The Motion Picture Teller

by Colin Cotterill

An enchanting new standalone novel from CWA Dagger winner Colin Cotterill, set in Bangkok: a mystery without a crime, where the line between fact and fiction blurs, and nothing is as simple as it appears

Thailand, 1996: Supot, a postman with the Royal Thai Mail service, hates his job. The only bright spot in his life is watching classic movies with his best friend, Ali, the owner of a video store. These cinephiles adore the charisma of the old Western stars, particularly the actresses, and bemoan the state of modern Thai cinema—until a mysterious cassette, entitled Bangkok 2010, arrives at Ali’s store.

Bangkok 2010 is a dystopian film set in a near-future Thailand—and Supot and Ali, immediately obsessed, agree it’s the most brilliant Thai movie they’ve ever seen. But nobody else has ever heard of the movie, the director, the actors, or any of the crew. Who would make a movie like this and not release it, and why?

Feeling a powerful calling to solve the mystery of Bangkok 2010, Supot journeys deep into the Thai countryside and discovers that powerful people are dead set on keeping the film buried.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor, Mystery Thriller, Asia, Audiobook

233 pages, Hardcover

First published January 17, 2023

About the author

Colin Cotterill was born in London and trained as a teacher and set off on a world tour that didn't ever come to an end. He worked as a Physical Education instructor in Israel, a primary school teacher in Australia, a counselor for educationally handicapped adults in the US, and a university lecturer in Japan. But the greater part of his latter years has been spent in Southeast Asia. Colin has taught and trained teachers in Thailand and on the Burmese border. He spent several years in Laos, initially with UNESCO and wrote and produced a forty-programme language teaching series; English By Accident, for Thai national television.

Ten years ago, Colin became involved in child protection in the region and set up an NGO in Phuket which he ran for the first two years. After two more years of study in child abuse issues, and one more stint in Phuket, he moved on to ECPAT, an international organization combating child prostitution and pornography. He established their training program for caregivers.

All the while, Colin continued with his two other passions; cartooning and writing. He contributed regular columns for the Bangkok Post but had little time to write. It wasn't until his work with trafficked children that he found himself sufficiently stimulated to put together his first novel, The Night Bastard (Suk's Editions. 2000).

The reaction to that first attempt was so positive that Colin decided to take time off and write full-time. Since October 2001 he has written nine more novels. Two of these are child-protection based: Evil in the Land Without (Asia Books December 03), and Pool and Its Role in Asian Communism (Asia Books, Dec 05). These were followed by The Coroner’s Lunch (Soho Press. Dec 04), Thirty Three Teeth (Aug 05), Disco for the Departed (Aug 06), Anarchy and Old Dogs (Aug 07), and Curse of the Pogo Stick (Aug 08), The Merry Misogynist (Aug 09), Love Songs from a Shallow Grave (Aug 10) these last seven are set in Laos in the 1970’s.

On June 15, 2009 Colin Cotterill received the Crime Writers' Association Dagger in the Library award for being "the author of crime fiction whose work is currently giving the greatest enjoyment to library users".

When the Lao books gained in popularity, Cotterill set up a project to send books to Lao children and sponsor trainee teachers. The Books for Laos programme elicits support from fans of the books and is administered purely on a voluntary basis.

Since 1990, Colin has been a regular cartoonist for national publications. A Thai language translation of his cartoon scrapbook, Ethel and Joan Go to Phuket (Matichon May 04) and weekly social cartoons in the Nation newspaper, set him back onto the cartoon trail in 2004. On 4 April 2004, an illustrated bilingual column ‘cycle logical’ was launched in Matichon’s popular weekly news magazine. These have been published in book form.

Colin is married and lives in a fishing community on the Gulf of Siam with his wife, Kyoko, and ever-expanding pack of very annoying dogs.

Reviews

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Colin Cotterill, a London-born Renaissance man who lives in Thailand, writes the award-winning Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery series. This book, a humorous suspense novel about two Bangkok movie buffs, is a nice departure for Cotterill.

*****

Thirtysomething Bangkok residents Supot and Ali are friends whose prime interest in life is movies.





Supot is a lackadaisical mailman and Ali - who's in the midst of writing a screenplay - owns a video rental shop in Bangkok. In Supot's spare time he 'works' (without pay) at Ali's video shop....if you can call it working.



Usually Supot and Ali sit in the back of the shop watching and discussing films, about which they are VERY knowledgeable. The two pals extol the virtue of western cinema and western movie stars, and especially love legendary actresses like Marlene Dietrich. Conversely, Supot and Ali bemoan the lack of great Thai movies.



The video shop gets about 3 to 4 customers on an average evening, and one night - when a nervous boy with a penciled on mustache comes in, and in a fake deep voice, says the men at his snooker club want a couple of sex films - Ali and Supot can barely contain their mirth.



One day a homeless man called Woot comes by the video store with a box of old cassettes he 'found' (stole).



Ali agrees to purchase the haul for a few Baht and he and Supot proceed to enjoy the movies. Then a miracle happens. One of the cassettes, a Thai film called 'Bangkok 2010' - which neither man has ever heard of - is SUPERB. It has a compelling storyline, great acting, high production values, and so on. Moreover Supot falls in love with the beautiful lead actress, whose name is Suriluk....and who plays a character called Suriluk.



Supot is absolutely mesmerized by the film, watches it again and again, and tries to research the people involved with the movie. It's almost impossible to learn anything about the production, but finally, after going to film studios around Bangkok and doing some sneaky sleuthing with the post office, Supot manages to get the name of one filmmaker and an address for lovely Siriluk.



Supot writes to Siriluk and gets a response, which absolutely thrills him. In a roundabout way, Siriluk's letter leads to Supot and Ali embarking on an amusing excursion around town.



In any case, Supot is DETERMINED to meet Siriluk and find out why the movie was never released. Thus Supot decides to visit the actress where she lives, which is far away from his home in Bangkok. There Supot (eventually) learns what's what.



The main story is interspersed with scenes from the movie 'Bangkok 2010' which is about a fascistic regime in which the ruling ministers have a stable of 'minor wives' (prostitutes). Beautiful long-haired Siriluk is a member of the underground (a spy) who finagles herself into being a minor wife to a high-ranking Deputy Field Marshall. Suriluk's aim is to compromise the Deputy Field Marshall and harm the regime. These scenes from 'Bangkok 2010', which comprise a story within a story, are compelling in and of themselves.





The novel is entertaining, with engaging characters, scenes that made me chuckle, and a feel for the ambiance of Thailand. There's also a good bit of natter about REAL films, actresses, actors, and so on - which would appeal to enthusiastic movie watchers.

Good book. Highly recommended.

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Sarah-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

Colin Cotterill is a productive writer of mystery novels with several stand-alones and two series. Of his two series my favorite by far is the one featuring Dr. Siri Paiboun, a former guerilla medic now serving as national coroner, and set in in Laos in the 1970s and 80s. Two years ago, and much to the my dismay—and the dismay of many of Dr. Siri's fans—he published The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot, which he announced would be the final volume of the series. (His Jimm Juree series is good, but just not up there with Dr. Siri in my estimation.)

Now, Dr. Siri fans—and readers who know nothing about that series—have something new to look forward to: Cotterill's The Motion Picture Teller, set in Thailand in 1996. The bad news is that The Motion Picture Teller is a stand-alone. The good news is that it exists, and its central character, postman and film aficionado Supot, makes for company just as good as (though quite different from) Dr. Siri. I am hoping that Cotterill will decide to use The Motion Picture Teller as the start of a new series.

The mystery begins when Supot and his best friend Ali, who owns a video rental business, discover an unknown and utterly brilliant film, Bangkok 2010. Supot finds himself falling in love with the lead actress in that film—never mind that he's never seen or heard of her anywhere else. When Supot begins an effort to contact this actress and to look for other films involving cast members of Bangkok 2010 he begins running into mysterious dead ends. And as he attempts to break past those dead ends he finds the film's origins and the actors' identities more and more mysterious.

If you enjoy mysteries, you really should give yourself the pleasure of reading The Motion Picture Teller. Then you can join me in hoping that this stand-alone begets a new series.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher; the opinions are my own.

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an odd story.

Main character Supot is a postman, and misanthropic Ali is the owner of a video store. In 1996 Bangkok, the two friends become utterly obsessed with a film set in a dystopian future Thailand in 2010. The friends believe it is the best film they have ever seen (they have an encyclopedic knowledge of films, as they spend much of their free time doing nothing else but watching movies).

They can find little information about the production, but Supot is impelled to find answers, which eventually lead him to a remote village in the Thai countryside.

The plot of the in-book movie is fascinating, though misogynistic. The lengths Supot goes to discover the names of people involved in the production were pretty incredible, considering his general apathy to every other aspect of his life. I also loved the friendship between Supot and Ali. The two are somewhat ridiculous, but I liked how each found something they were looking for over the course of their search to find the origins and creators of their favourite movie.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Colin Cotterill's quirky series starring Dr. Siri Paiboun and thought I'd try this standalone novel, especially after reading a great review by a friend on Goodreads. This is a quirky story that movie lovers, especially cinephiles, may well enjoy. It features a Royal Thai postman who hates his job and escapes into classic movies, and so much more.....

Favorite quote:

Regarding the re-telling of a movie that cannot otherwise be viewed in Thailand in 1996: "An actual movie tells you what to feel, it does most of the thinking for you, puts ideas in your head. But your telling makes us all work, we had to paint and decorate your words, it allowed me to step out of the movie and look at it through your eyes."

[LAPL Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supot Yongjaiyut knows he is not living his best life. The year is 1996 and Supot lives in Bangkok. During the day, he works for the Royal Thai Mail Service, a job he loathes and for which he knows he has no aptitude. When he’s not at work, he spends his evenings watching movies with his best friend Ali. Ali owns a video store and shares a love of movies, all movies, with Supot. Another thing both men share is the belief that they are waiting for “something big” to happen to them. And that when that something big happens, they will both begin to live their lives the way they were meant to live them.

One evening, while watching and arguing about The Big Sleep, Supot and Ali are interrupted by Woot, the local derelict, who brings in a box of videotapes and attempts to sell them to Ali. Woot eventually departs the shop, leaving behind his box of tapes. There is nothing remarkable about any of the contents of the box, with one exception: an enigmatic tape labeled Bangkok 2010. Neither man has ever heard of this film. Supot decides to watch it and after finishing, brings it to Ali to watch. They agree that this may be the best Thai film ever made. Where did it come from? Why have they never heard of it? Could Bangkok 2010 be the “something big” that both men have been awaiting?

In The Motion Picture Teller, Colin Cotterill tells a tale of dreams. Dreams that are not only inspired by movies, but also, sometimes, fulfilled by them as well. His characters are nicely drawn and recognizable (Who hasn’t worked a job they hated while hoping for something better to happen?). Cotterill’s dialogue, especially between Supot and Ali, sparkles. This is especially true as they banter about the movies or wax poetically about Bangkok 2010, and the novel is filled with film references and trivia.

The novel is centered on the mystery of Bangkok 2010 as Supot and Ali’s attempt to uncover when and where the film was made and how there seems to be no record or knowledge of it. By setting the book in 1996, Cotterill limits the access to the sometimes staggering amounts of film minutia that is currently only a click or tap away, forcing the characters to pursue other, more time consuming methods to explore the film’s origins. Cotterill also illustrates how, if you’re waiting for something big to happen, it can begin with something small. If you’re willing to follow the path presented, as Supot does as he begins on his progressively obsessive search to unravel the mystery of the film, the results may be life altering.

The Motion Picture Teller is a charming novel about hopes, dreams, and having the courage to find the place you’re truly meant to be.

Reviewed by Daryl M., Librarian, West Valley Regional Branch Library

[Susan Tunis · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was my first time reading Mr. Cotterill. It was an easy choice of starting place as a standalone. And it was quite enjoyable, with a (for me) exotic, contemporary Thai setting. There was some lovely humor. And the mysterious film at the heart of the novel was intriguing enough for me to Google to see if it was real. (And wasn't the author's note at the end interesting?)

The reason that I didn't rate it a full four stars is that I was far more interested in the two film buffs than the film depicted within the novel. I wanted less movie and more reality. Though, obviously, some of the film sequences were vital. But, overall, this was a gentle and enjoyable mystery without a crime at its heart.

[Jess | dapper.reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay. I was surely expecting more from it - it has such an interesting premise behind it. However the execution didn’t hit the mark for me.

So we find a movie, right? And apparently it’s dang good - but it’s never been released to the public - drama ensues.

This could have been great. I’m unsure if my dislike for it had more to do with the story itself, or that I listened to the audio. It’s possible that this book is just one that is better in a format other than audio. It happens. Thanks to NetGalley I was able to listen to this one - I might find an ebook and try it again in the future.

[Dorothy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I greatly enjoyed Colin Cotterill's series which was set in Laos and featured Dr. Siri. Dr. Siri is a wonderful character and one can hope that we might see him again at some point. But in the meantime, Cotterill has written this book which is a standalone novel set in Bangkok.

The book's main character is Supot, a postman with the Royal Thai Postal Service. His job is postman but his life is all about appreciation for classic movies. He and his best friend, Ali, who owns a video store, spend every possible moment of their lives watching those movies. They are obsessed with the old Western movies and their stars, especially the female stars.

The two are completely dismissive of modern Thai cinema and spend plenty of their time denigrating it. But then something happens to radically change their views.

A cassette with the title Bangkok 2010 is delivered to Ali's store. They have no idea where it came from or why it was sent to Ali, but after watching it, the two friends agree that it is the most brilliant Thai film they have ever seen.

It is a dystopian film set in Thailand. In the film, the country is run by chauvinistic Security Council officers. The female star of the movie is named Siriluk and she is everything that Ali and Supot could dream of in a woman.

But the film comes with a mystery. The mystery is that nobody has ever heard of it or of any of the people associated with the film. Why would anyone make such a brilliant film and then not release it and why has no one ever heard of any of the actors, the director, or any of the crew?

Supot is determined to solve the mystery of the film. His first step is to write to Siriluk. She responds at first but only to ask him not to show the film to anybody. But then she stops responding. Supot, however, follows his obsession by traveling deep into the Thai countryside looking for answers. And he finds that there is a curse on the movie. Will it ever be able to be shown to the public?

Colin Cotterill writes with a light touch. All of his books are notable for their frequent uses of humor to make a point. Supot is a lovable character in the same mold as Dr. Siri and I suspect we may see more of him in the future, even though this book is billed as a "standalone." That would be okay with me. I quite enjoyed the character and the book.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time with this author, enjoyed the story.

[Cheryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Abandoned at 30%. I just couldn't get into it.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a long-time fan of Colin Cotterill. I love his series of historical mysteries featuring the septuagenarian coroner of Laos, Dr. Siri Paiboun. Cotterill has a double-edged sense of humor that can be gentle with humans yet skewer political ideology. I don't know how he does it, but over the years, he's made me laugh while simultaneously seeing the truth of things. I jumped for joy when I came across The Motion Picture Teller because it has been a long three years since his last book.

Supot and Ali are the lovable yet hapless characters that Cotterill creates so well. While readers can be amused at their feckless ways, they're also learning about life in Thailand, both the average Thai's daily life as well as how the country's politics affects everyone. In The Motion Picture Teller, Thai life under military regimes is touched upon subtly yet powerfully. So much so that readers may wonder how the people of Thailand can be so well known for their smiling faces.

I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Being with Supot and Ali in the video store was like a trip down Memory Lane for this movie buff, and Cotterill's descriptions of Western movie posters being "translated" for the Thai audience certainly had me cringing and laughing. But once Supot decided to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Bangkok 2010, the story unraveled a bit, leaving me vaguely dissatisfied. Even though I didn't find The Motion Picture Teller to be a complete success, it was still wonderful to spend time in Colin Cotterill's world again. Please don't make me wait another three years for a new book!

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)

[Isabella Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to first note that this is my first book with my new library card! I really enjoyed reading this. I loved my film classes in college and this book eloquently intersects a love of film and literature within a single, quick-paced story. The mystery of “Bangkok 2010” is more of a driving factor for me than Supot’s interest in Siriluk, but where both lead is very surprising. Reading this makes me want to do WAY more research into the history of Thailand and I love how Cotterill describes the city, scenes, and characters. I also really enjoy the inserts of the “Bangkok 2010” script. The film’s narrative develops parallel to the actual story, and I really enjoyed reading this. The last chapter is beautiful to me. I sometimes found myself asking the question of whether “Bangkok 2010” should have been eventually released to the general public because of the impact and message or if it should have been kept with the original creators? In summation, for me, it really emphasized the point that films can mean a lot of different things to different people — confidence, sadness, hope, etc. I really enjoyed this book, and the movies that are referenced throughout!

[Yamini · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having read a blurb that the book has something to do with a movie in Bangkok. N that being my current City, I had to pick this book up.

I did enjoy the lookup the book introduced us to which is quite novel, as I had never heard or even thought of the profession mentioned in this book. The story involves a lot of landscape details of multiple cities in Thailand. What the reader, however, has to keep in mind is that the book is set up in 1996 so the details go accordingly and don't have a lot to match up with the current state. I mean it's gorgeously developed and clean now!

The obsession of the main protagonist over the Western star cast and the movie Bangkok 2010 has left him derailed from his current life and he is keen to solve the mystery of this unheard movie.

The plot is intriguing but the narration style was not to my liking as I felt it was not effectively communicating the story. But I did manage to get to the end and felt a little better with the way things closed.

Genre: #mystery #fiction
Rating: 3/5 ⭐

Thanks, @netgalley @colin.cotterill for the digital ARC.
#MotionPictureTeller #NetGalley #arcreview #bookreview

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of course, any Colin Cotterill is better than none, but this story of two old friends whoe live for classic movies in 1990s Bangkok is not his top work. Ali, who owns a video rental store, and Supot, a postman, are blown away when they find a Thai movie that is wonderful and skilled beyond anything that the local studioes are producing. Supot is particularly struck by the beautiful lead actress, and is determined to find out more about her. None of the usual methods work, and he finally goes to where she lives, in the countryside, almost losing his life before he finds out the true story of the movie.

[Geonn Cannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, quick read that falters a little with telling instead of showing. But it's an intriguing (and very original) story about two guys who love movies. I could've done with a few more scenes of them just working at the videostore, but I'll take what I can get.

[Marli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This quirky, funny, poignant, interesting story is not for everyone but I found it a complete delight! it has a total sense of place and tons of movie references. I can't wait to read more by this author! Thank you Amie Olsen for reading this with me!

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Author’s Note page at book’s end summarized this touching story :

“ …we arrive at THE MOTION PICTURE TELLER, an unrequited love story about a Poor Thai postman and a beautiful movie star. It delved into the lives of people whose dreams hold them together, whose only hopes are that one day they might meet someone who can change their lives. “

Colin Cotterill’s 2023 stand-alone mystery is another of his easy paced tales of the common man caught up in an uncommon quest. This author excells at creating believable, dimensional characters who live and breathe. His stories are creative and complex despite their brevity. And the plot twists ? The ending you didn’t expect ? He is masterful !

Cotterill is a relatively new voice in the genre of mystery at least here in the United States. I look forward to many more tales.

[Cara Noyes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This bizarre mystery without a crime was fantastic. With 10 pages to go, I waited 4 days to finish it, because I did not want it to end.
Supot is such an endearing underachiever.
His Hollywood ending in the last few pages was priceless!
This author was so creative. I want to read more!

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an incredibly cute “mystery”! I thought about rounding up, just because it was so cute both in its descriptions and also in how the mystery ends up unfolding. (But I stuck with my 3 stars.)

[Jordyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ummmmmm. A lot of slurs used. A small amount of interest retained.

[Miriam Cantwell · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a weird story, and I can't decide if it was good weird or bad weird

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first half of the book was a bit of a slog for me but the last half was a page turner. Great characters

[Tinika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the 90s, Colin Cotterill, the author, wrote a screenplay for a movie called Bangkok 2010. It went nowhere. The premise of The Motion Picture Teller is that the movie got made and it is brilliant, a cinematic masterpiece, the best Thai movie of all time. But nobody has seen it. That is nobody but Supat, a poor postman, and his friend Ali. These two cinephiles want to know: who made it? where are the actors now (especially the beautiful female lead?) and why was it never released?

Cotterill stays true to his stock in trade: quirky characters and absurd situations. The humour found in his other books is intact here but what I particularly loved were the plot twists. Nothing resolved itself as expected and I very much liked the surprises.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is not my usual genre or subject matter. It kept my interest but I didn't find it to be very compelling.

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Colin Cotterill is always interesting. He has two other series set in Southeast Asia and this new book is very different from the others but with some of his signature touches.

A somewhat hapless pair of friends, Ali and Supot, are film buffs. Supot is a mail carrier, and not devoted to his career. Ali actually has an MBA and could have chosen a profitable corporate job but disappointed his family by preferring to own a small and specialized video store. The setting is the mid-90s, before the advent of CDs and DVDs.

The two friends steep themselves in classic films -- everything from American 40s movies to Japanese and Scandinavian classics. In a batch of VCR tapes they discover an obscure but enlightening movie featuring a beautiful young actress who is also (in the movie) an activist. The two become almost addicted to the movie and Supot is enraptured by the actress. He obtains an address and phone number for her and starts trying to contact her.

She replies in a guarded way and is mostly concerned with how they obtained the movie and with who else has seen it. And so starts a very odd chain of events. The one copy the friends have they show to other friends, who "borrow" it and make more copies. Meanwhile the actress gets more agitated about all the versions floating around.

Supot eventually decides to try and find the actress in person and Ali embarks on a career as a kind of actor. It's impossible to explain the ensuing circumstances but they are humorous, mysterious, and sometimes poignant. Supot discovers the real story behind the movie and the loose ends get mostly braided together by the end.

Cotterill is a wry and intelligent writer and his books are a pleasure to read. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Tori · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is hardly a mystery as it's sold as, and I think because of that I struggled to get invested. There's a long, slow start where the biggest question is where this random movie came from. There are some fun characters and settings here that kept it from really losing interest, but the marketing here mixed up my expectations.

[Lucy Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

ALMOST too meta (and definitely too beauty standards focused) but i liked it anyway

[Claudia Majetich · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd book. It was in the Mystery section of my public library, which set my expectations that there would be some sort of crime, likely murder, that would need solving by the main character. This doesn't fit that schema. There is a situation that needs to be investigated and figured out, but it's not a typical mystery plot. It's divided into two halves, and it took me a while to figure out how the 2nd half was related to the first.

I enjoyed the first part a lot, since the characters were engaging, and they live in Bangkok--a place I'm not at all familiar with. The conceit of having them nerdy fans of old Hollywood movies was charming. But I had a hard time understanding the action in the 2nd part--I felt that there was a cultural understanding, especially of recent history, that I didn't quite "get". One example is the concept of "minor wife": it's important to the book, and I kept expecting some explanation of it to be worked in, but it never was. (A Wikipedia article on polygamy in Thailand was very helpful.) The resistance activities of the student group who figure in the 2nd half also wasn't well presented.

It’s a quirky book, and I'm intrigued to find out what else the author has written. I tend to favor cozy mysteries, and it's pleasant to find someone trying a fresh approach.

[Denise · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

I really wanted to love this book. I absolutely love the author's Dr. Siri Paiboun series and I was hoping to feel the same with this new character. But unfortunately, I just couldn't connect with the story or the characters. I didn't care what happened to them or why they were doing the things they did. I love the authorial voice that runs through Cotterill's books, but it felt wasted here. Hopeful that the next thing Cotterill publishes will land better for me.

[Wendy Eley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unlike Cotterill's book series, this stand-alone novel took ages to grab me.