This book is captivating from the beginning. Siri is a seventy-two-year-old coroner living in Laos which has just been converted to a socialist state, the fight between the capitalists and socialists now at an end. The old man was hoping to retire; however, in the newly created state, every able bodied person must play a role, and Siri is no different. He is forced to become the coroner (a job title he has never held) and though he is reluctant, he eventually becomes enthralled in his work after a few mysterious circumstances come to light. With the questionable death of Miss Nitnoy, a murder mystery is unveiled, and he, along with his young nurse, Dtui, and an assistant with down syndrome named Mr. Geung, starts to dig into a case that becomes deeper than anticipated.
So many elements of this book stimulate the mind. There is the murder mystery, an element of the supernatural and questions about the role of human nature in a socialistic society. One statement that really stands out occurs when Siri is trying to present evidence in the case to a higher official. The official tells him that one can not get too ambitious in a country such as Laos. It's one of the many jabs that is taken at a society that exists without capitalism. However, the book demonstrates the truth about human nature, and one aspect of it resides in the idea of advancing or moving up the ladder. If one's hard work has no reward, then it is less likely that one will work hard. Cotterill seems to be arguing about the danger of a society that doesn't allow mobility and the importance of discovering something you are passionate about. For example, in the book, Siri is totally captivated by his work, regardless of whether he wanted to do it in the first place. Motivation is the key to moving forward and learning. This short work of fiction essentially proves it.
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