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Waking the Tiger
Longlisted for the Bloody Scotland Mcilvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021 and Shortlisted for the Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021
For fans of Abir Mukerhjee and Donna Leon, Mark Wightman's brilliant debut novel is historical crime fiction at its very best.
"Intricately plotted, thoroughly authentic and in Betancourt, a world-weary but witty and appealing protagonist, Waking the Tiger is a wonderfully accomplished debut. I felt transported back to the Singapore of the 1940s and I can't wait for the next one. Wightman is a writer we can expect great things of." (Abir Mukherjee, award-winning author of the Wyndham and Banerjee Mysteries)
"A splendidly evoked 1930s Singapore, a determined and engaging detective and a dark and twisting tale - Waking the Tiger is historical crime fiction at its best." (William Ryan, author of the Captain Korolev series and winner of Guardian Novel of the Year)
Singapore, 1939
A young Japanese woman is found dead on the dockside, her throat slashed.
Inspector Max Betancourt is working a new beat, one he didn’t ask for. Following the disappearance of his wife, his life and career have fallen apart.
A distinctive tiger tattoo is the only clue to her identity.
Once a rising star of Singapore CID, Betancourt has been relegated to the Marine Division, with tedious dockyard disputes and goods inspections among his new duties.
Who is she? And why are the authorities turning a blind eye?
But when a beautiful, unidentified Japanese woman is found murdered in the shadow of a warehouse owned by one of Singapore’s most powerful families, Betancourt defies orders and pursues those responsible. What he discovers will bring him into conflict with powerful enemies, and force him to face his personal demons.
For fans of Abir Mukerhjee and Donna Leon, Mark Wightman's brilliant debut novel is historical crime fiction at its very best.
"Intricately plotted, thoroughly authentic and in Betancourt, a world-weary but witty and appealing protagonist, Waking the Tiger is a wonderfully accomplished debut. I felt transported back to the Singapore of the 1940s and I can't wait for the next one. Wightman is a writer we can expect great things of." (Abir Mukherjee, award-winning author of the Wyndham and Banerjee Mysteries)
"A splendidly evoked 1930s Singapore, a determined and engaging detective and a dark and twisting tale - Waking the Tiger is historical crime fiction at its best." (William Ryan, author of the Captain Korolev series and winner of Guardian Novel of the Year)
Singapore, 1939
A young Japanese woman is found dead on the dockside, her throat slashed.
Inspector Max Betancourt is working a new beat, one he didn’t ask for. Following the disappearance of his wife, his life and career have fallen apart.
A distinctive tiger tattoo is the only clue to her identity.
Once a rising star of Singapore CID, Betancourt has been relegated to the Marine Division, with tedious dockyard disputes and goods inspections among his new duties.
Who is she? And why are the authorities turning a blind eye?
But when a beautiful, unidentified Japanese woman is found murdered in the shadow of a warehouse owned by one of Singapore’s most powerful families, Betancourt defies orders and pursues those responsible. What he discovers will bring him into conflict with powerful enemies, and force him to face his personal demons.
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First published June 1, 2021
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About the author
Mark Wightman
6 books17 followersI was born in Edinburgh, Scotland and grew up in the Far East, first in Hong Kong and then in Singapore.
After a successful career in media technology, I completed master's degrees in Creative Writing, first at the University of Edinburgh, and then at the University of East Anglia, where I received a distinction for my debut novel Waking the Tiger. I particularly enjoy exploring the elements of history that lay at the margins, where the recorded facts have either faded or been hidden.
I am delighted that Waking the Tiger has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021 and shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021.
After a successful career in media technology, I completed master's degrees in Creative Writing, first at the University of Edinburgh, and then at the University of East Anglia, where I received a distinction for my debut novel Waking the Tiger. I particularly enjoy exploring the elements of history that lay at the margins, where the recorded facts have either faded or been hidden.
I am delighted that Waking the Tiger has been longlisted for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish Crime Book of the Year 2021 and shortlisted for the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 6, 2023
Enjoyable murder mystery set in 1939 Singapore which at times seems like a small village given the speed with which gossip circulates in the colony. There’s the usual line up of corrupt colonial characters who lack any moral fibre and are only interested in money and power. The book also touches on the despicable trafficking of non-colonial immigrants being forced into prostitution and their constant battle with poverty, which leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.
You also feel sympathy for the investigator, Inspector Max Betancourt, who has quite the backstory. He was abandoned by his parents as a child, his wife is missing, more or less estranged from his daughter, career down the pan, racially abused and heavily in debt. Can life get any worse for Max?
You also feel sympathy for the investigator, Inspector Max Betancourt, who has quite the backstory. He was abandoned by his parents as a child, his wife is missing, more or less estranged from his daughter, career down the pan, racially abused and heavily in debt. Can life get any worse for Max?
February 13, 2022
An atmospheric and evocative mystery set in late 1930s Singapore- an excellent crime mystery amidst a backdrop of embargoes against Japan and the rise of Japanese fascism. This was also a fascinating lesson in social history- of the cultural mix of Singapore at the time and the Colonial politics. I really liked the MC and his backstory and really hope the author writes more to make this a series.
June 8, 2021
This one is a Chandleresque noir introducing an equally complex far-eastern Marlowe set in 1939 Singapore. The numerous strands of the plot are intricately interlaced and at the same time manage to evoke the multi-faceted culture of the colony's denizens, their culture, the blase and entitled attitude of the British ruling classes and the geo-politics of the region. I learned a lot from this book about Singaporean culture, the times and it kept me guessing until the end. A winning combination.
July 11, 2021
Full disclosure! Mark was in my writing cohort in Edinburgh.
Getting your first book published is a feat in and of itself, but for Mark's debut to feel as effortlessly confident as it reads is remarkable. I don't often make a stop in crime fiction, but of the few pieces of crime that I have read, Waking the Tiger reads like it belongs with many of the greats. Not only is the crime being investigated engaging, the 1930's Singapore of this novel feels vibrant and alive, and the many story threads which give the novel its beating heart give this story an extra undercurrent of empathy which helps balance the hard-boiled nature which drives the story forward. Waking the Tiger is a great piece of fiction and I hope it's not too long before I read the next chapter in Max Betancourt's story.
Getting your first book published is a feat in and of itself, but for Mark's debut to feel as effortlessly confident as it reads is remarkable. I don't often make a stop in crime fiction, but of the few pieces of crime that I have read, Waking the Tiger reads like it belongs with many of the greats. Not only is the crime being investigated engaging, the 1930's Singapore of this novel feels vibrant and alive, and the many story threads which give the novel its beating heart give this story an extra undercurrent of empathy which helps balance the hard-boiled nature which drives the story forward. Waking the Tiger is a great piece of fiction and I hope it's not too long before I read the next chapter in Max Betancourt's story.
August 3, 2021
Singapore, December 1939. The Second World War in Europe was four months old, but Japan had invaded nearby China more than two years earlier. And the polyglot English colony, located halfway between Calcutta and Hong Kong on the strategic Singapore Strait, was a tempting target for the militarists at the helm in Tokyo. Worse, the British had embargoed shipments of oil and rubber to Japan, tightening the noose around the island empire. The invasion of the colony was still two years in the future, but the signs of the conflict to come were glaring. This is the setting for Mark Wightman’s fascinating first entry in his series of historical mysteries, as Inspector Maximo Betancourt investigates a murder in colonial Singapore.
A troubled outsider in the police
Inspector Betancourt is a controversial figure in the police force, unloved by his boss and most of his colleagues. He is of mixed-race Portuguese-Malaccan descent, scorned both by the racist British in charge and the Chinese and Malaccan officers who predominate in the force. “His people,” Wightman explains, are “the Serani—descendants of distant unions between Portuguese seafarers and local Malaccans. . . [They] were the ones who would most often refer to Singapore as ‘home’ and mean it.”
Long a fixture in the Criminal Investigations Division, Betancourt had recently been bounced from the force. His wife, Anna, had disappeared, kidnapped or murdered seven months ago by one of the criminal gangs he was pursuing, and Betancourt had fallen apart. A supportive senior officer rescued him from his descent into hell by creating a new Special Investigations Unit of the Marine Branch and naming Betancourt its sole member. His charge is to uncover the smuggling and human trafficking operations the police know are underway on the docks. But now the corpse of a young woman has turned up there, and Betancourt is back in the game. Or so he thinks . . .
Investigating a murder in colonial Singapore against great odds
The dead woman presents a challenge for Betancourt on several counts. The Detective Branch asserts control over the case, so he can only investigate on his own shaky authority. An autopsy makes clear that she was murdered, but the police insist she is a prostitute who killed herself. Her body lay near the godown, or warehouse, of Betancourt’s wealthy father-in-law, Louis Clément. And a high official at Napier & Campbell, “the richest and most powerful of the British mercantile companies in Singapore,” is making calls to senior officials, demanding that they squelch Betancourt’s investigation. “And what Napier wanted, Napier usually got. It was said that if he wanted a white Christmas in Singapore, you wouldn’t want to bet long odds against it happening.” So, it’s clear that much more is going on than the murder of an unfortunate young Japanese woman.
An investigation that poses political complications
As Inspector Betancourt delves into Singapore’s murky underworld, he soon finds himself tangling with forces he can only dimly perceive. The colony’s powers-that-be seem arrayed against him. And the stakes rise perceptibly when Sir Oswald Mosley (1896-1980), the charismatic founder and leader of the British Union of Fascists, pays a visit to Singapore. Clearly, there is a connection between Mosley and the ultranationalist Japanese gang that appears to be behind many of the colony’s recent troubles. Is there also a connection between the Japanese militarists and the young woman’s murder? Does this murder in colonial Singapore signify something much graver about the island’s future? Betancourt regards it as his sacred duty to find out.
About the author
Mark Wightman “grew up in the Far East—first in Hong Kong, and then in Singapore, where he rode and trained horses competitively. Since then, Mark has lived and worked in Scotland, England, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, where he is now a citizen.” So goes the bio on his agent’s website. Waking the Tiger is the first book in the Inspector Betancourt series, “in which Betancourt battles skulduggery and corruption and searches for justice in colonial Singapore.”
A troubled outsider in the police
Inspector Betancourt is a controversial figure in the police force, unloved by his boss and most of his colleagues. He is of mixed-race Portuguese-Malaccan descent, scorned both by the racist British in charge and the Chinese and Malaccan officers who predominate in the force. “His people,” Wightman explains, are “the Serani—descendants of distant unions between Portuguese seafarers and local Malaccans. . . [They] were the ones who would most often refer to Singapore as ‘home’ and mean it.”
Long a fixture in the Criminal Investigations Division, Betancourt had recently been bounced from the force. His wife, Anna, had disappeared, kidnapped or murdered seven months ago by one of the criminal gangs he was pursuing, and Betancourt had fallen apart. A supportive senior officer rescued him from his descent into hell by creating a new Special Investigations Unit of the Marine Branch and naming Betancourt its sole member. His charge is to uncover the smuggling and human trafficking operations the police know are underway on the docks. But now the corpse of a young woman has turned up there, and Betancourt is back in the game. Or so he thinks . . .
Investigating a murder in colonial Singapore against great odds
The dead woman presents a challenge for Betancourt on several counts. The Detective Branch asserts control over the case, so he can only investigate on his own shaky authority. An autopsy makes clear that she was murdered, but the police insist she is a prostitute who killed herself. Her body lay near the godown, or warehouse, of Betancourt’s wealthy father-in-law, Louis Clément. And a high official at Napier & Campbell, “the richest and most powerful of the British mercantile companies in Singapore,” is making calls to senior officials, demanding that they squelch Betancourt’s investigation. “And what Napier wanted, Napier usually got. It was said that if he wanted a white Christmas in Singapore, you wouldn’t want to bet long odds against it happening.” So, it’s clear that much more is going on than the murder of an unfortunate young Japanese woman.
An investigation that poses political complications
As Inspector Betancourt delves into Singapore’s murky underworld, he soon finds himself tangling with forces he can only dimly perceive. The colony’s powers-that-be seem arrayed against him. And the stakes rise perceptibly when Sir Oswald Mosley (1896-1980), the charismatic founder and leader of the British Union of Fascists, pays a visit to Singapore. Clearly, there is a connection between Mosley and the ultranationalist Japanese gang that appears to be behind many of the colony’s recent troubles. Is there also a connection between the Japanese militarists and the young woman’s murder? Does this murder in colonial Singapore signify something much graver about the island’s future? Betancourt regards it as his sacred duty to find out.
About the author
Mark Wightman “grew up in the Far East—first in Hong Kong, and then in Singapore, where he rode and trained horses competitively. Since then, Mark has lived and worked in Scotland, England, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, where he is now a citizen.” So goes the bio on his agent’s website. Waking the Tiger is the first book in the Inspector Betancourt series, “in which Betancourt battles skulduggery and corruption and searches for justice in colonial Singapore.”
October 18, 2021
A good start to a series that I'll certainly read more of. Liked the characters and it has a good strong sense of time and place.
October 25, 2021
Intelligent and well written
Very well developed plot and well written. Very interesting use of the events leading up to WwII, set in Singapore.
Very well developed plot and well written. Very interesting use of the events leading up to WwII, set in Singapore.
February 5, 2022
If you really only one book make it this one.
Very crisp plotting. Well fleshed out characters. And only one well concealed "bump" where you might see it coming. I hope Wrightman strikes fast. Dick Francis might have some competition if the racing stays in.
Very crisp plotting. Well fleshed out characters. And only one well concealed "bump" where you might see it coming. I hope Wrightman strikes fast. Dick Francis might have some competition if the racing stays in.
January 29, 2022
Bloody good story. Historically accurate in describing the setting and weaving the tale around it. Intriguing orient based mystery pre WW2.
November 9, 2022
WAKING THE TIGER is set in 1939 Singapore. Dripping with sense of place and time, there's something vaguely reminiscent of Chandler's styling, and the excellent Inspector Le Fanu series by Brian Stoddart in the characterisation and plot.
Inspector Maximo Betancourt is working a new beat, that he never wanted. Following the disappearance of his own wife, everything has collapsed around him, including his career. Once a rising star of the Singapore CID, he's been relegated to the Marine Division, adjudicating dockyard disputes and conducting goods inspections.
The discovery of an unidentified Japanese woman, murdered in the shadow of a warehouse owned by one of Singapore's most powerful families, Betancourt investigates, defying orders and social norms, bringing him into conflict with some of the most powerful people in Singapore. In the end, the fate of his wife, and his future with his much-loved young daughter fight the dead woman for attention.
An excellent plot and strong mystery elements are enhanced by the social history lesson that comes with WAKING THE TIGER. Subtly presented, as part of the overall story, this novel touches on the cultural tensions within Singapore and the politics of the time, particularly the attitudes of the ruling classes (including the British) and the way that the tensions sit across the entire region. It all went to a really strong sense of place and time, avoiding at all times that sense of sitting through a lecture.
Part of the success of WAKING THE TIGER was that sense of balance - informative and rich in detail, without being laggy or dragged down by it. Populated by excellent, flawed characters with plenty of their own problems to be getting on with that remain engaging and lively company. Set in a place and time that's beautifully evoked, never once resorting towards tell, not show, WAKING THE TIGER was a very entertaining and rewarding read.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
Inspector Maximo Betancourt is working a new beat, that he never wanted. Following the disappearance of his own wife, everything has collapsed around him, including his career. Once a rising star of the Singapore CID, he's been relegated to the Marine Division, adjudicating dockyard disputes and conducting goods inspections.
The discovery of an unidentified Japanese woman, murdered in the shadow of a warehouse owned by one of Singapore's most powerful families, Betancourt investigates, defying orders and social norms, bringing him into conflict with some of the most powerful people in Singapore. In the end, the fate of his wife, and his future with his much-loved young daughter fight the dead woman for attention.
An excellent plot and strong mystery elements are enhanced by the social history lesson that comes with WAKING THE TIGER. Subtly presented, as part of the overall story, this novel touches on the cultural tensions within Singapore and the politics of the time, particularly the attitudes of the ruling classes (including the British) and the way that the tensions sit across the entire region. It all went to a really strong sense of place and time, avoiding at all times that sense of sitting through a lecture.
Part of the success of WAKING THE TIGER was that sense of balance - informative and rich in detail, without being laggy or dragged down by it. Populated by excellent, flawed characters with plenty of their own problems to be getting on with that remain engaging and lively company. Set in a place and time that's beautifully evoked, never once resorting towards tell, not show, WAKING THE TIGER was a very entertaining and rewarding read.
https://www.austcrimefiction.org/revi...
August 29, 2021
A beautifully evocative crime novel set in Singapore 1939, Waking the Tiger is filled with complex characters, sinister subplots and a great lead in the crime tradition. I particularly loved the sense of place fused in the novel - it's really expressive. It's a real page turner and the writing is great. Definitely recommended for crime/detective novel fans!
I should disclose that I do know Mark, but that just made me all the happier that he's a great writer too!
I should disclose that I do know Mark, but that just made me all the happier that he's a great writer too!
September 7, 2021
Interesting, well written, read.
Despite the use of the rather overworked tropes of flawed detective being blocked by his bureaucratic 'betters' the setting (geographical and historical) made for an interesting change. Enough interesting characters and plot lines to generally keep the book flowing although it does get bogged down a bit in one or two places.
I will certainly consider further work by this author and about this policeman.
Despite the use of the rather overworked tropes of flawed detective being blocked by his bureaucratic 'betters' the setting (geographical and historical) made for an interesting change. Enough interesting characters and plot lines to generally keep the book flowing although it does get bogged down a bit in one or two places.
I will certainly consider further work by this author and about this policeman.
April 11, 2022
Singapore before the war in the Pacific started. The murder of a Japanese women leads to lots of criminal activity for the purpose of providing money for the Japanese war effort to control Asia.
The main character has his work cut out for him as he tries to overcome more than his share of personal problems and no help from his superiors. Good mystery, but with tangents. Didn't find the racing part interesting at all.
The main character has his work cut out for him as he tries to overcome more than his share of personal problems and no help from his superiors. Good mystery, but with tangents. Didn't find the racing part interesting at all.
September 14, 2021
A fascinating read set in pre war Singapore can’t wait so see how the series pans out
June 3, 2021
I loved this book! - it’s a good read on so many levels. Although it felt a little slow at the start it soon gathers pace and becomes an absorbing read. Inspector Max Betancourt is an experienced detective but, following the disappearance of his wife, has lost his focus and been moved to the Marine Police branch and then one day a dead body turns up at the docks. The sights, sounds and people of Singapore are so vividly portrayed you feel you are there. As the investigation proceeds the pieces of the jigsaw slowly appear, the back story for the Inspector (which is essential to the tale) is neatly woven into the narrative without being obvious, the cast of characters is varied and fascinating and there is an interesting side story to add depth to the book. I really recommend this book; I, for one, can’t wait to see what happens to Max Betancourt in the future.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy to review
Thanks to the publisher for a copy to review
May 27, 2021
Such an evocative book. It made me feel as though I was right there amongst the sights and sounds of 1940’s Singapore. What an accomplished writer this is to bring the locations and the era to life. A very different place to how it is now. I have visited Singapore a few times and been to a number of places mentioned and reading this took me right back there.
Briefly, Police Inspector Max Betancourt has been demoted to working the docks in Singapore as a result of his actions after his wife Anna went missing. His daughter Sophie lives with his in-laws but all is not well there. Additionally, Betancourt is in debt having borrowed money from a number of sources to aid his search for Anna but his various debts appear to have been bought up by one person.
Betancourt is investigating the death of a Japanese woman, Akiko, her body found in the docks. The official verdict is suicide but Betancourt believes she was murdered. However, his investigation is clearly ruffling feathers, high powered feathers. Can he keep his family and friends safe and discover who killed Akiko? And why?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A wonderful historical police procedural novel. Betancourt is an interesting character. A bit of an Asian Poirot but with a more gentle, human demeanour. I’m hoping this is the start of a series and we will be seeing more of Betancourt. A good 5* read.
Briefly, Police Inspector Max Betancourt has been demoted to working the docks in Singapore as a result of his actions after his wife Anna went missing. His daughter Sophie lives with his in-laws but all is not well there. Additionally, Betancourt is in debt having borrowed money from a number of sources to aid his search for Anna but his various debts appear to have been bought up by one person.
Betancourt is investigating the death of a Japanese woman, Akiko, her body found in the docks. The official verdict is suicide but Betancourt believes she was murdered. However, his investigation is clearly ruffling feathers, high powered feathers. Can he keep his family and friends safe and discover who killed Akiko? And why?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A wonderful historical police procedural novel. Betancourt is an interesting character. A bit of an Asian Poirot but with a more gentle, human demeanour. I’m hoping this is the start of a series and we will be seeing more of Betancourt. A good 5* read.
July 18, 2021
Historically interesting
Historically interesting
I loved the story and the characters but I didn’t like all that at the end about the horse race ; it was kinda like tacked on and too involved for me to understand . Still loved the book!
Historically interesting
I loved the story and the characters but I didn’t like all that at the end about the horse race ; it was kinda like tacked on and too involved for me to understand . Still loved the book!
July 16, 2021
This is a good mystery, illuminating some of the nitty-gritty grime and pain of colonialism.
February 17, 2022
excellent Detective tale of pre WW2 Singapore
A demoted mixed race detective stumbles upon a dockside murder disguised as a suicide of a young Japanese courtesan. As the English Colonial power recedes & the former European society reveals both its prejudice and false pride, the relentless hurdle towards the Near future Japanese onslaught and the intrigue of his wife’s abduction play out. Excellent character study and fascinating role playing make this book a keeper.
A demoted mixed race detective stumbles upon a dockside murder disguised as a suicide of a young Japanese courtesan. As the English Colonial power recedes & the former European society reveals both its prejudice and false pride, the relentless hurdle towards the Near future Japanese onslaught and the intrigue of his wife’s abduction play out. Excellent character study and fascinating role playing make this book a keeper.
July 9, 2021
Well paced, kept my interest throughout. A thouroughly enjoyable read. I hope that it is the first of many! If you enjoy Harriet Steel and Marissa De Luna, you will enjoy this.
July 1, 2021
A cracking good tale. Can't wait for the next Betancourt novel.
September 15, 2024
Interesting audio with telephone calls coming through like you’re really listening. Interesting crime but I liked the life in Singapore and the tension among the Brits, Japanese and locals. I liked the horse race and the family dynamics.
June 28, 2021
I absolutely loved this book. An intriguing story with well-rounded characters. The evocation of pre-war Singapore was so well done! I can’t wait for the next Betancourt novel.
January 30, 2022
A Spectacular Debut
The sights and smells of 1930's Singapore come alive under the author's pen. The plot and characters ring true as well. I want to read more about Max, so I'm hoping he has more adventures.
The sights and smells of 1930's Singapore come alive under the author's pen. The plot and characters ring true as well. I want to read more about Max, so I'm hoping he has more adventures.
June 15, 2021
How wonderful to immediately be immersed in a debut novelist's book. To be swept off to Singapore in 1939 at the turn of a page. The author sets the scene wonderfully, explaining the environment and smells and emotions of a place.
There are lots of twists and turns in this book which really keep you wanting to find out what happened. The murder takes place in the first few pages but the search for the killer is a great chase.
I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series and wish the author all the success
I would give this 4 stars, or a rating of around 88%, and would definitely recommend it to all readers who are interested in mystery and historical fiction.
Many thanks to Hobeck Books for bringing this book to publication and for providing me with an electronic advance copy of the book in return for fair, unbiased feedback.
The book will be released on the Kindle on 1st June so get your pre-orders in early and prepare to be transported to 1939 Singapore
There are lots of twists and turns in this book which really keep you wanting to find out what happened. The murder takes place in the first few pages but the search for the killer is a great chase.
I am already looking forward to reading the next book in the series and wish the author all the success
I would give this 4 stars, or a rating of around 88%, and would definitely recommend it to all readers who are interested in mystery and historical fiction.
Many thanks to Hobeck Books for bringing this book to publication and for providing me with an electronic advance copy of the book in return for fair, unbiased feedback.
The book will be released on the Kindle on 1st June so get your pre-orders in early and prepare to be transported to 1939 Singapore
June 21, 2021
Waking the Tiger.
What a great book, I !over it, so different from the books I usually read Great characters, great story, great setting and so well written.
More please Mark.
What a great book, I !over it, so different from the books I usually read Great characters, great story, great setting and so well written.
More please Mark.
June 19, 2021
Exceptional - British colonial era in Singapore
A true thriller, excellent detective work, story beautifully woven and completed. The kaleidoscope of characters set in sultry Singapore British colonial era
A true thriller, excellent detective work, story beautifully woven and completed. The kaleidoscope of characters set in sultry Singapore British colonial era
June 15, 2021
There is lots to like about this Historical crime thriller from Mark Wightman A
and Hobeck Books.
An interesting protagonist, a kind of down on his luck harbour detective, gets caught up In a sinister killing, that involves triads and more,
Set in Singapore, it’s a historical thriller set in the 40s I believe - which is a small complaint from me, I never felt a sense of time, it could have been 2020, nothing other than the lack of technology seemed to set the timeline.
Other than that it’s a very complex, intricately plotted crime thriller with a vivid cast of characters and a stunning locale and one I will be sure to follow up if there is more to come
and Hobeck Books.
An interesting protagonist, a kind of down on his luck harbour detective, gets caught up In a sinister killing, that involves triads and more,
Set in Singapore, it’s a historical thriller set in the 40s I believe - which is a small complaint from me, I never felt a sense of time, it could have been 2020, nothing other than the lack of technology seemed to set the timeline.
Other than that it’s a very complex, intricately plotted crime thriller with a vivid cast of characters and a stunning locale and one I will be sure to follow up if there is more to come
August 22, 2021
Powerful picture of Singapore pre ww2
The best of this book is a picture of what Singapore may have Bernice before world war 2 and the Japanese invasion.The cultures, the food ,the shipping the city all come to life in a tale that weaves in historical figures into a other that may be fictional but brings with it an element of logic
The main weakness for me were the main characters -Betancourt is not someone I could be convinced by ,just didn't feel a rounded character nor Evelyn or several of the main characters
I suspect there may be more featuring them and perhaps they will grow on me .I would certainly read more by this author
The best of this book is a picture of what Singapore may have Bernice before world war 2 and the Japanese invasion.The cultures, the food ,the shipping the city all come to life in a tale that weaves in historical figures into a other that may be fictional but brings with it an element of logic
The main weakness for me were the main characters -Betancourt is not someone I could be convinced by ,just didn't feel a rounded character nor Evelyn or several of the main characters
I suspect there may be more featuring them and perhaps they will grow on me .I would certainly read more by this author
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews