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Sergeants Sueño and Bascom #13
The Line
The Korean Demilitarized Zone, 1970s: A battered corpse is found a few feet north of the line dividing North and South Korea. When 8th Army CID Agents George Sueño and Ernie Bascom are ordered by superiors to pull the body to South Korean side, they have no idea of the international conflict the action will spark. Before war breaks out, they must discover who killed Corporal Noh Jong-bae, a young Korean civilian augmented to the US Army who had few enemies.
But the murderer could be from either side of the DMZ, and if it turns out to be North Korea, how can two US military agents interrogate witnesses? What George and Ernie discover gets them pulled off the case, but they continue to look into Corporal Noh’s death against orders, fearing they’ve put the wrong man behind bars.
But the murderer could be from either side of the DMZ, and if it turns out to be North Korea, how can two US military agents interrogate witnesses? What George and Ernie discover gets them pulled off the case, but they continue to look into Corporal Noh’s death against orders, fearing they’ve put the wrong man behind bars.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 23, 2018
About the author
Martin Limón
46 books96 followersMartin Limon retired from U.S. military service after 20 years in the Army, including a total of ten years in Korea. He and his wife live in Seattle. He is the author of Jade Lady Burning, which was a New York Times Notable Book, Slicky Boys and Buddha's Money.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 29, 2020
Army CID sergeants George Sueno and Ernie Bascom encounter one of their most delicate and dangerous cases yet when they are summoned to the scene of a murder in the Demilitarized Zone that separates North and South Korea during the 1970s, when tensions between the two Koreas and between North Korea and the United States are still very high. There they discover the body of a Korean soldier, Corporal Noh Jong-bei, who was working with the Americans. The victim had been murdered by a blow to the back of the head and left lying across the line separating North and South Korea.
The North Koreans try to claim the body, but on orders from a superior officer, Sueno and Bascom drag it onto the South Korean side of the border. In the process, they create an international incident that could ultimately spark a resumption of the hostilities between the warring parties. While the North Koreans insist that Jong-bei was murdered by an American, at least one American commander insists that the North Koreans were responsible and tensions begin to rise. As they do, Sueno and Bascom are unfairly blamed for instigating the trouble and the only way out of the mess is for them to solve the killing.
The investigation is taken away from Sueno and Bascom, though, and given to others who quickly "solve" the crime and defuse the international tension by arresting an American private named Teddy Fusterman and charging him with the murder. Sueno and Bascom had originally concluded that the weapon used to kill Jong-bei was a military entrenching tool and a bloody entrenching tool is found in Fusterman's locker. Case closed.
Although warned off the case, Sueno and Bascom continue to investigate and raise doubts about Festerman's guilt. In the meantime, they are ordered to investigate the disappearance of the American wife of a U.S. officer who has gone missing after being seen with a Korean woman known for recruiting women to work as "hostesses" in clubs that cater to wealthy businessmen.
Both cases are complex and, as often happens in these novels, will have Sueno and Bascom often skating on very thin ice. It's always fun to follow their adventures and misadventures and it's always interesting to learn about the Korean history and culture that is integral to these books. The Line is a solid entry in a very good series.
The North Koreans try to claim the body, but on orders from a superior officer, Sueno and Bascom drag it onto the South Korean side of the border. In the process, they create an international incident that could ultimately spark a resumption of the hostilities between the warring parties. While the North Koreans insist that Jong-bei was murdered by an American, at least one American commander insists that the North Koreans were responsible and tensions begin to rise. As they do, Sueno and Bascom are unfairly blamed for instigating the trouble and the only way out of the mess is for them to solve the killing.
The investigation is taken away from Sueno and Bascom, though, and given to others who quickly "solve" the crime and defuse the international tension by arresting an American private named Teddy Fusterman and charging him with the murder. Sueno and Bascom had originally concluded that the weapon used to kill Jong-bei was a military entrenching tool and a bloody entrenching tool is found in Fusterman's locker. Case closed.
Although warned off the case, Sueno and Bascom continue to investigate and raise doubts about Festerman's guilt. In the meantime, they are ordered to investigate the disappearance of the American wife of a U.S. officer who has gone missing after being seen with a Korean woman known for recruiting women to work as "hostesses" in clubs that cater to wealthy businessmen.
Both cases are complex and, as often happens in these novels, will have Sueno and Bascom often skating on very thin ice. It's always fun to follow their adventures and misadventures and it's always interesting to learn about the Korean history and culture that is integral to these books. The Line is a solid entry in a very good series.
March 18, 2019
It's NCIS Korea as a buddy cop duo who investigate the death of a South Korean soldier in the demilitarized zone. They start poking around and find themselves in danger from both Koreas, and their own military.
Pretty good stuff. The historical setting adds to the book, rather than serving as a distraction or a tour guide.
Pretty good stuff. The historical setting adds to the book, rather than serving as a distraction or a tour guide.
October 4, 2018
The murder of a South Korean soldier takes 8th U.S. Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division) agents George Sueno and Ernie Bascom to the Demilitarized Zone, where their initial actions nearly set off an international incident.
Following orders of Lt. Col. Brunmeyer, the American battalion commander, they pull the corpse of Cpl. Noh Jong-bei to the South Korean side of the line, an action which incenses the North Korean contingent and results in a military alert. Despite having followed orders, the enlisted investigators are the ones who take the heat from their superiors.
As one who has been there more than once, I can tell you the DMZ is among the most tense and scary places in the world.
The NK blames the murder on the Americans while the top rank of the Military Armistice Commission is convinced the other side did it. Tempers flare, war seems near. Then, in an attempt to appease the North Koreans, the military 'finds' evidence implicating Pvt. Teddy Fusterman, a private who had been dating Noh's sister in opposition to the wishes of her parents. With a motive made clear, Sueno and Bascom are pulled off the case and assigned to find the missing wife of another officer.
But these two aren't the kind to abandon a case when things don't smell right. Though a bloody entrenching tool (the murder weapon) has been found with the belongings of the accused private, begin to have doubts after a meeting with Noh's sister and the discovery of another shovel engraved with Fusterman's initials. Finding the truth becomes an incentive for disobeying orders.
Meanwhile their search for the missing woman leads to connections with gampei (gangsters) and strange goings on up at the DMZ. With the assistance of Mr. Kill, aka Gil Kwon-up, chief homicide investigator for the Korean National Police, and his able assistant Officer Oh, they dig a little deeper and bring the dual cases to a stunning conclusion.
This is the 13th and a worthy addition to this series featuring the intellectual and compassionate Sueno and the earthy, impulsive Bascom.
Martin Limon did five tours with the Army in Korea. While much has changed since the period of this novel, by my own experience of the CID and in South Korea I can attest for the accuracy of his depiction of places and events at the time. I would note, though, George and Ernie get away with a lot more rogue behavior than their real life counterparts might manage.
March 13, 2022
This is another mystery concerning a dead US soldier at the North-South Korea line. The body of the dead ROK soldier is in the water in a stream between North and South Korea. He is obviously dead. Bascom retrieves the body and the soldiers on the North side began shouting, pointing their guns and making threats. Who killed him? Bascom and Sueno try to find out. Meanwhile the wife of an American officer has disappeared, so they are given that case, with only the info that she left with a Korean woman. What a muddle and, as usual, they are ordered away from the front line, the place of the killing. How can the detectives investigate the murder if they cannot go to the site of the death? There are subplots - such as the murdered man's sister was dating an American GI. Does the missing woman have anything to do with the murder?
I enjoy this series, especially since I spent two years in Korea and know many of the places the investigators go. But this book falls apart at the end. The mystery of the killer is solved but other things are left hanging - the missing wife who has now returned, the killing of the commander at the end. The role of the American lawyer who had been hired by the family of the accused man? The book was just not finished -- not as good as some of the other mysteries by Limon.
I enjoy this series, especially since I spent two years in Korea and know many of the places the investigators go. But this book falls apart at the end. The mystery of the killer is solved but other things are left hanging - the missing wife who has now returned, the killing of the commander at the end. The role of the American lawyer who had been hired by the family of the accused man? The book was just not finished -- not as good as some of the other mysteries by Limon.
July 2, 2018
To be published by Soho Crime on 10.23.18. Martin Limon's books walk a fine line between pulp and historical. They are also addictive as hell. His books deal with two lifers in the Army's police group in Korea in the 1970s. In this outing, Sueno and Bascom get involved in two cases, one of which could trigger a second Korean War. A dead body, a Korean national, is found on the line separating North and South Korea. His feet are firmly in the south but the bulk of his body is in the north. Ordered to move the body, our lads cause an international tension. Also, the wife of an American officer disappears, and may be caught up in the gangster-controlled nightlife of Seoul. And, there's a great deal of black-marketing going on. What are two enlisted lads to do? Running themselves ragged, mostly against the orders of every high-ranking officer they encounter, Sueno and Bascom do what they do best. Improbable, but highly enjoyable.
November 1, 2018
I absolutely love this series and its two irreverent soldiers. Another satisfying reading experience.
Sueno and Bascom are summoned to a murder on the DMZ. The body is a KATUSA soldier and it’s straddling the line and the North Koreans want to take possession of it. A fire fight breaks out. The duo gets their asses chewed out. Their investigation gets squashed as there are fears World War III could break out. Meanwhile they are assigned to find a missing officer’s wife who appears to have become an escort for wealthy Asian men. Seekers of truth and advocates for all enlisted men they persist as they always do in doing the right thing. A plot line so implausible it could be true.
Sueno and Bascom are summoned to a murder on the DMZ. The body is a KATUSA soldier and it’s straddling the line and the North Koreans want to take possession of it. A fire fight breaks out. The duo gets their asses chewed out. Their investigation gets squashed as there are fears World War III could break out. Meanwhile they are assigned to find a missing officer’s wife who appears to have become an escort for wealthy Asian men. Seekers of truth and advocates for all enlisted men they persist as they always do in doing the right thing. A plot line so implausible it could be true.
October 24, 2018
“The Line” by Martin Limón is set in South Korea some 50 years after the “cease fire.” People living in Seoul are terrified by the prospect of another war. North Korea has heavily fortified positions all along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and is capable of launching an attack that would reach Seoul. “Just another day in the R-O-K.”
Limón plunges readers into this tense situation through the first person account of George Sueño, an officer in 8th Army who conveniently speaks Korean, and his partner, Ernie Bascom, both agents for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division, CID, in Seoul. The story is driven by the light-hearted banter, serious conversations, and thoughtful discussions between these two and the people they encounter.
Sueño and Bascom are rousted awake at “oh-dark-thirty” by one word: “Murder.” Vivid details put the reader into the scene as the pair arrives and finds an unusually tense situation at the DMZ. Off in the distance, across the vast open space, just by “The Bridge of No Return” and North Korean territory, they see a body; the left boot is in South Korea, but the rest of the body is in North Korea. Guns are pointed by both sides, and no one will risk touching the body. With caution and trepidation, Sueño and Bascom slowly and carefully advance, and soon the body slides to the south.
The pace is frantic as Sueño and Bascom try to determine how the man died, and more importantly who killed him. North Koreans? South Koreans? Gangsters? Russians? The possibilities are endless and the task is daunting. They have a suspect, but is this the correct perpetrator or is it just the politically expedient choice?
Limón creates a realistic picture of life for military and civilians with a mix of cultural activities, everyday occurrences, and unusual events that are the consequences of life in the “occupied state” of South Korea. There is another story intertwined with another compelling crime that must be solved.
Limón sprinkles in Korean culture and language (with translation). There is also a lot of military alphabet shorthand, (MAC, JSA, DMZ, MDL, KATUSA, CID, MDL, JSA, BOQ AFKN, ASCOM) “decoded” for readers on the first use, but not necessarily in subsequent uses
“The Line” is number thirteen in Limón’s Sueño and Bascom series, but it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. Any background information a reader might need is folded into the scenarios of the current story. Even though the book is set in the mid-1970s, the political tension, complex moral challenges, and social conflicts could have been pulled from today’s newspaper. This gripping book will keep readers guessing until the end.
Limón plunges readers into this tense situation through the first person account of George Sueño, an officer in 8th Army who conveniently speaks Korean, and his partner, Ernie Bascom, both agents for the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division, CID, in Seoul. The story is driven by the light-hearted banter, serious conversations, and thoughtful discussions between these two and the people they encounter.
Sueño and Bascom are rousted awake at “oh-dark-thirty” by one word: “Murder.” Vivid details put the reader into the scene as the pair arrives and finds an unusually tense situation at the DMZ. Off in the distance, across the vast open space, just by “The Bridge of No Return” and North Korean territory, they see a body; the left boot is in South Korea, but the rest of the body is in North Korea. Guns are pointed by both sides, and no one will risk touching the body. With caution and trepidation, Sueño and Bascom slowly and carefully advance, and soon the body slides to the south.
The pace is frantic as Sueño and Bascom try to determine how the man died, and more importantly who killed him. North Koreans? South Koreans? Gangsters? Russians? The possibilities are endless and the task is daunting. They have a suspect, but is this the correct perpetrator or is it just the politically expedient choice?
Limón creates a realistic picture of life for military and civilians with a mix of cultural activities, everyday occurrences, and unusual events that are the consequences of life in the “occupied state” of South Korea. There is another story intertwined with another compelling crime that must be solved.
Limón sprinkles in Korean culture and language (with translation). There is also a lot of military alphabet shorthand, (MAC, JSA, DMZ, MDL, KATUSA, CID, MDL, JSA, BOQ AFKN, ASCOM) “decoded” for readers on the first use, but not necessarily in subsequent uses
“The Line” is number thirteen in Limón’s Sueño and Bascom series, but it is not necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. Any background information a reader might need is folded into the scenarios of the current story. Even though the book is set in the mid-1970s, the political tension, complex moral challenges, and social conflicts could have been pulled from today’s newspaper. This gripping book will keep readers guessing until the end.
December 28, 2018
Once more, I "liked" rather than "really liked" one of the entries in this series. I know that it can be tough, but I think that Limon needs to go back and re-read some of the earliest entries. I get that one of the two needed to become the central role & George Sueno got the nod. In the interim, Ernie Bascomb has become more of a shadow of his early self.
This novel has the sergeants investigating a murder along the Joint Security Area (JSA) of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a place where tensions on both sides run high, to say the least. The sergeants take up the case of a possibly wrongly-accused junior enlisted soldier and wind up bringing the case to its conclusion. I don't want to say more without giving too much away. It is a worthwhile read, especially for followers of the series (like me), but it could have been better.
This novel has the sergeants investigating a murder along the Joint Security Area (JSA) of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a place where tensions on both sides run high, to say the least. The sergeants take up the case of a possibly wrongly-accused junior enlisted soldier and wind up bringing the case to its conclusion. I don't want to say more without giving too much away. It is a worthwhile read, especially for followers of the series (like me), but it could have been better.
November 22, 2018
Years and years ago, I greatly enjoyed the first book in this series (Jade Lady Burning) and the next two, and then for some reason, I had the impression that Limon had stopped writing, so the series dropped off my radar. I noticed this new one the other day and was shocked to see that it's the 13th in the Sueno and Bascom series! Thankfully, it's not a series that you have to read in order, and while there are some allusions to events that must have been covered in the last several books, I never felt like I was missing out on anything.
The main pleasure of the series is the depiction of 1970s Korea, which the author draws from his ten years serving there in the US Army. It's hard to conceive that the country hadn't yet built up any manufacturing, and the only tourists were planeloads of Japanese businessmen on sex holidays. On the flipside, the depictions of life on the various US army bases and camps is like being in an entirely different world.
There are two main plotlines here -- most important is the murder of a South Korean soldier stationed at the titular DMZ. There's also the disappearance of the wife of an officer, who seems to have vanished into Seoul's nightlife. CID sergeants Sueno and Bascom shuttle back and forth between the cases, even though (naturally) they're ordered to drop one, and they get into tight jams with various Army officials, JAG lawyers, and even Korean gangsters. The storyline ultimately gets a little over the top by the end, and the heroes have to rely too many times on their friends passing key information to them, but I was kept engaged by the setting and quick pace.
The main pleasure of the series is the depiction of 1970s Korea, which the author draws from his ten years serving there in the US Army. It's hard to conceive that the country hadn't yet built up any manufacturing, and the only tourists were planeloads of Japanese businessmen on sex holidays. On the flipside, the depictions of life on the various US army bases and camps is like being in an entirely different world.
There are two main plotlines here -- most important is the murder of a South Korean soldier stationed at the titular DMZ. There's also the disappearance of the wife of an officer, who seems to have vanished into Seoul's nightlife. CID sergeants Sueno and Bascom shuttle back and forth between the cases, even though (naturally) they're ordered to drop one, and they get into tight jams with various Army officials, JAG lawyers, and even Korean gangsters. The storyline ultimately gets a little over the top by the end, and the heroes have to rely too many times on their friends passing key information to them, but I was kept engaged by the setting and quick pace.
October 25, 2018
There are two series of mysteries by Martin Limon that take place during or after wars in which the United States has participated. One is the wonderful Billy Boyle series, which takes place just before and during World War II. The other is the Bueno and Bascom investigations set in South Vietnam after the armistice. This, the 13th in the series, is the most dangerous one yet for the irreverent pair, taking them directly into conflict with the North Koreans at the DMZ.
They are tasked with going right up to the line dividing North and South because of the murder of a South Korean corporal assigned to U.S. troops. The body lies across the line and they drag it back to the south, nearly causing a new war on the peninsula. An American private eventually is blamed, to assuage the North Koreans, but neither Bascom nor Bueno believes him guilty. However, they are taken off the case (but that doeesn’t stop them from pursuing it). Meanwhile, they have another case involving a bored wife of a Corps of Engineers Captain who goes missing.
The author, who served a decade in the Army in Korea, applies his intimate knowledge to the fullest extent with detailed knowledge not only of Army life, but the conditions of the South Korean population. Written plainly with clever plotting, the story will keep the reader turning pages until he/she reaches the extremely unexpected conclusion.
Recommended.
(OT Note: Ted Feit read/reviewed this book in early September. It pains me greatly to tell you that this is the last review Ted will ever write: He passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly, in mid-September.)
They are tasked with going right up to the line dividing North and South because of the murder of a South Korean corporal assigned to U.S. troops. The body lies across the line and they drag it back to the south, nearly causing a new war on the peninsula. An American private eventually is blamed, to assuage the North Koreans, but neither Bascom nor Bueno believes him guilty. However, they are taken off the case (but that doeesn’t stop them from pursuing it). Meanwhile, they have another case involving a bored wife of a Corps of Engineers Captain who goes missing.
The author, who served a decade in the Army in Korea, applies his intimate knowledge to the fullest extent with detailed knowledge not only of Army life, but the conditions of the South Korean population. Written plainly with clever plotting, the story will keep the reader turning pages until he/she reaches the extremely unexpected conclusion.
Recommended.
(OT Note: Ted Feit read/reviewed this book in early September. It pains me greatly to tell you that this is the last review Ted will ever write: He passed away, suddenly and unexpectedly, in mid-September.)
October 22, 2018
This latest installment in a long running series features a unique setting and protagonists. Limon uses two 8th Army CID agents in Korea to good effect as they investigate the death of a South Korean soldier who is found - get this- lying right smack across the DMZ. Sueno and Bascom start looking at a US soldier who was dating the man's sister but then they get pulled off to find a missing woman. That case leads them into the complicated world of South Korean organized crime. One of the nicest things is the relationship between Sueno and Bascom and between those two and their South Korean counterparts, Mr. Kill and Officer Oh. You should remember that this is set in the 1970s so forensics are minimal (making it more difficult to solve a crime quickly.). Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. You don't need to have read the earlier books to enjoy this one- I've dipped in and out of the series over the years and am always happy to discover one on the shelf.
August 15, 2020
This is the 13th book in the Sergeants Sueño and Bascom series. Army CID sergeants George Sueno and Ernie Bascom are in South Korea in the 1970's. In this story a body is located very close to the North/South Korean boarder line. Sueño and Bascom are assigned to being the body to the South side of the border. They do not know what side the man was killed on and interrogating suspects and possible witnesses from North Korea is not an option. Sueño and Bascom are pulled off the case and when the murder weapon is located in an American private's locker, the case is closed. Even though the case is closed and they were told to leave it alone, Sueño and Bascom continue to investigate. I found this book a quick read and really enjoyed seeing a bit of what life and solving crimes was like in the 1970's Korea. I am giving this book a solid 4 star review. Thank you to NG, the publisher, an author for allowing me to read this book in exchange for a honest review.
September 10, 2022
Sueno and Bascom are called up to the DMZ (Demarkation Military Zone) to investigate the murder of a Korean Auxillary soldier of the US Army. His body was found almost literally on the Armistice line. The PTB (Powers That Be) want the murderer to be a North Korean, but they then focus on a friend of the murdered man who was dating his sister. So everyone agrees it's best that the US soldier be convicted and everyone is happy (except for the accused). The boys have been ordered off the case, but they don't think the GI did it.
Instead of the murder investigation, they've been told to track down the wife of a Colonel who's gone missing. The boys know that this is to keep them away from the other investigation. So they work on both of them together. It appears that she has gone off with a Korean woman on an 'adventure'. What she has gotten herself mixed up in is a scheme where "white" woman are used to entice rich Asian men into spending money on her for her 'favor's'.
Instead of the murder investigation, they've been told to track down the wife of a Colonel who's gone missing. The boys know that this is to keep them away from the other investigation. So they work on both of them together. It appears that she has gone off with a Korean woman on an 'adventure'. What she has gotten herself mixed up in is a scheme where "white" woman are used to entice rich Asian men into spending money on her for her 'favor's'.
February 25, 2019
It is the 70’s in occupied Korea and Sueno and Bascom have a couple of cases to deal with. The first is at the edge of the Demilitarized Zone the murder of a young Korean soldier on assignment to the US army. Authority to investigate is the first point of conflict between US, North Korean and South Korean forces. The dead soldier’s sister is romantically involved with an American GI and the US brass seem determined to pin the crime on him and sweep the actual events under the table. This is the more interesting of the two plot threads, in my opinion. The second has to do with the disappearance of a bored officer’s wife who has been spending too much time in bars with the wrong sorts of men. Sueno and Bascom are ordered off the first case and on to the second with very little attention to the merits or details of either.
What I like best, as usual with this series, is the rich geopolitical and social background that Limon gives. The lives in the camps, the cities and the villages are described in fascinating detail bringing to life a scene that has been largely forgotten,
What I like best, as usual with this series, is the rich geopolitical and social background that Limon gives. The lives in the camps, the cities and the villages are described in fascinating detail bringing to life a scene that has been largely forgotten,
October 28, 2018
Twenty years after the armistice in the Korean war, the situation along the border is still volatile, and the murder of a South Korean working with the US army threatens to set off renewed fighting. This is a darker mystery than I usually read, but Limon hints about rather than graphically describes a setting where sex, violence and corruption are a part of daily life. I've not read others in the series, which didn't cause any problems reading this one. And I was intrigued enough by the historical setting that I will probably go back and read others. Recommended for readers of noir and modern historical mysteries.
April 14, 2021
I read this because my grandmother, who loves crime thrillers, insisted I read it. I'll save you the time. Manly man does manly things and protects helpless women in order to prevent all out war - but can he man manly enough? Half the plot basically doesnt matter to the conclusion, and the whole thing is strung together on pithy one-liners and extended explanations about various military jargon by the author's self-insert protagonist. Yes, it is the 13th book in a series and no, this doesnt matter because the only reference to the previous books is an offhand reference to a girlfriend and a love child hiding in North Korea. And no, I will not be reading the rest of them.
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March 27, 2022The murder of a Korean soldier at the DMZ did not just get a police investigation started but it ignites a heightened alert on both sides of the truce line and threatens to escalate to a full scale battle.
Throw in the complexity of a runaway wife- the Mrs of an USArmy major absconds for pleasure but ends up in the noose of the triad gangs.
Fast paced novel with several quick twists in the plot. Story set in a time, usually forgotten, of poverty, white supremacy and the silenced anger against it, dictatorship supported by American intent and money and the ordinary grind of the foot soldiers in the killing zone.
Throw in the complexity of a runaway wife- the Mrs of an USArmy major absconds for pleasure but ends up in the noose of the triad gangs.
Fast paced novel with several quick twists in the plot. Story set in a time, usually forgotten, of poverty, white supremacy and the silenced anger against it, dictatorship supported by American intent and money and the ordinary grind of the foot soldiers in the killing zone.
October 18, 2022
This is book #13 in the series, but don't feel that you have to start from book #1 to understand what's going on.
This episode actually had the detective duo attacking two major mysteries at once. The larger one involves the killing of a South Korean soldier along the Korean DMZ. It's not only who did it, but what country did it, and it could easily start a new Korean war.
I love these two guys, but I feel the ending was a bit weak on this one. A lot of questions went unanswered. Still a good read. I plan to start #13 today.
This episode actually had the detective duo attacking two major mysteries at once. The larger one involves the killing of a South Korean soldier along the Korean DMZ. It's not only who did it, but what country did it, and it could easily start a new Korean war.
I love these two guys, but I feel the ending was a bit weak on this one. A lot of questions went unanswered. Still a good read. I plan to start #13 today.
May 7, 2024
Martin Limon's, Sergeants Sueño and Bascom series is an old favorite of mine. I have bought the first thirteen books and when I have a space in my reading will get the next. I have been to Korea on business and found it fascinating compared to my many other trips to Asia. This one did not disappoint either. I especially enjoy his many characters and how they develop through his books. His books also have serious and complex plot development. I highly recommend the entire series. Start with the first one.
April 12, 2019
Martin Limon's Sueno and Bascom books are all pretty solid. I started in the middle of the series and read them not in order. I like these books because they're a pretty good character study and I love the depiction of 1970's South Korea. Having said that, none of these books really stand out. They're all pretty solid police procedurals except that the police are US 8th Army CID officers. The whole series reads like a TV series binge. I finish one and go on to the next.
November 22, 2018
A read in one day book. Excellent!
I have read all of the books and am never disappointed. Having served in Korea in 1960 up on the DMZ the book brings back memories long forgotten about the culture of the people, the toughness of my Korean ROK and KATUSA soldiers. Martin has put together a great book intertwined with familiar Korean and GI life as I knew it.
I have read all of the books and am never disappointed. Having served in Korea in 1960 up on the DMZ the book brings back memories long forgotten about the culture of the people, the toughness of my Korean ROK and KATUSA soldiers. Martin has put together a great book intertwined with familiar Korean and GI life as I knew it.
March 25, 2019
Two military inspectors, Sueno and Bascom, are asked to investigate the murder of a Korean soldier in the DMZ. This story involves gangs, black marketing, and high level corruption. When they are starting to get leads they are pulled off the case. The author does a good job of describing the tense atmosphere in 1970s Korea.
December 22, 2018
My kind of mystery, interesting characters and places. In this book the two detectives are American CID (Criminal Investigation Division) detectives at the DMZ separating North and South Korea. An intriguing view of life in the military as as well as North and South Korea.
January 5, 2019
Another great page turner by Martin Limon
I love the way he describes the interactions between North and South Koreans, the Americans, the tensions,different cultures. And the two investigators
I love the way he describes the interactions between North and South Koreans, the Americans, the tensions,different cultures. And the two investigators
January 15, 2025
This book is intriguing, not only for its setting on the border between the Koreas, but in its portrayal of the machinations of military heirarchies. Throw in a couple of khaki clad detectives and a murder to be solved and you've got a page-turner.
December 20, 2018
#18 - 39. I expected more - more details of happenings, details of the difficult situation on the DM zone. This is a simple, lack-lustre piece of fiction but written in a real setting
January 11, 2019
This was the newest in the series. The story flowed well. There was a lot of military terminology and acronyms throughout. I’d definitely read more in this series.
February 3, 2019
I really enjoyed the book. A quick read, but it felt real, and the ending kept me guessing.
February 3, 2019
The Korean DMZ and Seoul are interesting settings for the the latest installment this long running series. Two CID investigators untangle a murder, missing person, and black marketeering.
July 11, 2019
It's been awhile since I last read one of these books and it was refreshing to get back on the block to enjoy the second to latest story about sergeants sueno and bascom.
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