With the recent death of the despotic ruler of North Korea, Kim Jong Il, and his son Kim Jong Un taking over, the parallel to Kim Jong Il’s ascendancy from his father Kim Il Sung is apparent.

Another book on life (and death) in Thailand’s prisons.  This one, A prayer before dawn and subtitled A nightmare in Thailand (ISBN 978-616-7111-20-9, Bamboo Sinfonia, 2012) was written by Billy Moore, an English likely lad.

If You Can’t Stand the Fun, Stay Out of the Go-Go is another title from local publisher Bamboo Sinfonia (ISBN 978-616-7111-24-7, 2011) written by William Peskett, a retired Brit who has obviously spent some time in different cultures.  He has already published two books of poetry and two novels, so he is no tyro to the genre.

A couple of years ago I reviewed David McMillan’s book Escape, his story of his escape from the notorious Bangkok Hilton prison.  Flushed with the success of that very readable yarn, he has now come up with a prequel called Escape: the Past (ISBN 978-981-4358-27-9, Monsoon Books, 2011).

Another crime thriller this week for review.  Jake Needham’s earlier manuscript Tea Money has been expanded and is now under the title Laundry Man and has been published this year (2012) and is available at Bookazine Royal Garden Plaza.  (ISBN 978-981-4361-27-9, Marshall Cavendish.)

Children do tend to get ignored by publishers and retail outlets.  Look at the shelf space dedicated to pulp fiction and then try and find the little corner with a few children’s books.  It is obvious where the retailer makes his or her living.

Another book from an ex-pat writer domiciled in Thailand came across the reviewer’s desk at the end of 2011.  Robert Baldwin, a well traveled chap, has put together his memoirs/anecdotes into one self-published book with the simple title of Seven Years in Asia.

Christopher G Moore’s latest novel, The Wisdom of Beer (ISBN 978-616-7503-11-0, Heaven Lake Press, 2012) is set in Pattaya, with many of the characters reminiscent of many of the ‘characters’ that abound in our fair city.

Stephen Leather is one of the world’s most prolific writers of fiction, and spends much time in Thailand each year.  Recuperating?  Or looking for a new plot?  I think the correct answer is ‘both’ with some of Thailand’s more notable people appearing in his books over the last few years.  And note “Chris Thatcher’s” description, which fits the BCCT’s Chris Thatcher to a T.

The Dead Do Talk is an autobiography (ISBN 978-981-4302-73-9, Marshall Cavendish Editions, Singapore, 2011) written by the highly regarded Thai forensic pathologist, Dr. Porntip Rojanasunan.  Dr Porntip is the lady by whose spiky colored hair she is recognized everywhere.  However, after reading this book you will find there is much more to this enterprising woman than her coiffeur.