The Hot Countries

Poke Rafferty Mystery #7

by Timothy Hallinan

Back when Poke Rafferty first arrived in Bangkok to write a travel guide, some of the old-timers in the Expat Bar on Patpong Road helped him make sense of the city. Now these men—many of whom have been living in Southeast Asia since the Vietnam War—have grown old and, in some cases, frail. When a talkative stranger named Arthur Varney turns up, they accept him without suspicion, failing to see that he’s actually using them to get to Poke.

Varney wants two things: money Poke doesn’t have and a person Poke is unwilling to hand over. It becomes apparent quite quickly that there’s nothing Varney won’t do to secure his goals. As his actions threaten the foundation of Poke’s life in Thailand, the aging men of the Expat Bar discover that they might still be a force to reckon with.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Contemporary

336 pages, Paperback

First published October 6, 2015

About the author

I'm a thriller and mystery novelist with 22 published books in three series, all with major imprints. I divides my time between Los Angeles and Southeast Asia, primarily Thailand, where I've lived off and on for more than twenty years. As of now, My primary home is in Santa Monica, California.

I currently write two series, The Poke Rafferty Bangkok Thrillers, most recently FOOLS' RIVER, and the Junior Bender Mysteries, set in Los Angeles, Coming up this November is NIGHTTOWN. The main character of those books is a burglar who works as a private eye for crooks.

The first series I ever wrote featured an overeducated private eye named Simeon Grist. in 2017 I wrote PULPED, the first book in the series to be self-published, which was actually a lot of fun. I might do more of it.

I've been nominated for the Edgar, the Macavity, the Shamus, and the Left, and won the Lefty in 2015 (?) for the Junior Bender book HERBIE'S GAME. My work has frequently been included in Best Books of the Year roundups by major publications.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I start to sound like a broken record but this is without question my favorite thriller series. The seventh in the Poke Rafferty/Bangkok series, The Hot Countries is by far a more cerebral and psychological book than all of the others preceding it. Does it matter that there is less action in this story? Not one bit. What Hallinan does best is craft his characters and he may have done his finest work yet with this one - astoundingly so. There is no doubt that he has a gift for connecting readers to the humanity within each one of his characters.

Poke, his family, and the locals that hang out in the ExPat bar are all astutely captured individuals with unique personalities. Amidst their smart, snappy dialogue, most of the time I feel like I’m sitting right in the bar with them, having a conversation over a Singha. The pitfall of this is that I’m always left feeling sad when it’s over, so absorbed do I become in that world.

I can’t recommend this series enough. Start with A Nail Through the Heart, take a trip to Bangkok and meet Poke Rafferty. You will not regret it.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: Poke Rafferty
SETTING: Thailand
SERIES: #7 of 7
RATING: 4.5
WHY: An obnoxious man named Arthur Varney starts hanging around a bar that Poke Rafferty frequents. The patrons are all old timers who Poke has known for a long time. Varney is a huge threat to Poke, and the ragtag group goes to surprising lengths to protect him. I'm amazed at how Hallinan is able to integrate a group of characters through all 7 of the books, with each of them playing lesser or greater roles in each of the books. In this one, Treasure plays a prominent role. This is another stellar entry in a great series.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fifth star is personal, but four stars are objectively merited.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timothy Hallinan is simply a wonderful writer. He writes with humanity and understanding and humor and the joy of written words. He plays joyfully with all the above. He is fun to read aloud, for the way he writes. The descriptions of the location give me the feel of a place I will never reach in person. The intelligence he brings to his stories are just a wonderful bonus. The people for the most part feel real. If the bad guys are real, too, I never want to meet them. I think he is among the best of the current writers. I wait eagerly for each new Poke Rafferty book. He takes his time, and brings forth a good one every time, with a new description of some part of the Thai community he has not focused on before. The ex-pat community here is recognizable. These are people we might know.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is without a doubt my favorite mystery series. Every book has shown me something new about life in Thailand and the diverse communities there. The recurring characters are beautifully developed and I care about them all.

In the Afterword, Timothy Hallinan writes "The Hot Countries is the final book in an informal trilogy that explores the ...blah, blah, blah". You know you love a book series when your heart freezes at the words final book. I hope to never see the end of these great stories!

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Timothy Hallinan's first Poke Rafferty book, A Nail Through the Heart, blew me away, and I've been a fan ever since. Rafferty has changed over the years. Where once he was a bit of a smart aleck, now as a husband and a father (and with a baby on the way), his thoughtfulness, compassion, and ability to think through difficult situations have come to the fore. In addition, his adopted daughter Miaow, a former street child, never fails to surprise or tug at the heartstrings. She gives every appearance of being a typical self-absorbed teenager, but don't let her fool you.

Hallinan deftly adds touching personal details about the lives of his characters amid chill-inducing action sequences. As we learn why Poke is reluctant to leave a too-small apartment and why the adoption his policeman friend is considering is fraught with problems, in the back of our minds lurks the deadly Varney. He's a man capable of anything, and it shows the caliber of man Rafferty is when-- at the first sign of danger-- the first thing he does is get his wife and daughter out of harm's way.

The Hot Countries resolves the story of Haskell Murphy, an unofficial trilogy begun in The Fear Artist; however, it's not a permanent resolution. His daughter Treasure, who's suffered tremendous abuse in her short life, is now a part of the lives of Poke, his family, and his friends. And Treasure is a young girl who inspires great compassion and great distrust. She is one more reason-- among many-- for me to continue being enthralled with the evolution of this series.

[Lani · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I think I only rounded up out of loyalty to the series.
This one was just missing something that the other books in the series had. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is, but it didn't feel like the same suspense/mystery series that held my attention from the first chapter. I still love the characters, but maybe it was the storyline, or the way it was told, that was lacking for me.

I would still recommend the series.

[Wyckliffe Howland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The end of a trilogy within Hallinan's Patpong series, this one started with Murphy and Treasure. It stands alone. I think the writer brings an intelligent, sensitive perspective to human interactions. Poke Rafferty keeps an introspective dialogue going that shows us what Thailand feels like, looks like, smells like. This book includes a look at the expat bar he goes to, the home of several Vietnam veterans, who he has known for years, and their stories. Miaow is the star in a school play. Rose is pregnant and it may be twins. Poke needs to keep them safe from a new and formidable foe.

Rafferty struggles in his relationships with friends, adopted daughter, and love. He is vulnerable, flawed, and intrepid. Hallinan's plots are well developed and suspenseful. I always smile at the end, and learn things along the way.

[Carol Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH BOY -- I've been waiting MONTHS for this! And I was not disappointed. Hallinan is a sensitive, intelligent writer who understands and describes to perfection his characters, the sex workers and street children of Bangkok. The suspense is maintained throughout, and a whole new group of characters, aging expats, is brought into the series to great benefit of the plot and the atmosphere. Anyone who knows me knows I'm a tough customer in the area of sentimentality, but my eyes were stinging by the end. Really, a wonderful addition to the series.

Now, for the next Junior Bender!

[RJ McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This three book story, began with the Fear Artist, continued with For The Dead and now concludes with The Hot Countries. (Which is book seven in the Poke Rafferty series) Being a huge fan of this series since way back in 2007, I hope this is not also the end of the series. The Poke Rafferty series is unique. There's nothing quite like it on the shelves. I have never figured out exactly how to describe these incredible books - the stories are so raw and real, there's genuine emotion, family attachments and problems. The characters, while doing extraordinary things, stuff right out of a great spy novel, they are also normal. It feels like you know these people.... you feel their pain, their fear and their joy. To me.... that's a good book. When I finish one, I immediately look forward to the next - I can't wait to reconnect with the characters I have grown so fond of over the years.

The expat bar, where Poke and his best friend (high ranking Thai policemen), Arthit frequent is home to a several men that came to Bangkok many years ago - simply to enjoy the sex trade industry and ended up staying. It is this group of men, that Poke calls on for help when Arthur Varney strolls in and demands two things.....3.8 million dollars and to know the location of a girl named Treasure. Well, Poke is not about to tell this lunatic, a known killer, where Treasure has been hiding. And as far as we know, he was only able to rescue one suitcase, containing 640 thousand dollars. Poke has hid that money in his apartment, intending to give it to Treasure when she is older. But, Arthur Varney is not the kind of man that takes no for an answer - and he will not leave Bangkok til he has what he came for. What follows is an emotional, thrilling, Bangkok adventure that leaves you breathless at times, makes you hold your breath at times and as it hurdles full speed towards the ending.... it tugs at your heart. *(Yeah, I shed a few tears.)





This is by far the most emotional of the Poke Rafferty books (and that's saying a lot, because all the stories have so much depth and dimension.) This is a well developed story that keeps the reader involved from the first page. I have always loved the characters in these books. Often it is the plot that carries the story, but in this series it is the people. I love Arthit and his relationship with Poke. It has been developing since 2007 and it's the kind of friendship we all wish we had. But, Miaow has been my favorite character. There's just something about this kid - she was abandoned by her parents, then adopted by Poke and she is an amazing young lady. Spirited, fun loving, yet intelligent and serious. She's damaged, but doing her best to distance herself from her past and I am cheering for her all the way. The Poke Rafferty series is a wonderful set of stories, if you haven't read any of these books - do yourself a favor, get a copy of the first book - A Nail Through the Heart. You'll be hooked.
I hope author Timothy Hallinan isn't finished with Poke Rafferty - as a reader, and a fan, I'm not ready to say goodbye to these fictional characters I've grown to love.

Happy Reading!
RJ

[Paul McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really struggled to get through this book. I have read all the books in the Poke Rafferty series, but the last two, just didn't work for me at all. The writing is excellent as always but the last two seemed forced. This book is slightly part of a trilogy according to the author. It started in book 5- The Fear Artist, but even with that book, it seemed like the usual formula. A bad guy with loose USA government connections, maybe as a fixer, ex CIA, or black ops. And while there was plenty of action I found myself thinking I have read this too many times in the past.
Another problem I have with this series is two fold:
1. Rose and Meow, and with these 3 books Treasure have taken center stage in the stories.
2. Rose and Meow,and other elements of just too much PC or cliche for me.
Rose- forced to flee her village, moves to Bangkok, and becomes a sex worker.
Meow- street child who Poke adopts and in addition to all the usual teenage girl drama, also has all of the street child baggage as well.
These to characters are not interesting to me at all. I liked the dirty gritty Bangkok of the early novels in the series. I don't care about the school play Meow is in, or that Rose is pregnant.
Unless the next book in the series sounds fantastic and get rave reviews with explicit details about the story, I believe I am done with this series.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been enjoying the Poke Rafferty series since the first book A Nail through the Heart. This book finishes up the trilogy started with The Fear Factor. Arthur Varney shows up in Poke's expat bar looking for him. He wants the money that he feels that Poke has from Haskell Murphy and Murphy's psychologically damaged daughter who was extremely abused by her father Murphy. Varney is one scary character. He is large and doesn't feel pain. He loves giving pain to others. Poke feels his family Rose who is pregnant with their baby and Miaow, their adopted daughter are at risk too due to Varney's threats. So he moves them from their home.

We meet again the expats at the bar who have stayed in Bangkok since the Vietnam war. They are now old and starting to show frailty. Over the years, they have bonded and now want to back Poke. They reminded me of a family unit. They probably would be surprised by that description.

I, always, enjoy Poke's description of his home life. He loves Rose, his wife and Miaow very much. They know this and their interactions with Poke can bring a smile to the reader. Right now they are enamored with their flat screen tv and British drama. So Poke heads to the expat bar. Miaow has a love of acting now and that added to the story.

I have two more books to read until the end of the series. It will be sad when the series ends for me.

[Joshua Buhs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Return to form--
a form I don't remember since the first book, as a matter of fact.

Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series has a tension running through it, as Hallinan tries to combine conventions of the crime thriller with conventions of the domestic drama. It's not just that Rafferty has married, and adopted a child--the second book in the series introduced his father and sister, too. In the tradition of American noir, Rafferty is leaving behind his dysfunctional family, and trying to create something to replace it, though the past keeps managing to come back and get him. In this entry, the past is not so distant as his California family, but a job he pulled two books ago, the consequences of which have continued until this episode.

What rejuvenates the book, for my money, is that in this case the domestic drama is put on the back burner, and the family Rafferty originally tried to create when he came to Thailand: the ex-pat community, most of whom are losers of one sort or another. At this point in the story, their mostly elderly, mostly drinking themselves to death--a fate Rafferty himself barely escaped. But the community throws up one last problem, as well as its solution.

Hallinan has no illusions about the community from which Rafferty came; the easy choice would have been to portray them as a comical Greek chorus, but he avoids that (reserving it, instead, for a pair of lady-boys, since the structure of the book otherwise needs such a group). Rafferty is mostly at a loss through this book, in over his head against an aggressive antagonist, almost superhumanly so for this series. It's a distinction from my memory of the earlier books, when Rafferty seemed freakishly competent. (Even so, he's still a bit of a Mary Sue.)

There are throwbacks to the other books, notably Rafferty once again spiriting his wife and child to a hiding place, trying to keep them safe. (This has become tiresome.) Arthit, his best friend and a police officer, has devolved from a complicated character earlier on to something of a plot device and conscience for Rafferty. There's Mia in school again and in a new play.

The book feels leaner than more recent entries in the series, though the pay-off, I don't think, was as good--it was kind of obvious how things would be resolved--and there was a slight feeling of incompletion. The emotion at the end, some of it, seemed unearned; the book's title never really came into play, except obliquely, and the antagonist's menace never added up to what was foretold. It's also true that there were some plot strands left dangling, presumably to be taken up in the next book.

Mostly though these are cavils, picayune. I gave it four stars because the story was tight and focused and noir-ish and engaging all the way through. Hallinan stretched himself as a writer in this one, and the imagery felt organic and real, at times almost lyrical; though far from the street poetry of a Chandler, there was a family resemblance.

A very solid, nice outing in the series.

[Nancy Cook Lauer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Bangkok, and I've never been there in the flesh. Hallinan has done that to me with his wonderfully solid series about ex-Vietnam vets who've traded the fleshpots of Thailand for returning to the world after their stint at unimaginable war. Farang or local, the Thai culture embraces them all, especially if they have a buck or two in their pockets.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. I have loved every book in this series and can't wait for the next!

[Claudette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author. Makes me want to visit Bangkok!

[Sandy Kell · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite writers has done it again! His Poke Rafferty series has mystery, suspense, travel, love, laughter and tears.

[JDK1962 · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the author says in the afterward, this book completes an informal trilogy within the series. So far, I've loved all the books in the series, but probably could have done without this one: the villain of the piece just seemed too similar to the Big Bad in The Fear Artist, and it was a well I wasn't that enthused about returning to. That being said, the surrounding character work (especially Treasure and, as always, Miaow) was lovely.

Hats off to Mr. Hallinan: seven books into the series and the quality is still great.

[Manuel Finelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very few authors are capable of keep generating chapters of a series without losing in quality as Hallinan does. This is the 7th book of the Rafferty series and still attracts for the quality of the narration, the profoundess of sociological anaylisis, the rythm of the thrilling pace and even (rare for me to happen) the capacity to move tears... Perhaps just a slow start and a bit too much about the play which is part of the plot but, those are secondary deatails. One the best closing i've read lately.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I've mentioned before, this is my favourite series and by a fair margin. The Hot Countries is another ripper, wrapping up the thread of the 2 previous books.
Poke, his family, friends and misfits provide a great mix of humour and charm and the bad guy is not someone you'd want to share a Chang or two with.
I love Thailand and enjoy Bangkok but I'm more of a Samui guy. Maybe the Raffertys could end up holidaying there after the baby is born. Poke must be due to write another travel guide, it's been a hell of a long time between books.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another page turner in a series I don’t want to end. Each book has something new and stands on its own. Human behavior- in every aspect of highs and lows with high- lightable paragraphs- be they truths about the human condition or chuckles about foibles- but then greed, violence and lost opportunities show up as the dark side rears its head. Good wins- but not without losses. I’m ready for the next one!

[ANDREW RAIHER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another smash

There is no author that writes in quite the same exciting yet beautiful style that I’ve come across before. I continue to adore the always slightly comedic turn of phrase that keeps me giggling each night as my wife tries to sleep through it but always asks what’s so funny.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

These mysteries are simply magnificent. In tears by the end, both for the events that unfolded and for the fact that this is my last one until Mr. Hallinan writes a new entry (I started with book 8 and got hooked, not realizing it was part of a series :(

[John Wintersteen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hallinan is a superior writer and this story is riveting. Not my personal favorite but superior to most of the books I read.

[Pat Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pulled in once again on the excellent writing of Tim Hallinan. Now anxiously awaiting the release this fall of the next in this series!

[Lavonn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Poke Rafferty and author Timothy Hallinan! Another great story (audible version), read by Victor Bevine.

[Jack Laschenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pokr Rafferty does good again!

But a good friend has to sacrifice his life.

Rose and Miaow are safe.

Superman is back.

good stuff1

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite in this series. I liked when the story was involving the Expat Bar regulars. The 'villain' was not fleshed out enough for me until the last 10% of the story.

[Carl · Rating 5 out of 5]

just a great series. Believable and interesting people. Good plot. Drama and suspense. What a great author

[Rod Pyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bravo.

Hallinan does it again, and with a flourish. You will read this book in a short series of deeply engrossed sessions, always anxious to be back.