Rating: 
Summary: Rings all the right bells
Review: Anyone who has been to Bangkok will have flashbacks reading this book. The author manages to include nearly all of the more recognizable locales, including Patpong, the hospital, the snake farm, a long-tailed boat ride, the Oriental Hotel, etc. It manages to combine Buddhist philosophy with first-rate murder mystery, not only a "whodunit" but a "whydunit," and it works marvelously. The mildly ambiguous ending gives it an especially creepy finish. The only minor quibble is that the author focuses a lot on perfume smells but doesn't mention the fantastic street smells of the city -- there needs to be an occasional food vendor producing the rich coconut aroma of khnom krok or grilled squid in order for it to be truly authentic. Still, it's a can't-put-down kind of book; I found myself reading it in the elevator.
Rating: 
Summary: Bangkok 8
Review: I stared the book and as it was a long haul flight, I couldn't put it down.Having been to Bangkok I could well relate to the setting,the heat,the pollution and well,yes, the seedy areas. It was a thoroughly enjoyable novel until it gets to the end,where it seems to lose its' direction somehow and I finished the book saying "And.....?"
A great book and a promising author....
Rating:
Summary: Unique and compelling
Review: As a mystery reviewer, I often find policeprocedurals much of a muchness, but this book blows them all out of the water. The richness of detail in setting is extraordinary, as is the story itself because it's entwined with deep cultural differences between the US and Thailand, often focusing on Buddhism and how it affects people's lives, thoughts, and relationships. I could not put it down, and thought his handling of the sex trade in Thailand was unforgettable and often hilarious (without being prurient). Lev Raphael...
Rating:
Summary: Wave a prayer flag for John Burdett
Review: ...This is one of the strongest and subtlest novels of detective procedural fiction published in the past several years. Yes, the Bangkok setting is extraordinary. Yes, the Buddhist perspective of the lead character is enchanting [and accurate.] However, it is also true that the plot line is BOTH complex and compelling. And the characters are rich and finely drawn. For once the twists and turns in the telling are not just to keep the reader turning pages but to add important elements to the total story. The "romantic" relationsip for once rings true! No silly super woman anthropologist Aikido expert who cooks up world class popovers in her spare time. No overwrought male brought 'round to reality by an epiphany and a revelation. And it is just NOT true that the ending is weak. On the contrary, what we have here is an essentially Thai/Buddhist ending. Would one expect, or want, all to fall into place as James Bond rides his hovercraft over the sea into the sunset, bimbo akimbo? God, and thank God, no. The echo [or parallel] between what occurs in the natural world and what we know of the Thai spiritual world is wonderfully hewn. Read Bangkok 8 carefully, and enjoy a master at work. If you find yourself disappointed, there is always Clive Cussler.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Summer Thriller
Review: I'm a sucker for crime fiction set in unusual locales, so it was with great anticipation that I dove into this Bangkok-set debut novel. Burdett does a magnificent job in bringing Bangkok to life-from the neon-lit sex industry to shocking poverty, endemic corruption, widespread yaa baa (methamphetamine) trade, ever-present Bhuddism, and the lingering effects of the Vietnam war. Things kick off with straight-arrow cops Sonchai and Pichai tailing an American marine-allowing Burdett to give Bangkok's legendary traffic a cameo. However, in the middle of their task, the marine is killed by poisonous snakes, one of whom also kills Pichai when he tries to rescue the marine. From here on out Sonchai is a man on a mission, dedicated to solving the marine's (and thus by extension his partner's) murder. The death of the marine brings with it the involvement of the U.S embassy, and a female FBI agent comes over to liase with Sonchai. The plot is a typically convoluted thriller effort, involving international jade smuggling, a powerful American with White House connections, extreme S&M, Khmer thugs, Chui Chow Chinese gangsters and more. Actually, the story itself if the weakest part of the book, succumbing to stereotypical thriller elements and scenes. And it has to be said-the ending is really, really lame. Still, there's lots to recommend the book. This is a thriller with many shades of gray to delight in. For example, on the one hand, Sonchai is an arhat (kind of a Bhuddist living saint), the one clean cop in the district, and yet he's clear that the only justice he intends to bring his partner's killer to is that found in the barrel of his gun. Similarly, his boss is totally corrupt, but Sonchai respects and reveres him. Most interesting is the portrayal of the sex industry, which is much less condemnatory than one might expect. (Although whether or not it accurately represents Thai attitudes to sex is not for me to judge.) The straightforward story also veers into the supernatural, with Sonchai able to see the past lives of people he encounters. Others love this aspect of his character, but it struck me as an unnecessary gimmick that detracts from the book's excellent portrayal of Bhuddism. Sonchai is a wonderfully laconic character, and all the more surprising for having come from the pen of a Westerner. On the whole, this is a very enjoyable thriller with a wonderful protagonist and great insight into Thai culture and Bangkok, however don't approach it with overly high expectations or you'll be disappointed-it is still of the airplane/beach read genre.
Rating:
Summary: Thai Noir, Private Eye
Review: This is at heart a fairly typical noir detective story, but it takes place in Bangkok with all of the exotica, erotica and culturally-foreign references that infers. Some of the backgrounds in Thai brothels may be a bit sleazy for some readers, but the insight into the "magical realism" of Buddhist thought I found fascinating. The book introduces a few too many unexpected plot twists in the later chapters, some of which strain credulity, but these did not outweigh the supreme joy of discovery in the first half.
Rating:
Summary: An outstanding Thriller
Review: A tremendous book. Great insights into Thai culture and the problem that east and west have in understanding each other. Very interesting insights into the sex industry in Thailand and the role that it plays in Thai national psyche.
Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as anticipated
Review: I do not normally buy hardbacks, and would recommend anyone thinking about purchasing this book, wait for the paperback version. Or better yet, get it from the library. The book had a very weak ending, and was well too.......you'll understand if and when you read it. A real dissappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Bangkok Unravelled
Review: At first, I thought Burdett was patronizing the reader. I thought the short chapters and the sprinkling of Buddhist refrences were an attempt to attract the attention of unsophisticated readers totally unfamiliar with the East. As the book went on, it spiralled deeper and deeper, like unwrapping an onion. The ending was quite a surprise and I read the last fourth of the book in one setting. He took us into a new world of mysticism and sexuality. Still, I was left feeling that something was missing, that he only put half of his cultural cards on the table. I am eagerly waiting for a deeper trip into in this same genre from Burdett. We can take it, John.
Rating:
Summary: Learn About Bangkok
Review: I just want to say two things (1) I had no problems with the end of the book, in fact I liked it.(2) Most mysteries I like take place in an unusual or historical setting, that way you not only get a mystery but you learn something as well. I knew little about Bangkok and was therefore intrigued by the concept. The author is a very good writer and this book deserves a wide audience, it is the best book I've read since The Da Vinci Code.
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