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Inspector Low #2
Rich Kill Poor Kill
Shortlisted for the 2017 Singapore Book Award for Fiction
When a foreign worker is found dead in Singapore back street, few people care. But then another victim turns up, and then another, all killed with the same weapon. With its reputation as a safe, global city in ruins, Singapore struggles to come to grips with its first serial killer in decades. And when a famous woman disappears, terror takes hold.
In desperation, the authorities turn to one man they loathe almost as much as the serial killer—Detective Stanley Low. Belligerent and unrepentant, Low's subordination has been punished with a menial desk job. He's angry and refusing to address his bipolar condition, making him the least qualified detective to head a murder investigation with the world watching.
He is also the only man capable of understanding what drives the serial killer. But Low's mental health deteriorates as he mimics the mind of a madman in search of the sickening truth. He must solve the case quickly to stop a serial killer and save his sanity.
When a foreign worker is found dead in Singapore back street, few people care. But then another victim turns up, and then another, all killed with the same weapon. With its reputation as a safe, global city in ruins, Singapore struggles to come to grips with its first serial killer in decades. And when a famous woman disappears, terror takes hold.
In desperation, the authorities turn to one man they loathe almost as much as the serial killer—Detective Stanley Low. Belligerent and unrepentant, Low's subordination has been punished with a menial desk job. He's angry and refusing to address his bipolar condition, making him the least qualified detective to head a murder investigation with the world watching.
He is also the only man capable of understanding what drives the serial killer. But Low's mental health deteriorates as he mimics the mind of a madman in search of the sickening truth. He must solve the case quickly to stop a serial killer and save his sanity.
- GenresMystery
308 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
1 person is currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
Neil Humphreys
29 books38 followersNeil Humphreys is a British humour columnist and author of three best-selling books about Singapore - Notes From an Even Smaller Island (2001), Scribbles from the Same Island (2003) and Final Notes from a Great Island (2006). The last of these was on Singapore's bestsellers list for several consecutive weeks, proving the popularity of his writings among Singaporeans. His latest book in this series - Return to a Sexy Island - was released in June 2012.
Brought up in Dagenham, London, England, Humphreys arrived in Singapore in 1996 and had initially planned on staying in Singapore for only 3 months. However, he instantly fell in love with the island-state and decided to settle there. Humphreys has always lived in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats in Toa Payoh, a public housing estate in central Singapore, despite moving twice. Although he is a foreigner, he has chosen to assimilate himself into the Singapore culture through living in HDB flats, eating at local kopitiams and trying out many things that the locals do. He often pokes fun at Western expatriates working in Singapore by comparing their living habits with his own, criticising them for their aloofness from the local society and their extravagant lifestyles.
Brought up in Dagenham, London, England, Humphreys arrived in Singapore in 1996 and had initially planned on staying in Singapore for only 3 months. However, he instantly fell in love with the island-state and decided to settle there. Humphreys has always lived in Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats in Toa Payoh, a public housing estate in central Singapore, despite moving twice. Although he is a foreigner, he has chosen to assimilate himself into the Singapore culture through living in HDB flats, eating at local kopitiams and trying out many things that the locals do. He often pokes fun at Western expatriates working in Singapore by comparing their living habits with his own, criticising them for their aloofness from the local society and their extravagant lifestyles.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 23, 2017
"If you tear up all your theories and pull back the curtain, you see what we really are. You know what we are. We are racist. Even after death, we're still racist. We rank people, skin colour, economic background, even in death. Hundreds die in Iraqi car bombs all the time, it's a footnote. A few people die at the Boston marathon, it's an international tragedy. A little white blonde girl goes missing on holiday, it's a front-page story for years."
"Yes, I'm aware of that. It's sometimes called the hierarchy of death."
"There you go. You buggers have even got a term for it. The hierarchy of death. Bloody hell."
"That obviously bothers you."
"Of course it bothers me. Wah lau. My Technology team are all working overtime right now, cannot go home to their families, working their balls off. You know why? Racism. They are working round the clock to feed our racism."
Another local case, another look at a teeming trove of embedded cultural prejudices and mindsets. A novel written to prove a point or express a certain thread of social critique oftenfails forgets to do what stories, as stories, are called to do - to engage its audience, to tell an interesting tale, but this novel blends astute questioning with a ripping page-turning mystery and the mark of mastery is in how difficult it is to tell them apart. Indeed, they do belong inseparably together - the investigative light shone upon murder illuminating not only the causative line from circumstance to decision to act to victim, but other equally interesting factors swirling around the main event - questions of race and social class (questions sometimes intellectually acknowledged in academic settings locally or Forum sections of the papers, but never fully explored/exploded; sometimes, as the style of this book - an offhanded comment or a paragraph - and its events reminds us, a nudge is enough to bring things seething to the surface), and their significance in an officially tolerant, multiracial, meritocratic country. And where the ang moh comes into the picture, that leaves a smudge of post-colonial memory, a lingering reminder of how those formative years continue to bear upon the present. The same themes explored in Book One are refined here and given a more incisive focus, but to speak of themes or ideas seemingly, necessarily, neglects the story that weaves them all together and gives them coherence and place. The main characters are the same but changed by their years - bitter, commonsensical Stanley Low treading dangerously close to the edge of sanity but symptomatic of his society's own bipolar tendencies, the box-ticking Charlie/Charles Chan, with a family and flat in Punggol, dealing with the shock of glimpsing and straddling both sides of Singapore as a policeman, the gay pathologist Professor Chong with a life outside of work and Singapore, and the Minister of Home Improvement, always (pleased to be) named by his role but who is also an individual with loved ones. It is almost as if, with every new book, these characters mature and change just a little more, their personalities more enlivened, and they become more emblematic of local characters but also more specifically real.
"Yes, I'm aware of that. It's sometimes called the hierarchy of death."
"There you go. You buggers have even got a term for it. The hierarchy of death. Bloody hell."
"That obviously bothers you."
"Of course it bothers me. Wah lau. My Technology team are all working overtime right now, cannot go home to their families, working their balls off. You know why? Racism. They are working round the clock to feed our racism."
Another local case, another look at a teeming trove of embedded cultural prejudices and mindsets. A novel written to prove a point or express a certain thread of social critique often
June 19, 2018
The book I didn’t realise I needed to see in Singapore Literature. I thoroughly enjoyed this one - the dialogue, the banter between everyone clean, polished and pristine and the gruff, cynical inspector, the fast-paced action and character and narrative development. It romanticises ruthless and self-destructive revolt quite a bit, seemingly justifying the seizing of matters into our own hands as a possible alternative method of achieving resistance and righteousness. From the authority-defying inspector, the shit-stirring blogger, to the phantom-like presence of Tiger from the previous Marina Bay Sins, the book’s premise might seem cliche at times and it makes you wonder if it comes from shallow waters of exoticisation and wish fulfilment, but it surprisingly reaches a shaky hand into the murky depths of human fallibility and questions who we trust to adjust our individual moral compass.
June 16, 2018
An entertaining read, with an ending perhaps not entirely satisfying, but better than his previous book in the series, "Marina Bay Sins".
One thing I don't like is his dialogues. When there's some dialogue between a couple of people, he has a habit of not using "he said", "she said" or something similar, with the result that you loose track who is actually saying what, forcing you to go back to the start of the dialogue to work out again who is saying what. That shouldn't be necessary.
But overall, I found it entertaining.
One thing I don't like is his dialogues. When there's some dialogue between a couple of people, he has a habit of not using "he said", "she said" or something similar, with the result that you loose track who is actually saying what, forcing you to go back to the start of the dialogue to work out again who is saying what. That shouldn't be necessary.
But overall, I found it entertaining.
December 13, 2017
Part social commentary, part criminal thriller, all Singaporean. Locals will feel small bursts of joy at the colloquialisms liberally sprinkled in the writing, smile knowingly at the geographic references, and ponder the throwaway comments which point to very Singaporean characteristics.
___
You said the f-word again.
Aiyoh, the great Asian hypocrisy strikes again. I know we're full of shit outside, but now we got to bring it in here? We keep half the country in poverty and the other half in denial.
Her beauty made it easier to be less vain. She radiated natural confidence, not artificial arrogance. It was the ugly ducklings that chained themselves to mirrors in a desperate search for swans. Li Jing didn't care about her appearance,because she didn't have to.
Should pay the gahmen commission I tell you. Each time they push back CPF, old people cannot retire, come straight to me, borrow money.
That's the trouble with our mentality, we think we can control everything. But we cannot subjugate nature.
Besides, Singapore saved its bowing and scraping for when it was absolutely necessary. And these murders had nothing to do with China.
Even after death, we're still racist. We rank people, skin colour, economic background, even in death.
Yes, I'm aware of that. It's called the hierarchy of death.
Heated anger was hard to sustain in an air-conditioned nation.
In truth, the gangster was not the least bit patriotic, selling his services to the highest-bidding capitalist. In that sense, he was an authentic Singaporean.
He wasn't a bad investigator. On the contrary, he was diligent, brave, and committed. But he disliked uncertainty and chaos. He wasn't used to either. He was Singaporean.
It was hard to think on one's feet when one was always sitting down.
___
You said the f-word again.
Aiyoh, the great Asian hypocrisy strikes again. I know we're full of shit outside, but now we got to bring it in here? We keep half the country in poverty and the other half in denial.
Her beauty made it easier to be less vain. She radiated natural confidence, not artificial arrogance. It was the ugly ducklings that chained themselves to mirrors in a desperate search for swans. Li Jing didn't care about her appearance,because she didn't have to.
Should pay the gahmen commission I tell you. Each time they push back CPF, old people cannot retire, come straight to me, borrow money.
That's the trouble with our mentality, we think we can control everything. But we cannot subjugate nature.
Besides, Singapore saved its bowing and scraping for when it was absolutely necessary. And these murders had nothing to do with China.
Even after death, we're still racist. We rank people, skin colour, economic background, even in death.
Yes, I'm aware of that. It's called the hierarchy of death.
Heated anger was hard to sustain in an air-conditioned nation.
In truth, the gangster was not the least bit patriotic, selling his services to the highest-bidding capitalist. In that sense, he was an authentic Singaporean.
He wasn't a bad investigator. On the contrary, he was diligent, brave, and committed. But he disliked uncertainty and chaos. He wasn't used to either. He was Singaporean.
It was hard to think on one's feet when one was always sitting down.
March 5, 2022
I need more Inspector Low books! The characters this time round are more compelling, but I wonder how many servings of the caustic Low I can stomach before the belligerent persona becomes a mere repetitive act.
As per the first book, I enjoyed reading the colloquialisms, and there’s a certain satisfaction (though a hollow one) in having the hypocrisy of the island nation’s “sensibilities” played out in fiction. The author is a great observer of Singapore and is equally adept at putting his findings into words, while spinning a good detective yarn at the same time.
This series is not so much a whodunnnit/howdunnit series as it is an entertaining vignette of Singapore, cop procedural page-turner style. A much-needed and very well-written Asean-themed mystery series, and I hope there are more to come.
As per the first book, I enjoyed reading the colloquialisms, and there’s a certain satisfaction (though a hollow one) in having the hypocrisy of the island nation’s “sensibilities” played out in fiction. The author is a great observer of Singapore and is equally adept at putting his findings into words, while spinning a good detective yarn at the same time.
This series is not so much a whodunnnit/howdunnit series as it is an entertaining vignette of Singapore, cop procedural page-turner style. A much-needed and very well-written Asean-themed mystery series, and I hope there are more to come.
March 24, 2022
4/5 Very Good.
The 2nd in these updated Inspector Stanley Low Thrillers is a searing, fast paced Thriller/Expose on the real Singapore.
The clean, safe modern metropolis stripped back to its authentic beating heart by Neil Humphrey’s is done so well.
This time around, with Low and all his quirks and ways , cast aside to rot before being dragged back into the limelight, finds the polarising detective on the hunt for a serial killer, who begins to target the last people the Singapore Big Wigs want to see killed - the tourists, the Money.
A well crafted and pace pounding thriller, Low is an up and down character who you can only be drawn to, as well as another returning character in Charlie Chan.
High Quality Crime, Authentic feeling and really very entertaining, I enjoyed this as much as the first book, and happily have the 3rd, and hopefully not final book to read next.
The 2nd in these updated Inspector Stanley Low Thrillers is a searing, fast paced Thriller/Expose on the real Singapore.
The clean, safe modern metropolis stripped back to its authentic beating heart by Neil Humphrey’s is done so well.
This time around, with Low and all his quirks and ways , cast aside to rot before being dragged back into the limelight, finds the polarising detective on the hunt for a serial killer, who begins to target the last people the Singapore Big Wigs want to see killed - the tourists, the Money.
A well crafted and pace pounding thriller, Low is an up and down character who you can only be drawn to, as well as another returning character in Charlie Chan.
High Quality Crime, Authentic feeling and really very entertaining, I enjoyed this as much as the first book, and happily have the 3rd, and hopefully not final book to read next.
March 27, 2017
Inspector Low is back, navigating a bureaucracy bent on holding him back as he tracks a serial killer that targets people from all strata in Singaporean society. RKPK improves on the narrative of Marina Bay Sins, and delves deeper into tensions within Singaporean society. Inspector Low may be the closest thing to a genuine hard-boiled detective in Singapore, which makes this series all the more essential for fans of the genre.
February 28, 2025
Characters like Stanley Low, Zhang, Talek Maxwell and even the Minister are very RAW. Their insecurities were well described, painting everyone's dark side.
But because it was written by an Ang Moh writter... Zhang was named as Zhang. Cus Zhang sounds like someone from China. I thought the naming was quite odd.
But because it was written by an Ang Moh writter... Zhang was named as Zhang. Cus Zhang sounds like someone from China. I thought the naming was quite odd.
June 17, 2022
After reading Marina Bay Sin, I look for more stories about Inspector Low. Found this and decided to read it. Like the first book , the book used Singlish. And more murders. I enjoyed reading it. Looking forward for more Inspector Low in action.
April 10, 2018
Fantastic, even better than the first Stanley Low novel. Good story and characters. Looking forward to future stories.
August 21, 2021
This was a quick read, but very well written. In comparison to Marina Bay Sins I felt the characters and story were much more compelling.
August 3, 2022
I guess nearer to 3.5 than 3.
High on entertainment, and loved, loved the ending.
But the motivation / plot is a bit of a stretch IMHO.
Did make me think abt picking up Marina Bay Samds.
High on entertainment, and loved, loved the ending.
But the motivation / plot is a bit of a stretch IMHO.
Did make me think abt picking up Marina Bay Samds.
August 13, 2022
Nothing complex, and perhaps a little contrived at the end.
February 12, 2017
Stanley Low, bi-polar, but good cop, smart, passionate
Killer Talek Maxwell
Killer Talek Maxwell
September 10, 2015
Another look at Singapore life from the perspective on Inspector Low and the police in Neil Humphreys' mysteries. This book was also suspenseful and followed the emergence of a serial killer in the run up to a national election (in real life, the election is happening now) and looks at the motivations of both the killer, the inspector and the blogger of the "Singapore Truth" website (a thinly veiled take on "The Real Singapore"). The contempt for the views of the blogger and yet the way he in an over the top way sheds light on some of Singapore's issued with foreign labour was very interesting.
May 17, 2023
This second book is head and shoulders above the first in understanding the character of Inspector Low and I really enjoyed it. Singapore has a serial killer and the govt would rather no one knows as it would tarnish the image they work so hard to promote. Inspector Low is in Technology, dying a little each day (but he'd likely be doing that anywhere) and can't stay away from such a case, especially as he knows one of the victims. Inspector Chan is getting older and wearier and needs the help, and the rest you should read for yourself.
June 13, 2022
Detective Low is back again with his crude way of investigation. An action-packed thriller that had you cringing your face at times. Low’s mouth was as foul as his attitude, which earned him no friends. No matter how distasteful his method of investigation was, the outcome was his aim.
May 23, 2023
I couldn't put this down! There's not much else to say ... This series is gripping, intense and keeps you on your toes; well worth reading, and they can be read out of sequence since each book is a stand-alone plot.
November 6, 2016
Always wanted to read this kind of book. Thank you to Newpaper dated 17 Sept 2016 which had brought the author & his books to my attention.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews