Inside Dope

Tito Ihaka #2

by Paul Thomas

Duane Ricketts had planned to steer clear of drugs once he got out of the Thai jail, but it's tough turning down a dying man's last request - even if he's a hardened criminal with a fatal weakness for transvestites. So now Ricketts is looking for the lost treasure of the notorious Mr Asia ten kilos of high-grade cocaine. When he finds a

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Paul Thomas is a novelist, scriptwriter, journalist and sports biographer. Thomas has also worked as an editor, public relations executive and a consultant. He is a prolific writer who has written numerous novels, select sports biographies and a collection of short stories. As a celebrated crime writer, Thomas is known for the comedic and satiric qualities of his books as well as an ability to depict crisp realism. Paul Thomas is based in Wellington.

Reviews

[Jack Heath]

Synopsis: Duane Ricketts planed to steer clear of drugs after getting out of a Thai jail, but a dying man asked him to find some lost cocaine.

[Bruce Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best understood as a riff on the Mr. Asia story, this is a wild ride. Nigerian criminals in a Bangkok lockup, a Thai ladyboy, Kiwi gangsters, a CIA 'cleaner' whose gone off the rails, a CIA hitwoman, a Maori detective mix it up in an international salad.
It's comedy crime with a taste for language. When a character is described as having the 'wry delivery of a cracker-barrel philosopher...' the author may well be describing himself.
There are deliberate prods at the woke and the prog, like the naming of a punk band: Homo Dwarfs.
In crude NZ English, the author seems to be 'taking the piss.'

[Elise March · Rating 1 out of 5]

Paul Thomas I am so sorry but this book is bad! I give it 1.6 stars because I finished it. Characters should be likeable in some way. You don’t need to sexualise every woman. I was not enthralled by the plot.

[Joe Buchan · Rating 2 out of 5]

taking multiple paragraphs every other chapter to explain how every female character has enormous boobs isn't the detailed world building that paul thomas perhaps thinks it is

[Gavan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply brilliant literary crime fiction. Very well crafted - each new character comes with an interesting and entertaining backstory. The dialogue is snappy and the narrative sharp. The action is fast paced. The plot twists are great. The whole set-up and storyline is credible / believable. impossible to fault. Can't recommend more highly!

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fast-moving, funny, blood-soaked entertainment. If it has a flaw, it's that the humour is a bit self-conscious in places.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious portrayal of Auckland's weird and wacky underworld.

[Kiwicmc · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this many years ago and found it recently in a second hand book sale. Good to catch up with Tito Ihaka again. Turns out a fourth book featuring the same character(s) has just been published, a mere 16 years later.

[Sarah Stauderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up in New Zealand and discovered a new detective novelist to follow.