(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Back when Poke Rafferty first arrived in Bangkok to write a travel guide, some of the old-timers in the Expat Bar on Patpong Road helped him make sense of the city. Now these men—many of whom have been living in Southeast Asia since the Vietnam War—have grown old and, in some cases, frail. When a talkative stranger named Arthur Varney turns up, they accept him without suspicion, failing to see that he's actually using them to get to Poke.
Varney wants two things: money Poke doesn't have and a person Poke is unwilling to hand over. It becomes apparent quite quickly that there's nothing Varney won't do to secure his goal. As his actions threaten the foundation of Poke's life in Thailand, the much diminshed men of the Expat Bar discover that they might still be a force to reckon with.

This is book 7 in the Poke Rafferty series. I haven't read any of the previous novels.

As far as a serious thriller, this book brings a lot to the table - an exotic location (Thailand); a cast of characters (led by Poke Rafferty) are engaging, but also show more than just a tough-guy facade; some excellent action sequences that would not be out of place on the big screen; and has a finale that makes you just a little sad for it ending.

However, the problem with picking up a book 7 installments into a series is that you miss so much from the get-go. I found it hard to keep track of all the obvious back-story and the present action. There is an obvious history between Poke and Arthit that speaks volumes but, without having read the earlier books, makes it seem just a little odd. I did have to mark it down a bit as I felt like I was expected to have read the earlier books as there wasn't many clues as to the history of the characters...


Paul
ARH