Bascom interesting and with Mr. Kill. The description of 1970’s Korea made it different. A very enjoyable detective novel.
I found the premise intriguing enough to want to read the book, and I was glad I did. I thought the characters of Sueno and Bascom interesting and with Mr. Kill. The description of 1970’s Korea made it different. A very enjoyable detective novel.
March 4, 2012
I have read one of these before, The Wandering Ghost. I thought I had read GI Bones, but I have not read that one.
The author served in Korea and his detectives are George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, 8th Army CID. I enjoyed the first one, but I listened to Mr. Kill on audio. Eliza listened to part of it with me. George and Ernie came across as real jerks and the more I thought about it, I think it was partly how their parts were read. However, they are traditional tough guys--like Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns where some guys come together, stare at each other for a while, then one grunts, another one grunts back and they all start punching each other out.
Usually, I don't figure out "whodunit". However, I did on this one and so obviously it was not well constructed.
But I will read GI Bones as it got a very good review and if it isn't good, I will give up on Martin Limon.
The author served in Korea and his detectives are George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, 8th Army CID. I enjoyed the first one, but I listened to Mr. Kill on audio. Eliza listened to part of it with me. George and Ernie came across as real jerks and the more I thought about it, I think it was partly how their parts were read. However, they are traditional tough guys--like Clint Eastwood's spaghetti westerns where some guys come together, stare at each other for a while, then one grunts, another one grunts back and they all start punching each other out.
Usually, I don't figure out "whodunit". However, I did on this one and so obviously it was not well constructed.
But I will read GI Bones as it got a very good review and if it isn't good, I will give up on Martin Limon.
June 14, 2014
This is the first book I've read in this series and I can't wait to read more. Set in the early 1970's, Sueno & Bascom are investigators for the Criminal Investigation Division of the 8th United States Army in Seoul, Republic of Korea who become involved in the search for the rapist of a young mother. Since the suspect is possibly a U.S. serviceman with an agenda, they must deal with anti-American sentiment and bureaucratic red tape in their quest to prevent other victims. While reading this, I realized that I've read many novels set in other Asian countries but never one set in Korea. From Army bases to the back alleys and the lush mountains, the book paints an honest picture of the country, its people and its history. With good characters and a fast moving plot, it was hard to put down.
January 10, 2012
Read this in 24 hours-another page turner-compelling if a little unbelievable at times. Sueno and Bascom are as usual on a hot case but being pulled in two directions by the brass. They are in a race against time all over Korea trying to catch a rapist and also protecting some USO girls on a tour. A character from the past mysteriously reenters Sueno's life too and we meet the amazing Mr. Kill-good thing he's on our side, or is he? We're all set for the next one. Wondering if they are going to enter North Korea.
April 26, 2012
Mr. Kill is Martin Limon’s seventh book in the Sueno & Bascom series.
I hadn't read anything from Martin Limon before reading Mr. Kill and I have to say that nothing is better than finding a new author and a new series. After reading this one, I was hooked and definitely want to go back and read the other Sueno & Bascom mysteries also.
The structure and pace of the story is really addicting and I thoroughly enjoyed the two principal characters George Sueno and Ernie Bascom.
A great read from start to finish.
I'd like to thank goodreads for gving me the opportunity to read this book.
I hadn't read anything from Martin Limon before reading Mr. Kill and I have to say that nothing is better than finding a new author and a new series. After reading this one, I was hooked and definitely want to go back and read the other Sueno & Bascom mysteries also.
The structure and pace of the story is really addicting and I thoroughly enjoyed the two principal characters George Sueno and Ernie Bascom.
A great read from start to finish.
I'd like to thank goodreads for gving me the opportunity to read this book.
April 8, 2017
I won this book in a first-reads giveaway. I was expecting an intriguing thriller with some interesting insights into the Korean culture, and this book did not disappoint.
This is one of those books that was a quick read for me because I had a hard time putting it down. Five stars if the story line were a little more original to make it more entertaining, but I enjoyed it just fine as is.
I can definitely recommend this book to fans of the mystery/thriller genre, especially those interested in military or Asian settings.
This is one of those books that was a quick read for me because I had a hard time putting it down. Five stars if the story line were a little more original to make it more entertaining, but I enjoyed it just fine as is.
I can definitely recommend this book to fans of the mystery/thriller genre, especially those interested in military or Asian settings.
April 12, 2012
I liked this less than any of the other Sueno and Bascomb books. Ernie's need to hit first and think later has gotten old - he has regressed rather than developed. The whole subplot with the all girl Country Western Band was an annoying distraction from the more interesting story lines about the GI murderer and the manuscript fragment.
Sueno is still an interesting character and the Korean homicide cop, Gil Kwon-up was also. Would like to have seen more of them, less of Ernie, and none at all of the girl band.
Sueno is still an interesting character and the Korean homicide cop, Gil Kwon-up was also. Would like to have seen more of them, less of Ernie, and none at all of the girl band.
January 14, 2016
Sophisticated, it ain't. Nothing subtle in these pages. (You probably guessed that from the title.) In fact, nothing much past high school writing class.
A hup-two-three-four army mystery with little brain involved. Instead, you get macho, rock-em, sock-em style of detecting. Stuff I couldn't have gotten away with in my Army days: clonk an officer, assault a Green Beret commander, forget your orders.
You do get a little sex, some Texas USO singers, barley tea, and a couple of Chinese characters.
Limón does know US Army-Korea relations. That makes the slog worthwhile. Almost.
A hup-two-three-four army mystery with little brain involved. Instead, you get macho, rock-em, sock-em style of detecting. Stuff I couldn't have gotten away with in my Army days: clonk an officer, assault a Green Beret commander, forget your orders.
You do get a little sex, some Texas USO singers, barley tea, and a couple of Chinese characters.
Limón does know US Army-Korea relations. That makes the slog worthwhile. Almost.
September 16, 2014
I haven't read one of these novels in a while and was delighted to get back to Sueno and Bascom. They are Army crime investigators in Korea and, in their unique, non-rule following way, solve crimes and pursue justice. Of course, they make mistakes and sometimes get beaten up or follow the wrong lead, but these guys are true heroes. The book ends leaving you hanging in air as the next adventure is just beginning.
August 24, 2015
Georgie and Ernie go about helping a female country western band while finding a sinister rapist/murderer. There is an allusion to resurrecting the relationship between George and the doctor (and I see that the next in the series focuses on exactly that) that seems very spyish. Am wondering if the famous Mr. Kill will be a factor further on and, while his character wasn't developed too much, he seems like an interesting one to bring into the fold.
April 6, 2016
This is the second of Limon's Korean thrillers that I've read - not in order unfortunately so there were parts of this one where I missed the back story. But regardless, they are still fascinating adventures in an unexpected context - Korea in the 1970s. I like his narrator (although I could do without the violence of his partner) and there's always a number of strands to their mystery solving that keep one engrossed.
December 23, 2011
This book is a little thin on plot, but a great reference for the customs and ways of thinking of the Korean people. Since the time frame of the novel is the mid 1970's, Korean manners and opinions especially toward the American military might not hold true today, but it is a good education for Westerners unfamiliar with Asian thinking and Korean thinking in particular.
December 25, 2011
I liked the book but others in the series are better. I did like the cliffhanger type ending.
I worry about what this means about me but I enjoyed the sex in previous books. In this book Sueno is completely celibate and that doesn't feel right, character-wise.
I'll read the next book in the series.
I worry about what this means about me but I enjoyed the sex in previous books. In this book Sueno is completely celibate and that doesn't feel right, character-wise.
I'll read the next book in the series.
July 30, 2012
Another in one of my favorite series of crime novels set in Asia. Not my favorite of the series, but still a very good, fun, interesting read that is also informative about South Korea in the 1970s. Martin Limon is one of the better, more conscientious crime writers today, but surprisingly unsung.
January 21, 2012
Kept my interest till the end.
I like the fact that I am not military but still understood what was going on in the book.
Thumbs up!
I like the fact that I am not military but still understood what was going on in the book.
Thumbs up!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews