Thirty-Three Teeth – Book #21

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| Title |Thirty-Three Teeth |
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| Author |Colin Cotterill |
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| Genre |Mystery |
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| Pages |238 |
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| Publisher |Soho |
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| Copyright |2005 |
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Synopsis (from web-site)
Dr. Siri Paiboun of Laos-"reluctant national coroner, confused psychic, [and] disheartened communist"-employs forensic skills and spiritual acumen to solve a series of bizarre killings in Cotterill's quirky, exotic and winning second novel, set in 1977. Could an old escaped bear be mauling Vientiane citizens? Or is it something more mystical-say, a weretiger? When Paiboun is summoned to the capital to identify the nationality of a pair of charred bodies, he quickly flags them as Asians killed in a helicopter crash, and his ability to connect them to the royal family annoys Communist Party leaders. As Paiboun learns of an effort to get the remaining royal family members out of town, he's arrested, accused of damaging government property. But the witness's testimony is questionable, and Paiboun, representing himself in court, escapes this scrape as handily as he's escaped others before. Paiboun's droll wit and Cotterill's engaging plot twists keep things energetic; the rather grisly murders are offset by comedy, including a scene in which a Party member attempts to impose regulations on the spirit world.

Why I read It
Book two in the series. Slowly catching up on the adventures of the
geriatric pathologist in 1970’s communist Laos.

What I Thought About It
Another fun read; short and sweet with solid mysteries. The history lesson about communist society as it is blended with religious history is just icing on the cake.

Mormon Mentions
None

Author Biography

Colin Cotterill is a London-born teacher, crime writer and cartoonist. Cotterill has dual English and Australian citizenship; however, he currently lives in Southeast Asia, where he writes the award-winning Dr. Siri mystery series set in the People's Democratic Republic of Laos.