What a smart, charming and funny mystery novel!

Fans of Colin Cotterill's marvelous Dr. Siri series of novels will need no convincing. Others, though, need to know that Cotterill is that rarest of birds: a mystery writer who perfectly balances humor with profound insight into the human condition.

Set in southern Thailand, Killed at the Whim of a Hat features Jimm Juree, a former crime reporter from the big city who has moved to the rural beach to run a resort with her family. She figures her life is largely over - until the skeletons of two hippies are uncovered in a local farmer's field. Jimm gets the story and, with the help of new friends, solves the case.

A great adventure, Killed at the Whim of a Hat is thoughtful, funny and full of closely observed detail. Cotterill clearly knows Southeast Asia like few other Westerners. The Dr. Siri novels, set in Laos just after the end of the Vietnam War, are likewise amazingly detailed, funny and profound.

Anything with Cotterill's name on it comes highly recommended.