This time there is an even bigger dose of ghosts in John Burdett's 3rd Sonchai Jitpleecheep installment. One of Sonchai's former lovers has been murdered in a snuff film and someone thoughtfully sent him a copy of the film. His corrupt and greedy boss, Colonel Vikorn, can as usual only think of how to turn a profit and decides to expand his money making ventures into pornography. He instructs Sonchai to release from prison a man that Vikorn framed who is awaiting what could be a death sentence; he just happens to be a film maker and the deal offered is his freedom in exchange for making "classy" porno films. Sonchai's wife is very pregnant with the reincarnation of his former partner, and the ghost of the dead prostitute in the snuff film is regularly visiting Sonchai at night in a most physical way. Elephant games, a particularly gruesome form of murder, is planned for the masterminds behind the film by the ghost of the dead woman. As always, Burdett creates a compelling picture of Bangkok, the folly of farang tourists, the not very underworld of prostitution and corruption, all mixed with Jitplecheep's Buddhist beliefs. I can't say it makes me want to visit the country, but it certainly creates a vivid picture of life there. See earlier review of his other books: Bangkok 8, Bangkok Tattoo, and the non-series book, The Last Six Million Seconds.
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