What do you think?
Rate this book
Poke Rafferty Mystery #4
The Queen of Patpong
For American travel writer Poke Rafferty, life finally seems to hold some semblance of stability. He and his longtime love, Rose, have gone through with their much-deferred marriage ceremony, their adopted daughter, Miaow, a former street child, has become a loving—if sometimes difficult—part of the family, and the three of them live in relative comfort thanks to Rose's housekeeping business and Rafferty's writing.
Then a nightmare figure from Rose's time as a Patpong dancer barges into their world, shattering the peace they've worked so hard to obtain. His appearance threatens everything they cherish: their love, their home . . . their very lives. As a foreigner who's seen some of the worst Bangkok has to offer and survived confrontations with Thailand's most powerful and dangerous elements, Rafferty feels equal to most of the challenges Bangkok can throw at him. But now his only hope is to discover the whole truth of Rose's past—a journey down the dark and twisting road that turned a shy, awkward village teenager into the queen of Asia's most lurid red-light street: Patpong Road. And just when Rafferty thought life was looking good, reality comes crashing in as he learns that the secrets from Rose's former life are almost impossible to accept—and even harder to survive.
The Queen of Patpong is a terrifying, heart-breaking, electrifying story of peril, love, and, ultimately, redemption in modern-day Thailand—and the most ambitious, affecting novel yet from thriller master Timothy Hallinan.
Then a nightmare figure from Rose's time as a Patpong dancer barges into their world, shattering the peace they've worked so hard to obtain. His appearance threatens everything they cherish: their love, their home . . . their very lives. As a foreigner who's seen some of the worst Bangkok has to offer and survived confrontations with Thailand's most powerful and dangerous elements, Rafferty feels equal to most of the challenges Bangkok can throw at him. But now his only hope is to discover the whole truth of Rose's past—a journey down the dark and twisting road that turned a shy, awkward village teenager into the queen of Asia's most lurid red-light street: Patpong Road. And just when Rafferty thought life was looking good, reality comes crashing in as he learns that the secrets from Rose's former life are almost impossible to accept—and even harder to survive.
The Queen of Patpong is a terrifying, heart-breaking, electrifying story of peril, love, and, ultimately, redemption in modern-day Thailand—and the most ambitious, affecting novel yet from thriller master Timothy Hallinan.
312 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2010
About the author
Timothy Hallinan
50 books456 followersI'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.
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews
June 9, 2016
If you have not read the prior books in the Bangkok Series, put your copy of The Queen of Patpong on your night table until you have caught up….I’ll wait…ok, read the first three? Great. So, in this fourth volume of the series the focus is on Rose’s back-story. Rose is, of course, the wife of Poke Rafferty, the primary character in the series. Of course, Hallinan writes thrillers, so there is plenty of action to begin. A dark force from Rose’s past is in town, wreaking havoc. A dust-up or two in, Rose tells her story. That makes up the bulk of the book. And it is a pretty interesting yarn. We learn how she went from her life in a small village to a very different experience in Bangkok. There is a lot of detail in this aspect of the tale, so we learn what really is involved in that transition, how a girl might be coerced into such an action. Fascinating, nuanced and very informative. There is plenty going on during Rose’s telling, but it did sag a little. No matter, back in the present the action picks up again.
When Hallinan was initially writing the story, he had it in mind that the revelations about Rose’s past would cause major upheaval or at least soul-searching by Poke and Miaow, Poke and Rose’s adopted daughter. That must have gone by the boards, as there is little evidence of that intention here. And that is too bad. The family is a core motivational element in the series and there could have been more attention paid to how the family members deal with Rose’s story. It seemed as if once Rose’s story was told, complete with revelations, everyone muttered a “whatever” and carried on chasing or being chased.
An additional element here is references to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Miaow is in a school production and that offers some opportunities for lit references, foreboding, mirroring, nice bits of fun. In particular, elements of the school-production summon the images of Roses’ travails way back when. I do not know if Hallinan has employed such in the past, (I am quite dull enough to have overlooked it, if it is there) but this is the first time I noted it. We likee. The book was initially supposed to have been titled The Rock, relating to a significant location in Rose’s back-story, connected to Prospero’s locale in the older bit of work. I suppose one might see Rose as a rock as well, but the title that was chosen makes it clear that this episode in the series is all about Rose.
Finally, Hallinan includes an entire chapter called “An Indigestible Lump of Exposition.” The ostensible target of this is Shakespeare’s play, but one must wonder if he is poking a stick at himself.
The Bangkok series is pretty good stuff, and if you have been reading the series to date, this one will not disappoint. Hallinan has taken a nose-dive into a major character’s thorny past, makes some magic and comes up smelling like a Rose.
P.S. - For an informative interview with Hallinan, check out http://www.grubstreet.ca/articles/ind...
When Hallinan was initially writing the story, he had it in mind that the revelations about Rose’s past would cause major upheaval or at least soul-searching by Poke and Miaow, Poke and Rose’s adopted daughter. That must have gone by the boards, as there is little evidence of that intention here. And that is too bad. The family is a core motivational element in the series and there could have been more attention paid to how the family members deal with Rose’s story. It seemed as if once Rose’s story was told, complete with revelations, everyone muttered a “whatever” and carried on chasing or being chased.
An additional element here is references to Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Miaow is in a school production and that offers some opportunities for lit references, foreboding, mirroring, nice bits of fun. In particular, elements of the school-production summon the images of Roses’ travails way back when. I do not know if Hallinan has employed such in the past, (I am quite dull enough to have overlooked it, if it is there) but this is the first time I noted it. We likee. The book was initially supposed to have been titled The Rock, relating to a significant location in Rose’s back-story, connected to Prospero’s locale in the older bit of work. I suppose one might see Rose as a rock as well, but the title that was chosen makes it clear that this episode in the series is all about Rose.
Finally, Hallinan includes an entire chapter called “An Indigestible Lump of Exposition.” The ostensible target of this is Shakespeare’s play, but one must wonder if he is poking a stick at himself.
The Bangkok series is pretty good stuff, and if you have been reading the series to date, this one will not disappoint. Hallinan has taken a nose-dive into a major character’s thorny past, makes some magic and comes up smelling like a Rose.
P.S. - For an informative interview with Hallinan, check out http://www.grubstreet.ca/articles/ind...
November 13, 2017
The Queen of Patpong is the 4th book in the Poke Rafferty series. I have enjoyed very much the previous books but this is my favorite book so far in the series.
There are many reviews with a synopsis of the plot. I am late to reading this series. So I will relate what made this book one of my best reads of 2017.
First, overall the series is about the love of family. Poke, a travel writer, living in Bangkok has married Rose who was a bar dancer in the red light district of Patpong. They have adopted a street child Miaow. The family scenes show love and humor. Poke is usually on the losing end trying to do and say the right thing. Also, his friendship wit Arthit, a Thailand policeman, who is honest is a theme that runs through out the books. The characters are not static. The reader learns more about each character as the series progresses. Poke's relationship with Miaow makes me smile as she is a spunky teenager. He just can't figure out what she does to her hair or why the name change as he loves her as she is.
This book was about Rose. She is threatened in an opening scene by a very dangerous man who she thought was dead. The family's existence is under a real threat. Poke plans on protecting his family. The story goes back to when Rose, then named Kwan, lived in a village. It tells her story of leaving the village and arriving in Bangkok. She had to leave as her father was planning to sell her into the sex trade. She is a naïve teenager who thinks she can just serve drinks in the bar and not become a dancer. The book's description of the bar scenes was so well written.. You could see the inside of the bar and the men visiting the bar. One of the visitors becomes very special to Rose and that is when the extreme danger arrives in Rose's life I should mention also, that Rose stands out due to her beauty and height. The title of the book is the name that some call Rose.
The book starts out with two different scenes that brings the reader right into the story. The place Bangkok is a character too. You feel like you are there when you read the narrative. This was a very good book and is one of my best reads for 2017.
There are many reviews with a synopsis of the plot. I am late to reading this series. So I will relate what made this book one of my best reads of 2017.
First, overall the series is about the love of family. Poke, a travel writer, living in Bangkok has married Rose who was a bar dancer in the red light district of Patpong. They have adopted a street child Miaow. The family scenes show love and humor. Poke is usually on the losing end trying to do and say the right thing. Also, his friendship wit Arthit, a Thailand policeman, who is honest is a theme that runs through out the books. The characters are not static. The reader learns more about each character as the series progresses. Poke's relationship with Miaow makes me smile as she is a spunky teenager. He just can't figure out what she does to her hair or why the name change as he loves her as she is.
This book was about Rose. She is threatened in an opening scene by a very dangerous man who she thought was dead. The family's existence is under a real threat. Poke plans on protecting his family. The story goes back to when Rose, then named Kwan, lived in a village. It tells her story of leaving the village and arriving in Bangkok. She had to leave as her father was planning to sell her into the sex trade. She is a naïve teenager who thinks she can just serve drinks in the bar and not become a dancer. The book's description of the bar scenes was so well written.. You could see the inside of the bar and the men visiting the bar. One of the visitors becomes very special to Rose and that is when the extreme danger arrives in Rose's life I should mention also, that Rose stands out due to her beauty and height. The title of the book is the name that some call Rose.
The book starts out with two different scenes that brings the reader right into the story. The place Bangkok is a character too. You feel like you are there when you read the narrative. This was a very good book and is one of my best reads for 2017.
December 28, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Poke Rafferty
SETTING: Thailand
SERIES: #4 of 4
RATING: 4.5
One of the most fun things about following a series is the anticipation of waiting for the next book. In some cases, “fun” may not exactly be the right word; for a favorite series, it may be more accurate to say “torture”. In the case of Timothy Hallinan’s Poke Rafferty series, I find that the torture begins immediately after I complete the last word of the current novel. He always defies expectations, even more so in the case of THE QUEEN OF PATPONG. Instead of focusing on the adventures of the protagonist, he has instead chosen to concentrate on the background of Poke’s wife, Rose. Certainly, this was a risky choice but Hallinan pulled it off flawlessly.
Poke and Rose and their adopted daughter, Miaow, have settled in to a relatively harmonious domestic life. Miaow is in that challenging pre-teen stage, and the main issue that the family is dealing with is her little rebellious spurts. At the moment, she is quite anxious about her upcoming role in a play being put on by the school, The Tempest. Although she is a bit perturbed that she hasn’t gotten the glamorous lead, her casting as Ariel is a stroke of genius.
Domestic bliss has a way of not lasting very long. One day, Poke and Rose are eating at a restaurant when a boorish man and his friend approach their table. As it turns out, the man, Howard Horner, is a man who was once part of Rose’s past. She is terrified at seeing him again, and he begins to threaten the family. Poke follows his partner, John Bohnert, and is aided by a bar girl named Pim who soon joins the Rafferty family since she is now in danger as well. In order for everyone to understand what they are dealing with, Rose explains exactly what her relationship with Howard was—basically, he is a killer who masquerades as a generous lover to the bar girls of Bangkok.
The tale that she has to tell is poignant, heartbreaking and serves to provide a complete background of Rose, originally named “Kwan”. Unfortunately, outside of the glittering cities of Thailand, many people live in extreme poverty. What often happens is that the father of a family will sell his daughter to men who will introduce her to the bar scene, which usually ends up in prostitution. One of the women who left Rose’s village succeeds in spiriting her off to the city before her father can finalize his plans to sell her. Although she is still being sold, at least Rose has not been raped by her “kidnappers”. She goes on to explain about life in the bars, about the daily lives that the bar girls live and how they form strong alliances despite a spirit of competition. She also tells the story of Howard, who tried to kill her and failed. The story that Rose has to share comprises over one-third of the book. However, it is a very important and illuminating tale and reveals much about what has made Rose the person that she is today. Of course, Poke is determined to stop Horner. He is aided in this by his police friend, Arthrit, who is still struggling to cope with the death of his beloved wife, Noi, and a surprising group of helpers.
Hallinan is what I like to call a “5 star” writer. He is an author who does everything exceptionally well,--characterization, plotting, setting, dialogue and pacing. In addition to his technical expertise, he never loses sight of the humanity of the characters who people the book, resulting in a feeling of deep emotional resonance on every page. There is no way that you can read any of the books in this series without becoming entangled in the wonderful web he has woven. The characters are real; you care about them and pull for them to overcome the tremendous challenges that are thrust upon them.
The Poke Rafferty books have become my very favorite series. With the amount of reading that I do, I often forget the details of books shortly after I read them. Not so with the Rafferty books—even over a year later, I have the same intense feelings about BREATHING WATER as I did when I read it. I wasn’t expecting the approach that Hallinan took in THE QUEEN OF PATPONG, but I have come to see it as essential in the story arc of these characters. Now back to the torture of waiting for the next book to come along….
SETTING: Thailand
SERIES: #4 of 4
RATING: 4.5
One of the most fun things about following a series is the anticipation of waiting for the next book. In some cases, “fun” may not exactly be the right word; for a favorite series, it may be more accurate to say “torture”. In the case of Timothy Hallinan’s Poke Rafferty series, I find that the torture begins immediately after I complete the last word of the current novel. He always defies expectations, even more so in the case of THE QUEEN OF PATPONG. Instead of focusing on the adventures of the protagonist, he has instead chosen to concentrate on the background of Poke’s wife, Rose. Certainly, this was a risky choice but Hallinan pulled it off flawlessly.
Poke and Rose and their adopted daughter, Miaow, have settled in to a relatively harmonious domestic life. Miaow is in that challenging pre-teen stage, and the main issue that the family is dealing with is her little rebellious spurts. At the moment, she is quite anxious about her upcoming role in a play being put on by the school, The Tempest. Although she is a bit perturbed that she hasn’t gotten the glamorous lead, her casting as Ariel is a stroke of genius.
Domestic bliss has a way of not lasting very long. One day, Poke and Rose are eating at a restaurant when a boorish man and his friend approach their table. As it turns out, the man, Howard Horner, is a man who was once part of Rose’s past. She is terrified at seeing him again, and he begins to threaten the family. Poke follows his partner, John Bohnert, and is aided by a bar girl named Pim who soon joins the Rafferty family since she is now in danger as well. In order for everyone to understand what they are dealing with, Rose explains exactly what her relationship with Howard was—basically, he is a killer who masquerades as a generous lover to the bar girls of Bangkok.
The tale that she has to tell is poignant, heartbreaking and serves to provide a complete background of Rose, originally named “Kwan”. Unfortunately, outside of the glittering cities of Thailand, many people live in extreme poverty. What often happens is that the father of a family will sell his daughter to men who will introduce her to the bar scene, which usually ends up in prostitution. One of the women who left Rose’s village succeeds in spiriting her off to the city before her father can finalize his plans to sell her. Although she is still being sold, at least Rose has not been raped by her “kidnappers”. She goes on to explain about life in the bars, about the daily lives that the bar girls live and how they form strong alliances despite a spirit of competition. She also tells the story of Howard, who tried to kill her and failed. The story that Rose has to share comprises over one-third of the book. However, it is a very important and illuminating tale and reveals much about what has made Rose the person that she is today. Of course, Poke is determined to stop Horner. He is aided in this by his police friend, Arthrit, who is still struggling to cope with the death of his beloved wife, Noi, and a surprising group of helpers.
Hallinan is what I like to call a “5 star” writer. He is an author who does everything exceptionally well,--characterization, plotting, setting, dialogue and pacing. In addition to his technical expertise, he never loses sight of the humanity of the characters who people the book, resulting in a feeling of deep emotional resonance on every page. There is no way that you can read any of the books in this series without becoming entangled in the wonderful web he has woven. The characters are real; you care about them and pull for them to overcome the tremendous challenges that are thrust upon them.
The Poke Rafferty books have become my very favorite series. With the amount of reading that I do, I often forget the details of books shortly after I read them. Not so with the Rafferty books—even over a year later, I have the same intense feelings about BREATHING WATER as I did when I read it. I wasn’t expecting the approach that Hallinan took in THE QUEEN OF PATPONG, but I have come to see it as essential in the story arc of these characters. Now back to the torture of waiting for the next book to come along….
July 19, 2010
We had a heat wave in the Northeast U.S. this week, but I didn’t mind—I felt completely simpatico with the characters in Timothy Hallinan’s new Poke Rafferty thriller set in Thailand. Hallinan did such a good job getting us inside his characters and their lives, I felt as though I’d just spent a week in Southeast Asia. In this latest offering, Hallinan describes how one comes to live the life of a bar girl in Patpong, Bangkok. While undoubtedly fiction, it sounded plausible enough to describe the experiences of many country girls sold to the meat markets of the city, making their way the best they can.
Hallinan has the good sense to be matter-of-fact about life in Thailand. He is no apologist for a whole country or way of life, but he has a depth of sympathy for the reality of people’s lives and a deep and abiding love for people of honor, wherever he finds them. And he describes Thailand with the splash and fizz it deserves—one can smell the markets and hear the traffic. In The Queen of Patpong , Hallinan succeeds on many levels: Poke Rafferty daughter is acting in a school play, and it is described with such skill, one feels one has just read a particularly good newspaper review. One wants to race right out and book a ticket. The central mystery of the novel circles and mirrors the play ingeniously, and the play itself is central to a final resolution of the mystery. Hallinan deserves very high marks for this wonderful warm and friendly novel, and for sharing his imagination and his life with us.
I asked a friend once what was the draw of the TV serial Sex in the City. She replied that, for her, the strength and depth of the female friendships was the draw. She knew it was fiction, but it presented such a wonderful fiction that she watched it whenever she could. Hallinan has a little of that specialness in his books. There is such friendliness, such sincere human-to-human contact, one wants to be in that place. Kudos, Hallinan.
Hallinan has the good sense to be matter-of-fact about life in Thailand. He is no apologist for a whole country or way of life, but he has a depth of sympathy for the reality of people’s lives and a deep and abiding love for people of honor, wherever he finds them. And he describes Thailand with the splash and fizz it deserves—one can smell the markets and hear the traffic. In The Queen of Patpong , Hallinan succeeds on many levels: Poke Rafferty daughter is acting in a school play, and it is described with such skill, one feels one has just read a particularly good newspaper review. One wants to race right out and book a ticket. The central mystery of the novel circles and mirrors the play ingeniously, and the play itself is central to a final resolution of the mystery. Hallinan deserves very high marks for this wonderful warm and friendly novel, and for sharing his imagination and his life with us.
I asked a friend once what was the draw of the TV serial Sex in the City. She replied that, for her, the strength and depth of the female friendships was the draw. She knew it was fiction, but it presented such a wonderful fiction that she watched it whenever she could. Hallinan has a little of that specialness in his books. There is such friendliness, such sincere human-to-human contact, one wants to be in that place. Kudos, Hallinan.
September 20, 2011
This is a highly entertaining book. I could not put it down even though I sometimes dreaded turning the page. Hallinan's pace never lets up. He creates a wonderful sense of place. I could see and hear and smell his locations. And, his language shines with spot on metaphors.
I have recently read John Burdett's Bangkok 8, which I also enjoyed. Yet, I found Hallinan deeper, subtler and more realistic. He has a different view of the bar girls than Burdett. When I finished Bangkok 8, I felt that the girls didn't seem to mind their jobs much at all. I wondered if the West projected our own views of purity and shame upon them. But after reading The Queen of Patpong I'm not so sure that's true. Hallinan's version is sadder and more painful to read, but he also captures the strength, street smarts and resiliency of the girls. The girls may sometimes bicker and squabble, but ultimately they stick together, creating their own new families. They have all come from the same place and now work in the same world.
John Burdett is funnier, but I imagine Hallinan is more realistic.
I have recently read John Burdett's Bangkok 8, which I also enjoyed. Yet, I found Hallinan deeper, subtler and more realistic. He has a different view of the bar girls than Burdett. When I finished Bangkok 8, I felt that the girls didn't seem to mind their jobs much at all. I wondered if the West projected our own views of purity and shame upon them. But after reading The Queen of Patpong I'm not so sure that's true. Hallinan's version is sadder and more painful to read, but he also captures the strength, street smarts and resiliency of the girls. The girls may sometimes bicker and squabble, but ultimately they stick together, creating their own new families. They have all come from the same place and now work in the same world.
John Burdett is funnier, but I imagine Hallinan is more realistic.
July 18, 2011
First line: Old cigarette smoke, cheap perfume, sweat.
Okay, this slightly nudged out the Craig Johnson for best book read this year.
I was trying to stretch it out because Tim says the next Poke won't be out until
next year. But I hit the halfway point this morning and I read straight through
until I finished it. Best Poke yet.
An old flame of Rose's, one she thought she had killed years before, shows up
to let Rose know he intends to finish where he left off. The middle third of
the book is Rose's backstory, how she went from Issan village girl to a working
girl in the Patpong district. Hallinan does a wonderful job portraying the sex
workers as three dimensional people. And by the end of the book we also get
to see Poke, Rose and Miaow finish gelling as a family.
Okay, this slightly nudged out the Craig Johnson for best book read this year.
I was trying to stretch it out because Tim says the next Poke won't be out until
next year. But I hit the halfway point this morning and I read straight through
until I finished it. Best Poke yet.
An old flame of Rose's, one she thought she had killed years before, shows up
to let Rose know he intends to finish where he left off. The middle third of
the book is Rose's backstory, how she went from Issan village girl to a working
girl in the Patpong district. Hallinan does a wonderful job portraying the sex
workers as three dimensional people. And by the end of the book we also get
to see Poke, Rose and Miaow finish gelling as a family.
July 31, 2010
This fourth installment of Timothy Hallinan's Poke Rafferty series, set in Bangkok, is such a stunning, magical thriller that it will be a real challenge to do it justice here. But I'll give it a try.
American travel writer Rafferty, former bar dancer Rose, and their adoptive daughter, Miaow, have at last become a family. They are enjoying dinner in a restaurant one evening, when a dangerous, evil man from Rose's past whom she thought she had killed in self-defense suddenly appears, threatening their newfound happiness and their lives.
A section of the book called "The Sea Change" takes us back into Rose's past, in 1996, when the innocent teenage girl is coerced to leave her village and become immersed in a radically different sort of life as a bar dancer in Bangkok's red-light district Patpong. It's there that she meets the handsome man who very nearly ends her life.
The whole story is ingeniously interwoven with scenes from a school production of "The Tempest," in which Miaow is appearing as Ariel.
This compelling, beautifully written novel is not only suspenseful and filled with twists and turns; it's also deeply moving, with vividly drawn characters, and it comes to an unexpected resolution that's very, very satisfying. Strongly recommended for anyone who enjoys a terrific thriller of high literary quality.
American travel writer Rafferty, former bar dancer Rose, and their adoptive daughter, Miaow, have at last become a family. They are enjoying dinner in a restaurant one evening, when a dangerous, evil man from Rose's past whom she thought she had killed in self-defense suddenly appears, threatening their newfound happiness and their lives.
A section of the book called "The Sea Change" takes us back into Rose's past, in 1996, when the innocent teenage girl is coerced to leave her village and become immersed in a radically different sort of life as a bar dancer in Bangkok's red-light district Patpong. It's there that she meets the handsome man who very nearly ends her life.
The whole story is ingeniously interwoven with scenes from a school production of "The Tempest," in which Miaow is appearing as Ariel.
This compelling, beautifully written novel is not only suspenseful and filled with twists and turns; it's also deeply moving, with vividly drawn characters, and it comes to an unexpected resolution that's very, very satisfying. Strongly recommended for anyone who enjoys a terrific thriller of high literary quality.
August 17, 2010
← THE FOURTH WATCHER – Timothy Hallinan
Posted on August 17, 2010 by Beth
THE QUEEN OF PATPONG, A POKE RAFFERTY THRILLER is a title that is something of a misnomer. It is the fourth book in the Poke Rafferty series by Timothy Hallinan, but while it is definitely a thriller it isn’t really a Poke Rafferty book. The book belongs to Rose, Poke’s wife, a former dancer in a bar, whose outstanding beauty made her the queen of the red -light district of Bangkok. And that isn’t quite right either. Would any woman be happy with a title that describes “what” she is when the “who” she is goes so far beyond that sad bit of geography that has come to define, in many minds, Bangkok?
Rose is extraordinary and so is her story. Both owe their existence to the great talent of the author who has written a book that defines the experience of the brutally poor young women who are forced to sell their beauty and, in many unfortunate cases, their souls so that they can support their families and perhaps, hopefully, keep their younger sisters from having to make the same deal with the devil.
Hallinan choreographs chapter one so that readers who are just discovering the series with THE QUEEN OF PATPONG have enough information to understand the underside of Bangkok. For those who are familiar with the characters, chapter one is funny and a bit reassuring after BREATHING WATER. Chapter two lulls readers as they go to dinner with Poke, Rose, and Miaow who is caught up in her role as Ariel in her school’s production of THE TEMPEST. It is a glimpse into the life of a happy family until, suddenly, it isn’t. A man approaches and places his palms flat on the table in front of Rose. Rose is terrified. Rose was sure he was dead because she was sure she had killed him.
Howard Horner is a nightmare from Rose’s past. The next day, when Poke discovers evidence that Horner knows where they live and when Miaow spots Horner’s associate, John, stalking them, the stakes have been upped and Poke has to become proactive in protecting his family.
Poke leaves Miaow in the cab and follows John to a the Beer Garden, where he runs, literally, into Pim, a girl from the north who is following the same path from poverty as Rose did. When Poke asks Pim to see if John is inside, things go badly, and Pim becomes a hostage. Poke takes care of John; Poke takes Pim home. Emotions are unbridled, glass breaks, doors slam, voices are raised, tears flow and, because Pim reminds Rose of herself, the girl whose name was Kwan, Rose talks about her past to save the girl and to save her family.
It is in this part of the book that Hallinan’s writing soars. As Rose tells her story, she disappears and becomes Kwan, the very tall village girl called, disparagingly, Stork. Kwan is beautiful although she does not know it. She is very bright, something she does know. Her teacher and a man from the Children’s Scholarship Fund come to her home to offer her father money to allow Kwan to stay in school, to even move on to college. But her father refuses and with that refusal Kwan realizes that he has already sold her to a brothel in Bangkok. Rather than becoming a vitual slave, Kwan decides to leave town quietly with Nana, a village girl who has been working on Patpong. Rose continues her story….
When she is finished, Poke knows that Rose and Miaow will not be safe as long as Howard Horner is free to roam Bangkok. His claim that Rose broke a promise is true and for a man with Horner’s ego, she needs to pay for that with her life. Poke brings Pim along as he hides his family in Arthit’s house. Once the women are safe, Poke begins to put into action a plan borrowed from THE TEMPEST.
The author makes frequent references to THE TEMPEST throughout the novel. The first section is entitled “Caliban” after the half-man, half-monster in the play. Horner is Caliban, who believes himself the victim of gross injustice. The second section, the story of Kwan/Rose is entitled “Sea Change”. In the play, Shakespeare writes: “Of his bones are coral made:/ Those are pearls that were his eyes:/Nothing of him that doth fade/But doth suffer a sea change.” A sea change is transformative, it alters the nature of the person who undergoes the stress that creates the change. Kwan becomes Rose. The simple, innocent child of poverty becomes the queen of Patpong Road. The last section is “The Storm”. In the play it is a storm, the tempest, that throws the characters onto the island. In Hallinan’s hands, the tempest created by Horner seems at first to wreak havoc on the family bonds that have been forged among Rose, Poke, and Miaow. But the sea change applies to the family, not just to Rose. At the end, there are no longer any doubts.
THE QUEEN OF PATPONG seems to be transformative for the author as well. For the nearly one hundred and forty pages that are Rose’s story, Hallinan is writing from a woman’s perspective and the result is natural, flowing. I read it, it seemed, without taking a breath.
In the end, THE QUEEN OF PATPONG is laid to rest. In the telling of her story, Rose proves to herself, and to Miaow, that the bar girl no longer exists, perhaps she never did. Rose was a victim of circumstances and the sins of others. Because Rose had to live the life of the bar girl on Patpong Road, Miaow will not have to do so. The street child has been saved because the bar girl had the strength to bring about her own salvation.
She saved Poke when they met.
If THE QUEEN OF PATPONG is made into a movie (and a really good movie it would be) the climax will leave audiences cheering.
January 9, 2018
A great thriller, but what is even more important is the humane treatment of the Bangkok sex workers as real human beings. Thank you for doing so, Mr. Hallinan.
August 14, 2010
Timothy Hallinan delivers another gripping page-turner in his latest Poke Rafferty novel, The Queen of Patpong. There's a new man in Bangkok--pure poison, evil to his core--who has it in for Rafferty's wife, Rose. And in typical Rose fashion, she's too stoic and independent to tell Rafferty just what the hell is going on.
The novel switches between Rafferty and Rose's present day danger and Rose's private history, which we learn was both tragic and heroic. Readers will come away from The Queen of Patpong with a whole new respect for Rose, guaranteed. Other favorite characters--Arthit, Kosit, Miaow--are back too. Fans of the series who remember Miaow's obsessively parted hair will smile when you see what she's done to it now. :)
In this beautifully written story, Hallinan once again uses brilliant characterization and the backdrop of an amazing city to subtly show us another perspective of a misunderstood community in the streets of Bangkok--the girls and young women who dance in bars and support their families via prostitution. As he says in his author's note, and portrays through Rose's story, many of these women have done the best they can with a very limited number of choices. What Hallinan does here is strip away the collective grouping of "bar girls" and "hookers" and instead let us spend a few hours with Rose, Fon, Oom, and Nit. I found that, just like in real life, once you know people as individuals and begin to understand where they came from, a situation you thought you understood can appear in a whole, new light.
That's Hallinan's hallmark--making huge statements through the lives of his characters. This is an entertaining, tense thriller with sophisticated prose and characters about as human as they come. Fans of Poke Rafferty won't want to miss it, and new readers can start here if they like. There's enough back story to bring everyone right up to speed.
The novel switches between Rafferty and Rose's present day danger and Rose's private history, which we learn was both tragic and heroic. Readers will come away from The Queen of Patpong with a whole new respect for Rose, guaranteed. Other favorite characters--Arthit, Kosit, Miaow--are back too. Fans of the series who remember Miaow's obsessively parted hair will smile when you see what she's done to it now. :)
In this beautifully written story, Hallinan once again uses brilliant characterization and the backdrop of an amazing city to subtly show us another perspective of a misunderstood community in the streets of Bangkok--the girls and young women who dance in bars and support their families via prostitution. As he says in his author's note, and portrays through Rose's story, many of these women have done the best they can with a very limited number of choices. What Hallinan does here is strip away the collective grouping of "bar girls" and "hookers" and instead let us spend a few hours with Rose, Fon, Oom, and Nit. I found that, just like in real life, once you know people as individuals and begin to understand where they came from, a situation you thought you understood can appear in a whole, new light.
That's Hallinan's hallmark--making huge statements through the lives of his characters. This is an entertaining, tense thriller with sophisticated prose and characters about as human as they come. Fans of Poke Rafferty won't want to miss it, and new readers can start here if they like. There's enough back story to bring everyone right up to speed.
May 6, 2012
Poke Rafferty’s settled in Bangkok, and for an ex‐pat, he's a surprising insider. Poke’s familiar with the underbelly, and the belly of the underbelly too. He’s assembled a family—a waif named Miaow and Rose, the former and legendary Queen of Patpong. This is Rose's backstory: a frightening, courageous journey to adulthood, facing terrible challenges yet never losing her essential integrity.
I can’t get enough of Timothy Hallinan.
Read him. You won’t be sorry.
You’ll want more.
Can't wait to host Timothy Hallinan here in Ashland on May 11, 2012. To hear his backstory, to ask him questions, to listen to him read!
--Ashland Mystery
I can’t get enough of Timothy Hallinan.
Read him. You won’t be sorry.
You’ll want more.
Can't wait to host Timothy Hallinan here in Ashland on May 11, 2012. To hear his backstory, to ask him questions, to listen to him read!
--Ashland Mystery
August 28, 2010
This is one of those books that Jim got that I meant to pass on to a friend, but ended up reading to the end.
Although it's tagged as a suspense/mystery, the mystery itself is fairly pedestrian. In fact, the heart of the story isn't a mystery, but a tale of how girls in rural Thailand end up living as prostitutes, victims of the greed of those around them and their own poverty and powerlessness. I was completely caught up in all the characters, but especially in the history of Rose, once Kwan, who learned to survive by making the best of bad choices.
Although it's tagged as a suspense/mystery, the mystery itself is fairly pedestrian. In fact, the heart of the story isn't a mystery, but a tale of how girls in rural Thailand end up living as prostitutes, victims of the greed of those around them and their own poverty and powerlessness. I was completely caught up in all the characters, but especially in the history of Rose, once Kwan, who learned to survive by making the best of bad choices.
February 25, 2011
A thriller and suspense with the strength of a family unit at its core, The Queen of Patpong is as rich as the culture and people that make up its multiflavored cast. From the bright lights and seedy streets of Bangkok’s dangerous Patpong Road to the quiet country life of a young girl, this story takes the reader on a journey to a far off place to find out that love is the same regardless of how far from home you may roam.
Virginia
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
Virginia
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More
Full Review: http://www.coffeetimeromance.com/Book...
October 6, 2011
I put off reading this because of all the reviews that said it was 'not a Poke Rafferty book.' Yes, it focuses on Rose, but it most certainly is a Poke book. And while it tells the story of Rose it's still very much the fourth tale of the characters--i.e., Miaow is dealing with growing older and being a grade ahead in school, Arthit is reeling from his loss of Noi, etc.
This book is amazing, Rose's story is gut-wrenching, Poke is an incredible husband/father. You'll laugh (the chile scene is fantastic!!), you'll cry, you'll cheer. What else could you want from a book?
This book is amazing, Rose's story is gut-wrenching, Poke is an incredible husband/father. You'll laugh (the chile scene is fantastic!!), you'll cry, you'll cheer. What else could you want from a book?
June 17, 2010
A literary novel and a thriller rolled into one. Fabulous! was the word that came to mind when I finished The Queen of Patpong. It has some of the most suspenseful scenes I've ever read in a thriller, and the sociological aspects of the story are heartrending. Hallihan has excellent descriptive power and knows his subjects and their environment well. My full review.
March 6, 2011
Tim's best yet, and my favorite book from 2010!
June 23, 2021
I’ve long been searching for mysteries and police procedurals set somewhere other than the UK, US or western Europe -- from very different cultures and with different official procedures. I've found a lot from Japan and they are very different. I've found a few from China and from various countries in Africa but, until now, I haven't found anything from Thailand. I had hopes for the books of John Burdett but I didn’t like the two I read. Despite still being written by a Westerner, 'The Queen of Patpong" gave me quite a lot of what I was looking for. Like Burdett's books it delves into the cultural similarities and differences between East and West but is much more engaging, believable and it features characters who are much more believable and compelling.
This book sits about midway through the "Poke Rafferty" series of novels. Poke is an American writer living in Bangkok and married to a former bar girl, who was once dubbed "the queen of Patpong". In this timeline she has left the bars behind and is running a service giving bar girls alternative employment as cleaners. However, a client from her past, a serial killer who tried to murder her, has come back to find her. He is a former US serviceman turned mercenary and seems to have all the money and power he needs to complete his task.
The book provides great descriptions of Bangkok and the poor, remote villages from which many of the Bangkok bar girls come from. Moreover, it explains how it happens that young girls end up in the Bangkok sex business because they're left with absolutely no choice, having been sold by their parents to criminal gangs. The book also describes how the girls need to adapt or die and how they need to identify enemies and to find friends and allies. Obviously, I have no idea how accurate all of this is but it sure seems believable.
The concluding chapters of the book are quite thrilling -- maybe not entirely believable but compelling nonetheless. They show that not all the police in Bangkok are corrupt and that not all of the bar girls are heartless gold diggers. I am eagerly awaiting a chance to start with book one of the series and get the story behind these characters and events.
This book sits about midway through the "Poke Rafferty" series of novels. Poke is an American writer living in Bangkok and married to a former bar girl, who was once dubbed "the queen of Patpong". In this timeline she has left the bars behind and is running a service giving bar girls alternative employment as cleaners. However, a client from her past, a serial killer who tried to murder her, has come back to find her. He is a former US serviceman turned mercenary and seems to have all the money and power he needs to complete his task.
The book provides great descriptions of Bangkok and the poor, remote villages from which many of the Bangkok bar girls come from. Moreover, it explains how it happens that young girls end up in the Bangkok sex business because they're left with absolutely no choice, having been sold by their parents to criminal gangs. The book also describes how the girls need to adapt or die and how they need to identify enemies and to find friends and allies. Obviously, I have no idea how accurate all of this is but it sure seems believable.
The concluding chapters of the book are quite thrilling -- maybe not entirely believable but compelling nonetheless. They show that not all the police in Bangkok are corrupt and that not all of the bar girls are heartless gold diggers. I am eagerly awaiting a chance to start with book one of the series and get the story behind these characters and events.
October 19, 2018
So good!
This is the fourth book in a series having to do with Poke Rafferty and family of Bangkok, Thailand, and the second I have read of these. The first that I read, immediately before this one, is the fifth book in this series, which has not diminished my pleasure in reading either one. Hallinan is one wonderful writer and storyteller.
There are a few distinct parts to this narrative, with the middle part about shy, intellectually vibrant, sensitive Rose's adolescent entry into Bangkok's flesh bazaar and her history with the dangerous foreign mercenary introduced early in the book. Hallinan tells this story, as he does in general, with compassion, wit, fury, and surprising and supremely well-done humor.
Some of the novel takes place in the 1990s, the rest in the present, circa 2010. In the present, Poke and Rose's daughter Miaow, a former street urchin, has the role of Ariel in a middle school production of a very abridged Shakespeare's Tempest. The play and Miaow's Ariel are a wonderful allegory for their small family and the events of their pasts coloring and colliding with their present. The book is definitely a thriller, and full of sad and terrifying Stuff based on real horrors, but a beautiful work nevertheless. Before the story ends, with the evening of the school play, there is a climactic and harrowing scene of retribution meted out by an encroaching, encircling crowd --a scene that had a flavor of Ancient Greek tragedy, complete with an otherworldly sense of justice having been handed down. I don't think I'm giving away too much in saying that.
This is the fourth book in a series having to do with Poke Rafferty and family of Bangkok, Thailand, and the second I have read of these. The first that I read, immediately before this one, is the fifth book in this series, which has not diminished my pleasure in reading either one. Hallinan is one wonderful writer and storyteller.
There are a few distinct parts to this narrative, with the middle part about shy, intellectually vibrant, sensitive Rose's adolescent entry into Bangkok's flesh bazaar and her history with the dangerous foreign mercenary introduced early in the book. Hallinan tells this story, as he does in general, with compassion, wit, fury, and surprising and supremely well-done humor.
Some of the novel takes place in the 1990s, the rest in the present, circa 2010. In the present, Poke and Rose's daughter Miaow, a former street urchin, has the role of Ariel in a middle school production of a very abridged Shakespeare's Tempest. The play and Miaow's Ariel are a wonderful allegory for their small family and the events of their pasts coloring and colliding with their present. The book is definitely a thriller, and full of sad and terrifying Stuff based on real horrors, but a beautiful work nevertheless. Before the story ends, with the evening of the school play, there is a climactic and harrowing scene of retribution meted out by an encroaching, encircling crowd --a scene that had a flavor of Ancient Greek tragedy, complete with an otherworldly sense of justice having been handed down. I don't think I'm giving away too much in saying that.
April 25, 2022
There is a lot to like in this continuation of the Poke Rafferty series. I have been to Bangkok twice, and it comes to life in Hallinan's books. The writing is far above average for thrillers, and some of the repartee is terrific. And I get the sense that the author cares deeply about his central characters, all of whom are very real people, well-crafted. It's also unusual in a book of this genre to have a lot of attention paid to a Shakespearean plan (and "The Tempest" may be his most obscure.) Finally, Hallinan presents a compassionate and credible description of sex work in Bangkok and the women who are employed in it.
My major reservation is that to like this book a reader needs to be comfortable with quite a lot of graphic violence, including some directed at women. Normally, I resist that a lot, though I have to admit I found some satisfaction in the ending. In addition, I found the flow of the story disrupted by a long section in the middle sharing Rose's backstory, even though it was interesting. Finally, it is hard to accept that Rose has become so totally fluent in English based on where she was four or five years before the present story occurs.
Still while I normally avoid thrillers, Hallinan adds depth in character development, writing style and wit, so I keep coming back to this series. There is more than just a chronology of scary events here, which is a major plus.
My major reservation is that to like this book a reader needs to be comfortable with quite a lot of graphic violence, including some directed at women. Normally, I resist that a lot, though I have to admit I found some satisfaction in the ending. In addition, I found the flow of the story disrupted by a long section in the middle sharing Rose's backstory, even though it was interesting. Finally, it is hard to accept that Rose has become so totally fluent in English based on where she was four or five years before the present story occurs.
Still while I normally avoid thrillers, Hallinan adds depth in character development, writing style and wit, so I keep coming back to this series. There is more than just a chronology of scary events here, which is a major plus.
February 20, 2024
Oh my gosh... This was so good!! This man can write a thriller! I mean a realistic edge of your seat thriller with no eye-rolling! A story with substance! This is the 4th in a series and my favorite so far. I honestly can't believe I read the last one in 2016! As soon as I started the characters came back to me no problem! I remembered them like I read the book last year. I don't recall the "story" of the other books without looking, but the characters have stayed with me. There are side characters who are great too.
Again set in the streets of Thailand....another author wrote:
"Rich with locale and characterization, layered with humor and humanity, Hallinan's books drop you right in the middle of a deeply imagined world and make you fight your way out with the characters."
I can't agree more.
This one added a dash of Shakespeare-The Tempest features- making it even more exciting. If you haven't read these, try the first one. If you started the series, get back to it! I'm sure you will enjoy the characters of Poke Rafferty, Rose and Miaow and their "thrilling" experiences.
Again set in the streets of Thailand....another author wrote:
"Rich with locale and characterization, layered with humor and humanity, Hallinan's books drop you right in the middle of a deeply imagined world and make you fight your way out with the characters."
I can't agree more.
This one added a dash of Shakespeare-The Tempest features- making it even more exciting. If you haven't read these, try the first one. If you started the series, get back to it! I'm sure you will enjoy the characters of Poke Rafferty, Rose and Miaow and their "thrilling" experiences.
November 22, 2022
finished 21st november 2022 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner and this is the 3rd from hallinan all poke rafferty mysteries and i've already started a 4th the fear artist which is p.r. m. #5 i believe so i've missed one...if my math is right...didn't use my fingers so i could be off just sorta winged it. we'll be graded on a curve so i'm cooking with gas. setting thailand. problem. serial killer preying on newly arrived young and beautiful women to the sex trade. throw in the government-authorized criminals and the scenes are intense. these stories do follow a timeline and each one looks at the history of other stories so best to read them chronologically. or not. either way. works for me.
May 30, 2017
Very enjoyable. The setting is the same as John Burdett's Sonchai Jitpleecheep series, but my personal opinion is that Burdett's series started strong but went downhill, to the point where I no longer had any interest. I have higher hopes for this series, since this is the fourth book.
This was the first in the series that I've read, but I'll be going back and starting the series from the beginning, since I'd like more of the characters' back-stories.
This was the first in the series that I've read, but I'll be going back and starting the series from the beginning, since I'd like more of the characters' back-stories.
December 22, 2017
An amazing, grim , transporting work
The most powerful aspect of the book is the sympathetic treatment of the sex workers. There is good and evil portrayed in the book — but the thickness of the context takes you for the ride. Tastes, smells, noise — amazing.
The most powerful aspect of the book is the sympathetic treatment of the sex workers. There is good and evil portrayed in the book — but the thickness of the context takes you for the ride. Tastes, smells, noise — amazing.
January 15, 2018
Great story and superb writing!
Having lived in Thailand, I appreciated the local color. The transformation of Kwan to Rose is a novel within a novel. You feel the despair and pride of the bargirls, making their way in a tough world. Apt and riveting ending.
Having lived in Thailand, I appreciated the local color. The transformation of Kwan to Rose is a novel within a novel. You feel the despair and pride of the bargirls, making their way in a tough world. Apt and riveting ending.
August 21, 2018
Good start and finish but waaayyy too long middle on how Rose went from young innocent village girl to Bankok prostitute. This story seems always the same. Lies, seduction, greed, evil parents and hustlers, etc etc. The finish was exceptionally elegant.
July 21, 2020
This entry, in this always good series set in Thailand, explores Poke's wife's backstory and delves into some dark subject matter. Listened to the audio version which was well narrated by Victor Bevine.
March 5, 2021
This one is the story of Kwan who became a Rose. Terrific novel from the Poke Rafferty series set in Bangkok. Read them all and enjoy! Remember to shop your local, independent bookstores. They need us!
January 19, 2018
amazing book
February 16, 2018
Terrifying and great.
What it is like to live and work in the sex bars of Bangkok.
And the men who patronize them.
What it is like to live and work in the sex bars of Bangkok.
And the men who patronize them.
May 10, 2018
The whole Poke Rafferty series, set in Bangkok, is terrific.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 122 reviews