I Shot the Buddha (A Dr. Siri Paiboun Mystery Book 11)

Once again, 75 year-old Dr. Siri Paiboun, retired, gets himself nearly killed, as do most of his friends. This is Laos 1979, and it is a precarious place to be inquisitive and anti-authoritarian, both attributes of which Siri has in abundance.It all starts when Noo, an itinerant Thai monk, is kidnapped off his bicycle by some tough army-types. It just so happens that Noo left Siri an "in case something happens to me" letter, and Siri has to follow up. On another story thread, Siri's good friend Civilai is selected for an official visit to neighboring Thailand where a surly mechanic is supposed to be the next Buddha. Eventually, these two stories will connect, and, yes, there are several murders to solve, too.I enjoyed "I Shot the Buddha" and have read every other book in Dr. Siri series. I think that perhaps it would be more of a mishmash if the reader was not already familiar with the characters. To quote Colin Cotterill's short introduction: "A mental health warning: Through necessity this edition is heavily spiced with supernatural elements. For those of you who prefer your mysteries dull and earthly, this is not the tome for you. Don't say I didn't warn you." If you DO prefer your mysteries more "earthly", I can highly recommend the first four books in the series, starting with  The Coroner's Lunch (A Dr. Siri Paiboun Mystery) .I love Cotterill's writing style and quirky characters: "There was little else to do in Vientiane, even on a Saturday. The city was shuttered and dusty, and the only sounds at night were the burping of frogs and the occasional crashing of hopes." There is a lot of humor and witty dialogue, and the politics and culture of 1979 Laos are like characters in the story: "Even in such a claustrophobic bureaucracy it was unlikely a second-grade clerk would pursue revenge for regulation infringement from the grave." There is also, in this story, cogitation on the meaning of religion.4.3 stars, rounded down to 4.Happy Reader

I am always happy to see a new book in this series. I have them all and have given copies to friends and family. Cotterill does a great job of portraying Laos shortly after the 1975 communist takeover and provides plenty of background on the decades leading to the fall of the "dominoes." His dialog and character development is totally believable and likely provides an accurate picture of life in the lackluster socialist paradise. He injects plenty of humor into his stories, which is probably a necessity for survival in Laos. What really surprises me is that I have a low tolerance for spiritualism or the occult in anything I read, but somehow Cotterill makes it work as an integral part of his storylines. His novels are absorbing, funny, and enlightening. Nothing will ever make me nostalgic for my time in Vietnam during the war. But Cotterill's books provide a perspective from both the communist and anti communist Laotians, points out the follies of leaders on both sides, and shows us what happened after Southeast Asia fell and communism took over the entire world. Oh yeah, that last thing didn't actually happen.

Great series--good book. There's a playfulness in all of the Dr. Siri books that keeps the series from getting stale and "I Shot the Buddha" certainly has its share of snappy dialogue between the beloved continuing characters--Siri, his wife Madam Daeng, Civilai the cynical Politburo member, Phosy the copy, Dtui, Phosy's wife, etc. Author Colin Cotterill gives all of the charming folks different missions/adventures here--a departure from some previous books where they all were pulled into the same collection of crimes and misdemeanors. The action no longer takes place in the National Morgue, as Dr. Siri has moved on into a restless retirement and spends most of his time at his wife's noodle shop hanging out with old friends and colleagues. However, he still takes on the odd detective assignment and this time around he is off to Thailand in search of a missing monk who has been lodging at the quasi-frathouse that the doctor has allowed to evolve at his government-assigned residence.Much of this story is focused on Siri's connections with the occult and Laos' apparently large spirit world. Siri himself houses a 1000-year-old shaman who makes rare appearances but gives the doctor considerable chops in the realm of the occult. Ultimately, this plot line gets a little cluttered, but the regular readers of the series will no doubt wade through it all to enjoy the usual creative ending where just desserts are served to one in all. Abundant laughs throughout.

Always a fun ride with Siri and his cohorts. The divergent story lines ran along merrily until a confusing and abrupt end. Not Cotterill's best.

If you have not read Dr Siri and Colin Cotterills books you are surely missing out on a series that IF it was on TV would have millions riveted for every show. The fact its not on tv is hard to understand though getting any company to capture what Colin portrays in the series may be stretching limits of production and fandom beyond reasonable bounds. Having said that if you want to drop into Laos and feel as if you are in 1970 with dusty streets and fascinating characters this is the series for you. Its got buddhism, shamanism, Dr Siri a character that brings humor into a morgue! Its got lovely plots and nice scenery but above all it captures this country and its people as if it were all real and in the present.Stunning series....worth getting.

Placing more emphasis on the spiritual and otherworldly side of Dr Siri's life, the 11th novel in the series nevertheless revolves around an entirely mundane mystery. It's as cleverly plotted and well characterised as ever, with the added bonus of the inclusion of all the regular characters feeling more justified and the farther-flung settings (this time extending as far south as Bangkok) feeling less shoehorned-in. And while the 'police procedural' aspect of the story is perfectly enjoyable, the extra frisson from its extended flirtation with the supernatural sets the novel apart from recent offerings in a memorable way. A great addition to the series.

I love the Doctor Siri series. All the members of his little band of crime fighters almost feel like family. There's always a touch of humour in his books and some the exploits are highly entertaining.The Dr Siri Series and Cotterill's other crime fight Jimm Juree are the two crime books I really look forward to when the next in the series comes out.

As usual Colin Cotterill blinds his readers with subplots and false leads. Which always resolve themselves with such cleverness. I always read his books at breakneck speed then I go back and read them again at a much more leisurely pace. Can't be done any other way....

The problem with these stories is that I read them too quickly. You really feel that you have been transported to stand with Dr Siri & Madame Daeng. Great illustrations on the covers.

i was confident CC and the good Doctor had peaked with Six and a Half Deadly Sins, but am delighted to report I Shot the Buddha is as good, if not better. for those of you yet to indulge, i urge you to start at the beginning, from where you may look forward to a series of wonderful and fascinating adventures from the hand of an extraordinary storyteller and featuring the most marvellous and endearing characters.