A steady stream of books come from James Patterson _ with co-authors and wholly his own, hardcover and paperback, reprints and new. He's probably the most prolific American scrivener around. His literary creations include several police detectives, the most popular of which is Washington, DC's Alex Cross.
KILL ALEX CROSS by James Patterson, 469 pp, 2012 Arrow paperback. Available at Asia Books and leading bookshops, 350 baht
Much is made of Cross as a family man _ wife, nanny, two children, a third in the process of being adopted. At times, the CIA have called on his services. Years on the force have honed his instincts. It bothers him that perps have no rules while cops must go by the book, but he accepts the handicap.
The time-frame of Kill Alex Cross is the near future, presidents Clinton and Bush Jr are mentioned in passing. Ed Coyle is the chief executive now and he's faced with much the same problems as his predecessors.
Not least is Al Ayla, known as The Family, a jihadist sect in Saudi Arabia.
This reviewer finds it significant that Western scribes are increasingly pointing to Saudi Arabia as the home of Islamic terrorism, rather than Afghanistan and Iraq.
The story's major plot is the search for the young son and daughter of the president. Has Al Ayla abducted them? Is it their awaited follow-up to 9/11?
The minor plot is if the jihadists didn't kidnap Zoe and Ethan, who did? Aficionados of the Alex Cross series are aware from earlier books that he assisted the first lady and she has faith in his skills. She has him put in charge of the investigation.
It is the practice of The Family to send their operatives abroad as couples, making immigration officials less suspicious. Thus, Hala and her husband Tariq enter the States. Hala is the stronger willed and better trained. If cornered or captured by their foes, they are to take the cyanide pills provided.
It's unclear at first whether they took the missing children, but Cross and his team have their doubts. Chapters (117 all told) are devoted to police interrogations of arrested operatives _ Hala and Tariq get away _ school friends and alumni where the siblings were last seen. The alibi of the male nurse is shaky.
Al Ayla's plan is to assassinate all the cabinet members. Can the Secret Service get the president and first lady to safety? It's touch and go as Hala is a deadly shot and never misses. Is Alex Cross a match for her?
Kill Alex Cross is high on adrenaline.
JUST A MINUTE by D.L. Pope, 218 pp, 2008 Bangkok Book House paperback. Available at Asia Books and leading bookshops, 395 baht
Pull the other one
Having no place in the Thai social order, tens of thousands of farangs live in the realm on sufferance. Even those fluent in the language, wed to local women, practising Thai customs, are kept by common consent from being assimilated. Which applies to the children of mixed marriages as well.
The citizenry have a point. The vast majority of farangs (males) who come here for longer or shorter periods do so to enjoy the vibrant night life, which is known far and wide.
Though decent Thai women _ 99% of the female population _ may work or study with farangs, they eschew personal relationships.
Barmaids _ 1% _ are something else again. Basically prostitutes, they view farangs as walking ATMs. And being more attractive than their ilk abroad, they turn on their charms to establish a permanent relationship. The farangs are infatuated, until they realise that they've been played.
Many return to their homelands, poorer and wiser for their experience. More than a few pen their sad stories to warn those who come after them.
The warnings are identical. Give your heart to a barmaid and she'll take it, along with your shirt. Contrary to what it seems at the time, the sex isn't worth it.
In Just A Minute D.L. Pope finds that the demi-mondaines in Phuket and Pattaya fit the stereotype of mendacity, then makes the case that of the lot there is one worthy of trust. Calling himself the Traveller, the American businessman tells his story in the first person.
Born in Gary, Indiana, and having lived in Chicago, Illinois, he couldn't wait to get away from the US midwest. San Francisco, California, is an improvement but two affairs made him realise that Stateside lasses aren't for him. Play-for-pay barmaids in his visits to the Land of Smiles are less of a hassle.
Mickie, dividing her time between high school and a gin mill strikes him as being sincere, even when she's drunk. The author throws in magic stones enabling him to return to the past for 60 seconds at a time and change it. Also to know which way the stockmarket is going, making him a multi-millionaire.
The chapters about greedy prostitutes offer no insights. The magic is incredible. As for Mickie, he's welcome to her. A trustworthy barmaid. Now really. Isn't that a contradiction in terms?
