Fools' River

Poke Rafferty Mystery #8

by Timothy Hallinan

The two most difficult days in Bangkok writer Poke Rafferty's life begin with an emergency visit from Edward Dell, the almost-boyfriend of his teenage daughter, Maiow. The boy's father, Buddy, a late-middle-aged womanizer who has moved to Bangkok for happy hunting, has disappeared, and money is being siphoned out of his bank and credit card accounts. It soon becomes apparent that Buddy is in the hands of a pair of killers who prey on Bangkok's “sexpats”; when the accounts are empty, he'll be found, like a dozen others, floating facedown in a Bangkok canal with a weighted cast on his unbroken leg. His money is already almost gone. Over forty-eight frantic hours, Poke does everything he can to work the case before it's too late for him to do any good.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Crime

368 pages, ebook

First published November 7, 2017

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

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series brings readers right into the heart of Bangkok to make them think and to make them feel. In this eighth book in the series, Hallinan tries some new things to tell his story of the effects of Bangkok's world-famous sex trade. Fools' River is told from several different points of view, and the action takes place within a two-day time frame. The limited time frame ratchets up the tension, and the multiple points of view bring depth and clarity to the story.

Through the narrative, readers come to know one of the murderers which adds a level of ambivalence. Normally killers do not rate mixed feelings in crime fiction, but one of Hallinan's aims in his writing has always seemed to be helping readers understand humans' complex emotions and behaviors. It's something he does extremely well. Fools' River not only has an exciting story to tell, it also shares insights into Poke's wife Rose and a new character, Lutanh, whom I really grew to care for.

This Poke Rafferty series is perfect for readers who enjoy strong storytelling, a strong sense of place, and moral complexity. Poke's world is not black and white; it is filled with shades of gray-- and the stories are all the stronger and more brilliantly colored for it. I'd no more forget to read a new Poke Rafferty mystery than I'd forget to put on my glasses first thing in the morning.

[Viccy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poke Rafferty, his wife, Rose, and their adopted daughter, Miaow, live in Bangkok. Rose left behind her very poor village along the banks of Fool’s River and Miaow left her life as a street child when they met and fell in love with Poke. Now Rose is pregnant and scared she will lose the baby as she has lost two others previously; she has never told Poke about her losses. Miaow has few friends but she has a big heart and one of her good friends is Lutanh, a Laotian boy who moved to Bangkok so he could become a girl. Another of her good friends is Edward Dell, whose father has disappeared. Miaow asks Poke to investigate Buddy Dell’s disappearance because Poke (as his name implies) likes to stick his nose into other people’s business. Within a 36-hour time frame, Rose almost loses her baby; Poke has to rescue Buddy Dell; Lutanh is beaten up and Miaow discovers the world of George Bernard Shaw as she gets ready to audition for a production of Pygmalion. The pacing is breath-taking; the characters leap off the page with their vitality; the Bangkok setting is meticulously drawn and the reader receives deeper glimpses into the life of Hallinan’s characters. Now, excuse me, I have to go find some larb gai to eat.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author writes in an afterword: “I had a vague idea when I started writing Fools’ River that it might be fun to bring together three or four simultaneous stories and see whether I could tell them all in a very compressed span…” And so he did, relating several threads within 36 hours.

So we begin with Edward, the leading man in a play with Miaow, Poke Rafferty’s adopted daughter, begging Poke to find his father who is missing for 12 days; the travail of the father, one of a series of men lured by sex and imprisoned while his capturers milk bank accounts and credit cards; the life and times of Lutanh, a boy-girl, which permits descriptions of the seedier side of Thailand and its sex-obsessed trade; then there is Rose, former bar girl, married to Poke for seven years and now bearing his child in a difficult pregnancy, and mother of Miaow; and lastly Poke’s constant worry about Rose, while attempting to find Edward’s father.

The descriptions of the corruption of the Bangkok police is penetrating as are observations of the sex establishments: the Cherry Girls, the bars and of the farangs chasing after them. Each of the sub-plots is fast-paced and absorbing and brings the reader along to a thrilling finish.

Recommended.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

PROTAGONIST: Poke Rafferty, writer
SETTING: Bangkok
SERIES: #8
RATING: 4.5
WHY: Poke Rafferty is a writer living in Bangkok with his Thai wife, Rose, and adopted daughter, Miaow. Hallinan does a masterful job of developing a complex plot with many threads, two of which are primary, without confusing the reader. The first involves a friend of Miaow's, Edward, whose womanizing father has disappeared. There are many like cases where the missing person is found in a canal with a heavy cast pulling them down so the danger element is high. The second case also involves a friend of Miaow's, Lutanh, a ladyboy who has been brutally assaulted. The police, often the perpetrators, assist in running the man down. At the same time, Rose is having a difficult pregnancy which is frightening to all involved. This series is among my favorites. In addition to excellent writing, there is an emotional appeal to each of the characters. Even though there are quite a few of them, each has a unique and memorable role. Great stuff.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very fast moving entry in the life of Poke, Rose, and Miaow. My heart was breaking at Rose's worry-the chapter where she is on the phone with Fon will resonate with any mom who reads the book. Great writing, as always. I guess the reason I pulled it down from 5 stars, which Hallinan often earns from me, is that the experiment of having multiple things happen at once was seamlessly achieved, but it necessitates short-changing a little on the stories because you're quickly being affected by the next step of a different one. It works, but it's not as involving.

Highly recommend the series. Timothy Hallinan is an excellent author.

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tag-team of sympathetic villains targets flagrant punters in Bangkok’s commercial sex scene

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have found a new mystery series to dive into! Bravo, Mr. Hallinan.

[J Edward Tremlett · Rating 5 out of 5]

One thing you can say for sure about Bangkok — life there is never, ever dull.

It’s not been too long since travel writer Poke Rafferty saw off a very frightening threat to his ever-growing family. However, no sooner does he refocus on his wife’s pregnancy (and adopted daughter Miaow’s teenage trials and tribulations) than another weird and potentially dangerous situation drops itself into his lap.

The problem is with one of his daughters’ friends — his dad’s gone missing, for longer than usual this time.

Apparently Edward’s dad, like far too many “sexpats,” enjoys the company of several women every week. Some are regular, and some are one-offs, but he always comes home eventually.

This time, however, the only people who returned were burglars, intent on grabbing his checkbooks and credit cards. Since then, the accounts have been steadily drained, which means he’s probably being forced into depleting his funds. But where is he, and who has him?

The Bangkok cops are, of course, next to useless, and probably on the take. That leaves Poke and his police friend, Arthit, to puzzle over over the situation. The answers aren’t encouraging, though: Edward’s father has been missing for 12 days, now, and if they don’t find him soon he’ll most likely be found dead, if he surfaces at all.

That problem would be bad enough, but when it rains in Bangkok it really comes down. There’s also the matter of another of Miaow’s friends, Lutanh, who has a harrowing hotel room encounter with another farang — one that leaves her broken and fearful for her life, but unable to turn to the police for help.

And then there’s Rose, who’s been keeping a terrible secret from Poke all this time — one that might shatter the life they’ve been building together…

In the course of two days, Poke does his best to save a boy’s father and get some kind of rough justice for Lutanh, all the while worrying about his wife’s lack of replies to his calls. It’s the sort of breakneck, worrisome pace that would drive most men to their knees, but he’s got friends in high and low places, and a knack for bringing them all together to make things happen.

But will he be able to juggle the sharp pieces of these separate problems in time to save Edward’s father from floating face-down in Fools’ River?

Award-winning author Timothy Hallinan has a genius for putting a likeable anti-hero into a very trying situation, only to get him out of it by playing various sides against each other. But this time there’s no sides to play. To get through, Poke has to rely on his wits and will, along with the strange luck that mother Bangkok doles out (or withdraws) at her whim.

That alone would make this novel a stand-out, even for Hallinan’s excellent work. However, in Fools’ River, he also illuminates a harsh truth about life in the city: sometimes the prey is transformed into the predator. In such cases, almost everyone is a victim to some degree, but revenge becomes an ugly thing where no one walks away completely clean.

Delightfully sinister, yet strangely sweet, the latest novel in the Poke Rafferty series will have you cheering, as always. It might also break your heart a few times, but that’s Bangkok for you.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual my favorite characters in all of fiction draw me into their world and it is literally heartbreaking to say "goodbye for now" when the book ends. Loved the story. Looking forward to the new addition to the clan in the next book. What else can possibly happen in Bangkok? THis years book has also strengthened my resolve to finally visit Thailand sometime this year.

[Wyckliffe Howland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose is pregnant and Miaow's friend, Edward's dad, is missing. Time is running short. Classic Hallinan!

[Pat Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read! But then I would expect no less from Tim Hallinan...

[Richard Holleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

So glad Poke is back!

This amazing series by Timothy Hallinan is set in Thailand and is well worth your time. The protagonist, Poke Rafferty, is witty, bright and courageous. The other cast of characters round out these well written novels. 4 Stars!

[Ted Lehmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fools’ River by Timothy Hallinan\

Fools’ River (A Poke Rafferty Novel) by Timothy Hallinan (Soho/Penguin, 2017, 368 pages, $26.95/14.99) is the eighth volume featuring expatriate Bangkok travel writer Poke Rafferty as he struggles to secure the world he has constructed around himself since settling into an environment he arrived to describe and stayed to reform, one life at a time. Rafferty, author of a series of travel books called Looking for Trouble which Hallinan describes as "about the things most guidebooks ignore: poor neighborhoods, the best street food stalls, the temples, towns, restaurants, and bars that haven't gone all farangv and sacrificed their identities to appeal to foreign customers. Also tells you which highly touted tourist traps to avoid, and little skills -- how much to bribe a cop and for what, how to negotiate with a taxi driver, avoiding common scams, idiosyncratic laws, etc. They're sort of anti-tourist guides." Rafferty is well-acquainted with the world he inhabits, but never, when he arrived, anticipated finding love there himself nor seeking to build a family and a life in that world. Hallinan has created a full-bodied world which constantly seeks to invade and destroy the comfortable nest he provides for his wife Rose and their adopted daughter Miaow, each a product of child sexual exploitation and rampant sex industry that thrives in Thailand.

Fools’ River opens as a benumbed unnamed character awakens in a hospital-like setting attached to tubes and maintained in a drug induced state of confusion. It then jumps quickly to a vignette where Poke Rafferty’s daughter Miaow is helping Lutanh, her friend from acting class, purchase a pair of violet contact lenses, accompanied by Miaow’s friend Edward, whom Lutanh worships from afar. Edward’s father appears to be missing, which is why Edward wishes to meet with Poke. Meanwhile, Rose is pregnant and anxious. Rose, who Poke met when she was a bar girl/prostitute working in Bangkok’s thriving sex industry is four months into a difficult pregnancy, especially since she's had two miscarriages. She’s afraid to lose the child, and Poke fears losing her. Miaow, rescued as a child whose parents abandoned her to the streets when she was quite small, has recently triumphed as an actor in her school and is preparing to try out for a part in Pygmalion.

The chapter in which Hallinan fills in the story of Lutanh, from birth in a rural Thai village to through developing self-awareness to life as a bar-girl Katoey, a lady-boy in a seedy Patpong bar, provides one of the most vivid encapsulations of child exploitation and sex business in Thailand Hallinan has ever written. In one chapter he captures Lutanh’s story. Moving forward and backward through time and Lutanh’s own self-awareness, it sets one of the two central plot and character elements which will dominate this volume in Hallinan’s fine Poke Rafferty series.

It doesn’t matter, much, where the reader first encounters Poke Rafferty. Hallinan’s skill as a writer provides sufficient information and background about the characters and setting to make each novel an effective standalone. However, the increasingly complex world, viewpoint, and background of Poke, the character, and Hallinan, the writer, become most apparent not only from reading all volumes of this series, but from indulging in the currently running Junior Bender series, and the, sadly, ended and now, for at least one volume, revived Simeon Grist series from the late 1990’s. Believe me, reading the back stories won’t be a chore!

An episode in which Poke visits the apartment of Fran Dependahl, the wife of a victim in the plot to steal from sex addicts, provides a view of one of Hallinan’s many narrative strengths. He allows the story to emerge by providing quirky, idiosyncratic characters to add content and depth to the story. Their discussion of her library, their mutual love of books and her relationship with her husband is both funny and deep. Hallinan never seems to be in a hurry, suggesting that he respects his reader sufficiently to allow immersion in the story and sufficient imagination to collude with the narrative and the creator of the work in making sure the story is well-told. While many thriller writers have stripped their stories to bare bones action, Hallinan luxuriates in allowing character, plot and setting to reveal themselves. The story comes together with action packed sequences that are part of Hallinan's particular appeal. There's a cinematic accuracy which closely follows a variety of perspectives, as if different camera angles were required to present the entire story in adequate depth.

Timothy Hallinan is an Edgar, Shamus, Macavity and Lefty nominee who has written twenty-one published novels, all thrillers and mysteries, all critically praised. He currently writes two series, the Junior Bender series set in Los Angeles and Poke Rafferty in Bangkok, and in 2017 he also revived his earlier series, written in the 1990s about the over-educated slacker private eye Simeon Grist. The new book, the first since 1995, is "Pulped." Hallinan had a varied writing career in publicity and the film industry before becoming a full time writer. You can discover more about him and his other writings on his web site.

Fools’ River (A Poke Rafferty Novel) by Timothy Hallinan (Soho/Penguin, 2017, 368 pages, $26.95/14.99) allows the author to continue the important themes that dominate his novels. Poke is consumed with trying to maintain family, friendship, and loyalty within an environment filled with official corruption and rampant sexual exploitation in the context of Thailand, where Hallinan himself maintains a second home and Poke functions as an alien divorced from his homeland and culture. Hallinan presents a completely believable world in which the main character strives to set things right. The novels are enriched by quirky, often funny, and always interesting characters fleshed out with affection and compassion by the author’s command of language. His friends and antagonists on the police force, at the Expat Bar, and in each story have back-stories contributing to the total effect of his novels in ways seldom achieved by lesser writers. I was provided a copy of the book by the publisher in both hard copy and electronic versions. I read it on my Kindle app. Fools River has my highest recommendation.

[Chris Wharton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this slow paced. Hallinan does Bangkok’s Patpong bar scene, the city's sordid crimes and bad/good cops, various Thai personality types, and expat travel writer/freelance investigator Poke Rafferty so well that I wish he would just keep his focus on them and keep other characters’ (Poke’s wife and adopted daughter, their friends, resident barflies, perps, victims) various back stories and sideshows on the back burner so as not to interrupt the flow. There is an interesting role reversal here—“sexpats” become kidnap victims (and worse)—but the details of their captivity and Poke’s investigation are sometimes a laborious read.

[J.R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike some other farang (foreigner) in Bangkok, Poke Rafferty isn't the ugly American.
A travel writer, Poke seeks a conventional life with his wife Rose, a former bar girl, and their adopted daughter, Miaow. But complications, mostly in the form of other people, keep interfering with that desire.
While Poke is upsetting a pregnant Rose with obsessive attention, Miaow brings him another of those distractions. Buddy Dell, the father of Edward, a school friend, is missing and she enlists Poke's aid to find him. It soon becomes apparent Buddy is another victim of a team intent on draining his cash and credit cards. There's only a short time limit before Buddy, like his predecessors, will be found dead in one of the city's fetid canals.
While working with his friend Arthit and a few other uncorrupted Thai police on the Buddy issue, Poke also is involved in the additional task of helping another of Miaow's friends, Lutanh, a katoey (lady boy), who has been assaulted by a sadistic homophobe. Overriding everything is his concern for Rose, who has failed to enlighten him on difficulties she's having with the pregnancy, a problem which leads to a tense period when neither Poke or Miaow know where she is. Talk about adding intensity to an already critical situation.
This Poke Rafferty series is my favorite of Hallinan's work. His obvious love for the Thai people shines on every page. The man creates living, breathing characters, plots and sub-plots to keep one guessing and flipping pages. He depicts life in Thailand as one who is familiar with both the respectable tourist scene and the seediest districts of Bangkok. His characters are pragmatic people who have learned to live with corruption. There's violence, but also empathy, pithy dialogue and quirky humor. Highly recommend the series.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a hiatus of many years I decided to re-read and then finish the Poke Rafferty series. It took me a while to get back into the flow and enjoy it but I am closing in on finishing. I enjoyed this book not just for the further exploration of the main characters (Poke, Rose, Miaow, Arthit, etc.) but also because of the unique perspective and frame. The book takes place over something like 36 hours. There is a dual tension: Rose is pregnant and fearful or the baby and her relationship with Poke due to her dark past and, as the mystery progresses, the fear that the man Poke is trying to find will be killed before they unravel the mystery.

The way the abductors operate and why is an interesting plot device and they underlying tension surrounding Rose's pregnancy gives the book an emotional resonance. Switching between the voice of Poke, Rose, Buddy, etc. allows the reader to see and feel the tensions and stress everyone is under. By the end you are racing to find out what happens to all these threads.

Gritty, well done thriller with a fascinating setting and characters, including Bangkok itself.

[JDK1962 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love this series, which seems to show little sign of running out of steam. I don't follow a lot of series, and when I do, I generally get mad at myself for continuing on (the Jack Reacher and Spenser series both come to mind), but my fondness for this series has increased with each book. Not so much for the plots--which are definitely good--but because I get a chance to hang out with Hallinan's characters.

Every time I read one of these, I want to head to Bangkok (I've never been). Not just to see the setting for this series, but in the vain hope that I'd get to meet Poke and Miaow and Rose.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d been afraid this might be the series finale- and it could be- but I sincerely hope not. Each book- as with the equally excellent Junior Bender series- is a marvel of well drawn characters, suspenseful pacing, human behavior in every aspect and a love affair with Thailand- Bangkok in particular- which is to say, life. Love, lust, greed, friendship and- becoming- are all themes which can’t grow old. The conversations are gems- the banter. I’m looking forward to the next- or saving up for the other series out there.

[Harvee Lau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another suspenseful thriller in the Poke Rafferty mystery series set in Bangkok. For readers not familiar with that city, the places and some of the situations might sound unbelievable or far fetched, but are in all likelihood not too far from what could probably happen. Poke's personal family life is a sub plot to the murder mystery and brings a lot of humanity to the novel and its grizzly crime plot.

[Jeri Gabrielson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of white men who have abused women prostitutes are captured, robbed, and finally killed. Their accounts are emptied first. Poke's daughter has a school friend whose father is the most recent target. Poke, along with his friend Colonel Arhit must battle apathy and corrupt cops. In the midst, Poke's wife Rose is battling her own health problems due to her pregnancy.

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the way Hallinan has with words, but damn, his plots in the Poke Rafferty series have become so formulaic that it really detracts from my ability to enjoy the books. Within the first few pages, you know exactly where this is going to go. You can do better than this, Timothy. Quit phoning these in and give us a good read again.

[Rebecca Mcpheters · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too many lengthy details

Interesting, but seemingly far fetched story with unnecessary descriptions that detracted from the plot. I read it pretty quickly as I soon learned to skip over these bits.

[Sandy Kell · Rating 5 out of 5]

The advantage of having read previous Poke Rafferty novels is knowing his family backstory. The advantage of not having read them is discovering a great series to catch up on. Either way, this is a terrific story full of suspense, corruption, cruelty, friendship and love.

[Carol Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing series, with insight into the confusing and painful sociology of Bangkok, with its child prostitutes and sex tourism, mixed with a compelling detective story. Not to be missed!

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting thriller with great characters and lots of Bangkok. I love this series.

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent entry in the Poke rRfferty series.

[Sara Rhodes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love every one of Timothy Hallinan's Poke Rafferty books and this one didn't disappoint. Fast paced, heart pounding and lots of Poke, Rose & Miaow! I LOVE this series!!

[Jscholfield · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wanted to love this book. But the books are beginning to feel the same.

[Jack Laschenski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poke, Rosa and Miaw and 2 beautiful 17 year old boys confront murderers!

[Chuck Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hallinan again presents a page-turning mystery while continuing the development of the series characters: Poke himself, Rose and Miaow. The atmosphere, heat, and smells of Bangkok. Great read.