The Bangkok Asset

A novel

By: John Burdett

Narrated by: Stephen Hogan

Sonchai Jitpleecheep—the brash and beguiling Royal Thai Police Force detective who has been our guide through John Burdett’s five previous acclaimed Bangkok novels—is back. The former monk and devout Buddhist, forever battling to protect his karma from the assaults of morally compromising cases, is now faced with the most horrifying technological innovation to make its way to the streets of Bangkok, and a conspiracy of almost unfathomable reach.

With Sonchai on this case is the young female inspector Krom. Like Sonchai, she’s an outsider on the police force, but unlike him, she is socially savvy and a technological prodigy. When they’re called to a demonstration—in the midst of a typhoon—of the deadly, superhuman strength of an American man who is seemingly controlled by a CIA operative, they have no idea what they’re actually witnessing or why. Their reliably obtuse and unequivocally crooked boss, Colonel Vikorn, explains some of it, but the most telling questions remain unanswered: Could the Americans have figured out a way to create a physically and psychologically enhanced supersoldier? Are they testing him—or it—on Thai soil? And why is everyone, from the Bangkok police to the international community, so eager to turn a blind eye?

Searching for the answers to these questions, Sonchai and Krom find themselves in a remote Cambodian jungle compound for aging American ex-soldiers, where they will discover just how far a government will go to protect its worst secrets—both past and present. But the case will also have much more personal repercussions for Sonchai, shaking his world to its very foundation and perhaps finally forcing him to confront his long-lost American father.

Critic reviews

“Delightfully eccentric and unpredictable . . . Sonchai is a terrific character: a devout but skeptical Buddhist with a philosophy that combines classical religion, Thai superstitions and amused pragmatism . . . Sonchai is a wise, cheeky guide through Bangkok’s baffling but fascinating mix of cultures—high and low, sexy and straight-laced, modern and traditional.”
—Adam Woog, The Seattle Times

“Compelling . . . The ever-appealing Sonchai, whose many-sided personality holds kaleidoscopic fascination, [will] keep series fans in thrall.”
—Bill Ott, Booklist

“Wild and entertaining . . . Impressively, everything comes together for a dramatic and satisfying ending.”
—Publishers Weekly

Different and well crafted

I've enjoyed the whole series of detective Sonchai. Bangkok Asset again carries the reader to Thailand, this time deep into the jungle including Laos and Vietnam. The plot is inventive, tuned in to the tech (more biotech) race between greater powers. Macabre and gritty, it's well worth a read for any reader who is looking for something not made from the same cookie-cutter most crime mysteries that populate the best-seller lists are.

Disappointing

Feel this is the first time in the series where the author moved from walking on the edge of credulity in prior books to not being able to suspend disbelief in this one. To top it off, there was no ending (or at best, a lady or the river ending). Narration stellar as usual.

Very Enjoyable

This book was like visiting with an old friend. The previous Burdett books all dealt with Bangkok and the police force. So this continuation felt natural and welcome. The narrator did an excellent job. But if you are not paranoid by the end of the story then there is a problem.

A parody of prior books

Good series. Loved every prior novel. Skip this one. The plot is preposterous. The sexualization of the lesbian detective appealing to 14 year olds.