kurtz Posted March 13, 2011 Share Posted March 13, 2011 Stephen leather is my favorite thriller writer from UK. I am currently reading Solitary Man for second time, but my all-time favorite was The Chinaman, which I read twice and plan to read again in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 What are his books like, Kurtz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 They are thrillers and are mostly all based in UK and Thailand, since he lives in both places. He has series of books about British cop named Spider. Many of his UK stories are about IRA. He also wrote a book called Private Dancer, which is about a farang who falls in love with Thai bargirl, and all the trouble he gets into as a result. I myself never read this book,as I never got involved in this myself, but many people who have say they wished they read this book first. The Chinaman, my favorite Leather novel, is about former Viet Cong soldier living in UK whose wife and daughter are killed by IRA bomb in London. Story is about how he uses experience from Vietnam war to get revenge on people who killed his family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maureen Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 Ok, sounds interesting. Thrillers are a favorite of mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habeebi Posted March 14, 2011 Share Posted March 14, 2011 I've read the bomb maker which was quite exciting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted March 14, 2011 Author Share Posted March 14, 2011 I never read The Bomb Maker, but will look for it next time I visit used book shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted March 15, 2011 Share Posted March 15, 2011 They are thrillers and are mostly all based in UK and Thailand, since he lives in both places. He has series of books about British cop named Spider. Many of his UK stories are about IRA. He also wrote a book called Private Dancer, which is about a farang who falls in love with Thai bargirl, and all the trouble he gets into as a result. I myself never read this book,as I never got involved in this myself, but many people who have say they wished they read this book first. The Chinaman, my favorite Leather novel, is about former Viet Cong soldier living in UK whose wife and daughter are killed by IRA bomb in London. Story is about how he uses experience from Vietnam war to get revenge on people who killed his family. I think I might read this book. The Thai Bar girl is a very real part of life - and someone I tend to feel sorry for as the options for the country girl is either becoming a prostitute/bar girl or a servant - unless they want to stay with their families up country and work in the rice paddies. Not much of a choice. They see the Farang as their meal ticket out of the, often dangerous, life they have perforce got themselves into. It would be good to read this objectively. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtz Posted March 15, 2011 Author Share Posted March 15, 2011 SueK, perhaps you would also enjoy the crime novels of John Burdett. They are also set in Thailand and the main character is a half-Thai, half American Bangkok detective who also owns a bar. The first two books are Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Tattoo. However, my favorite books about SE Asia are written by Colin Cotterill. They are mostly about the national coroner of laos, Dr. Siri Paiboun. They are mysteries but also very very funny. They mostly take place in seventies, after Vietnam War. There is also a supernatural twist as the dead spirits speak to Dr. Siri, and he is inhabited by ghost of 1,000 year old hmong shaman. I have spoken to the author of these books and he is a great guy. He gets nothing from sale of these books. all the money goes to landmine victims and also to promote literacy for children in Laos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueK Posted March 22, 2011 Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) I think I might read this book. The Thai Bar girl is a very real part of life - and someone I tend to feel sorry for as the options for the country girl is either becoming a prostitute/bar girl or a servant - unless they want to stay with their families up country and work in the rice paddies. Not much of a choice. They see the Farang as their meal ticket out of the, often dangerous, life they have perforce got themselves into. It would be good to read this objectively. Thanks. I've just finished reading Private Dancer. This is the first Stephen Leather book I've read (and not necessarily going to read any more - just because it's not my normal reading genre). Having said that though I thought this was a very well written book. The story, for me was interesting, as I got into the minds of the Thais from another perspective - that is taking a step back from my own personal viewpoint. I related a lot of the story to my OH who said that sadly this was the way of life with a lot of his fellow countrymen and he certainly has no desire to go back there to live. It is definitely worth a read and I would strongly advise any hot-blooded single male who was on his way to Thailand to taste the so-called delights to read this book first! Edited March 22, 2011 by SueK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaidave Posted April 26, 2011 Share Posted April 26, 2011 Yes Private Dancer is the best selling book on the subject and many a poor stupid fellow have followed in these footsteps, it is wisely said that any single man travelling to Thailand should read this book on the flight here as it may save him a lot of heart ache and certainly give him a heads up on the Thai girl or some of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JellyBeans91 Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 I've read a book called The Basement by a Stephen Leather but I think there are 2 people of that same name so I don't think it's written by the same one. But The Basement is a very good thriller. I recommend it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I read The Bomb Maker quite a few years ago. It was far from my type of book back then, but it was a freebie from somewhere. I think I liked it at the time, but I suspect I wouldn't think much of it if I re-read it now. At any rate, I'm pretty sure I gave it away a long time ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coffin Nail Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I've just started Nightfall. So far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimereader Posted March 8, 2012 Share Posted March 8, 2012 I love Steven Leather's thrillers, there are some great book. but my favouirte one is Soft Target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poolmonkey Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I`ve read Cold Kill, Hard Landing and Soft Target, which has the same main character and I enjoyed them all, although I wish I had read them in the correct order as parts of the story follow through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dex Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 I've only read the Dan Spider novels aswell. So I'd be intterested in opinions of his others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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