Chasing the Bangkok Dragon: A Thomas Sebastian Thriller

by K.E. Karl

"A well-crafted, diverting thriller." —Kirkus Reviews

How far would you go to stop a killer drug?

Set against the sultry streets and shadowy back alleys of 1980s Bangkok, Chasing the Bangkok Dragon is a gripping espionage thriller that captures the tension, beauty, and danger of a city alive with secrets.

When DEA analyst Thomas Sebastian is suddenly recruited for an undercover assignment, he trades his predictable desk job for a perilous world of deception and desire. Disguised as a charity worker, Thomas is thrust into the fight against an international drug syndicate in a city where no one can be trusted.

As he hunts the source of a deadly new drug known as “The Bangkok Dragon,” Thomas must navigate a treacherous maze of corruption, betrayal, and forbidden passion. Each clue draws him deeper into a dark web of lies that stretches from the corridors of American intelligence to the backrooms of Bangkok’s criminal elite.

Rich in atmosphere and propelled by tension, K. E. Karl’s Chasing the Bangkok Dragon delivers a masterful blend of intrigue, action, and emotion.
Perfect for readers of espionage, international crime, and thrillers with heart, this story explores how far one man will go when duty collides with love, and survival becomes the ultimate test.

Uncover the truth. Experience the danger. Start reading today.

284 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 25, 2025

About the author

K. E. Karl’s second novel, Chasing the Bangkok Dragon, received favorable reviews: “A well-crafted, diverting thriller.” —Kirkus Reviews. His debut novel, Our Man in Mbabane, is a fictionalized account of his years (1977-80) supporting the anti-apartheid movement in Africa. He published a collection of short stories, The Red Door and Other Stories, in 2023. His fiction has appeared in several literary journals. He has lived and worked in Oregon, London, Mbabane, Philadelphia, Maputo, Bangkok, New York, and Zurich. Karl lives in Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

CHASING THE BANGKOK DRAGON

Working as a research analyst at the DEA in Washington DC, Thomas Sebastian is recruited to go to Thailand and work as an undercover agent in the war on drugs. Having spent time in the Peace Corps, he is fluent in Thai. His reluctance to go outside his comfort zone, transferring from desk work to field agent, is offset by a personal tragedy that gives him the inspiration he needs. He understands there is extreme danger involved, as the agent he is replacing didn’t survive.

And so Thomas Sebastian, aka Robert Jordon, arrives in Bangkok and is thrown to the wolves. Or in this case, dragons. Whether trying to outwit dangerous drug lords and their gangs in the back allies of Bangkok, or touring the Wat Phra Kaew, Pavilion of Regalia, and the Sala Chalermkrung Royal Theater, Jordon takes us along for quite a ride though Thailand. An every man’s James Bond.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I really enjoy his writing style. Straightforward, comfortable and casual, it feels like being told a story by a good friend who had quite the adventure.

I would like to thank NetGalley and K.E. Karl for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although adventure novels aren't my typical read, I loved this fast-paced thriller set in Bangkok. Like the city itself, this is a novel of contrasts: modern vs. traditional Bangkok; Thomas the nerd vs. Robert the undercover agent; adventure story vs. travel log. Very entertaining. Hoping there's a sequel; loved the characters.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller set in Bangkok on the 1980s, introduces Thomas Sebastian, a CIA analyst who writes reports about Thailand and the Far East. Thomas is fluent in Thai having served in the Peace Corps there, but he’s not a field guy, so when there is a need for someone with Thai language skills, Thomas is the obvious choice to fill a critical position.

While there is plenty of action in this book, it’s also more character driven as the author develops Thomas from a more self-facing person into the hardened field agent Robert, his new persona, as he pursues drug smugglers. In the beginning, he’s challenged by his new partner, Andrea, a strong, hard-nosed woman who is initially contemptuous of Robert, especially his fear of killing someone. Thomas/Robert is then faced with a trust issue, when he falls for Fon, a tour guide, and has to face the duplicitous nature of his job: who can you trust. This is where the plot takes over to allow the character of Robert to grow into his field agent role. I enjoyed that aspect of the book.

The writing is crisp, clear and flows easily. While written more in a reporting style, I liked that the plot flow was so precise and not too cutesy. I think this made Robert’s character clearer too. While there are flaws in the book, these didn’t get in the way of story itself enjoyed the read.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, BooksGoSocial, for allowing me access to the ARC.

[JoAnne O'Brien-Wallace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting thriller.

A rollercoaster of fear, danger, and other feelings.

Not my normal genre to read but willing to read more thriller books.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, loved the setting, the words just fly off the page allowing you to feel every emotion you need in the moment, definitely world building and the tensions that makes up a espionage agent thriller. You appreciate all the various roles and how they make up the fabric of the book. Some parts dragged a little but thats fine. Makes me want to follow Thomas's journey even more, a very complete and growth in character.

[Simon Lloyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Sebastian is a desk man. Analyst. The kind of person who reads reports about danger rather than experiencing it. Then the DEA sends him to Bangkok with a new nose, a new name, and a gun he's never fired.

The setup works. It's 1984, fentanyl is emerging as a killer, and Thomas, now "Robert Jordan", gets partnered with Andrea Cannon, a senior agent who puts him through brutal 6am workouts. Andrea is the book's strongest creation. Tough, professional, emotionally guarded. Their partnership carries genuine weight.

Karl clearly knows this world. The DEA procedures, Thai street life, the mechanics of corruption. These details ring true, and they're the book's foundation.

But the execution doesn't always match the ambition. The prose tends toward functional rather than memorable. Chapters pass without a sentence that makes you stop and want to reread. The training section in the early going needed trimming, it drags, and a bully subplot feels familiar rather than fresh. Fon, the love interest, deserved more time on the page. Her death asks for emotional investment the book hasn't quite built.

Thomas's arc from nervous rookie to capable agent is satisfying in its bones, but the ending rushes through his psychological processing. After everything he's lost, he deserved more space.

This is a solid effort from an author who understands his subject matter. Readers who prioritise authentic tradecraft over polished prose will find plenty to enjoy. With tighter editing and deeper character work, the sequel could be something special.

[Laura Sturza · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author does a terrific job of opening the book by capturing the mid-80s in my hometown of DC and of creating believable characters, many of them earnest government workers. I was immediately interested in the story's lead, Thomas Sebastian, a drug enforcement researcher with no hands-on experience in crime fighting. Thanks to his Peace Corps experience in Thailand, he gets unwittingly roped into high-level police work, for which he is initially ill-equipped. He finds himself with a small team based in Thailand, who are out to root out a deadly drug being produced there and distributed to the US and other countries. Since I've never been to Thailand, I loved learning about the country through the evocative descriptions in this book. Throughout the book, I got to know Thomas' backstory and that of his friends and fellow agents, which made the story come alive and kept me turning pages to find out whether the team trying to bust a dangerous drug cartel would succeed. While the story is set in the 80s, it's timely now, as families (like Thomas' and others in the book) continue to be devastated by family members dying from overdoses. The book did a great job of keeping me engaged in the gripping storyline while also injecting moments of humor and pathos, which help ease the tension from the harrowing ordeals and the losses the main characters face. It's a book that left me interested in what would happen next for these characters, even as the story comes to its own satisfying conclusion. Recommended.

[Peter B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chasing the Bangkok Dragon by K.E. Karl is a taut, immersive espionage thriller that plunges readers into the shadowy streets of 1980s Bangkok. The novel masterfully blends tension, action, and atmosphere, creating a city alive with beauty, corruption, and danger.

The story follows DEA analyst Thomas Sebastian, who is abruptly pulled from his routine desk job into an undercover assignment that tests his courage, wits, and morality. Posing as a charity worker, Thomas must dismantle an international drug syndicate responsible for a deadly new substance known as “The Bangkok Dragon.” The narrative skillfully balances pulse-pounding suspense with emotional depth, exploring themes of duty, loyalty, and the personal costs of survival.

Karl’s writing is vivid and cinematic, allowing readers to feel the heat, noise, and intrigue of Bangkok as Sebastian navigates a labyrinth of betrayal, forbidden passion, and peril. With sharply drawn characters and a compelling plot, Chasing the Bangkok Dragon is perfect for fans of espionage, international crime, and thrillers that combine heart with high stakes.

[Lisa Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

K. E. Karl’s "Chasing the Bangkok Dragon" is a gripping and atmospheric dive into the perilous world of 1980s drug enforcement. The novel excels by making its protagonist, DEA analyst Thomas Sebastian, brilliantly ordinary, a desk jockey shoved violently out of his depth. His lack of field experience isn't a flaw in the plot but its greatest strength, lending every encounter in Bangkok's shadowy alleys a nerve-wracking authenticity.

The real star of the show is the setting. Karl renders 1980s Bangkok in vivid, sensory detail, the heat, the chaos, the jasmine-scented danger, making it a character in itself. The plot is a classic, satisfying espionage puzzle, as Thomas, disguised as the hapless "Robert Jordan," navigates a triple threat of cartels, corrupt officials, and his own agency's murky agendas. The tension is masterfully paced, blending investigative procedure with bursts of action and a compelling thread of forbidden romance. This is a must-read for fans of thoughtful, location-rich thrillers that prioritize atmosphere and character as much as the next lethal twist.

[Siobhain · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will confess that while I don’t normally let covers and titles sway me it did this time and I am so glad it did. Chasing the Bangkok Dragon was such an intense and interesting thriller that I could hardly put down. Karl’s writing is honestly fantastic at capturing the setting and so immerses you so quickly in the story that you just have to keep reading. The characters were truly fantastic and well developed.
I will definitely be getting a physical copy and recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller.