num_pages: 271
description: Laos, 1975. The Communist Pathet Lao has taken over this former French colony. Dr. Siri Paiboun, a 72-year-old Paris-trained doctor, is appointed national coroner. Although he has no training for the job, there is no one else; the rest of the educated class has fled. He is expected to come up with the answers the party wants. But crafty and charming Dr.Siri is immune to bureaucratic pressure. At his age, he reasons, what can they do to him? And he knows he cannot fail the dead who come into his care without risk of incurring their boundless displeasure. Eternity could be a long time to have the spirits mad at you.
language: English
title: The Coroner's Lunch
titlecomplete: The Coroner's Lunch (Dr. Siri Paiboun, #1)
characters: Chundee Chantavongheuan (Dtui), Mr. Geung, Dr. Siri Paiboun, Civilai
genres: Fiction, Historical, Asia, Mystery, Detective, Mystery Thriller, Historical Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Audiobook
ratings_count: 14024
places: Vientiane, Laos
series: Dr. Siri Paiboun
awards: awardedAt: 1104566400000
name: Barry Award
category: Best First Novel
publisher: Quercus