HOUSE OF FAT MAN

In Gerard-Alesco’s thriller, an American ex-pat in Thailand stumbles into a world of drug trafficking and shifting alliances when he tries to find a missing friend.

Greg Robber is an oddly named young man with a gift for languages. He’s recruited by a CIA man named Elliot at Oxford’s Christ Church College in England, and then sent to the Thai village of Chiang Mai. Greg’s cover is that he’s taking notes and photos to write a book about the customs of the hill people, but his real mission is to “watch, listen, and report” on the local drug trade to Elliot. In the process, Greg befriends some idealistic Westerners, including Albie Saint Clair, a wealthy geophysicist, who sets up a research facility, hoping to end the local practice of slashing and burning teak forests to grow opium, and Mary Peyton, a saintly nun who runs a health clinic. But a malevolent figure known as Fat Man runs a local gambling establishment, compels local businesses to pay protection, and distributes opium. His vicious offspring, Fat Boy, is his enforcer. When Greg’s initial mission ends, he stays on as Albie’s translator—but then Albie disappears. Greg searches for his friend in Thailand and then crosses the Burmese border, fearing that the worst has happened. Gerard-Alesco adeptly creates a corrupt world that recalls the work of Raymond Chandler with its morally ambiguous characters. Some villagers destroy forests and grow opium, for instance, but they do so for survival and are shown to be otherwise upstanding. Even the book’s central player, Greg, is far from a hero: He cares about his friends, but he allows his loyal pal Wes to express racist, antigay, and misogynist views unchallenged. The protagonist is also effectively shown to be lustful, uncertain, and aimless, and he allows others, including Elliot and Albie’s sister, Gwen, to determine his fate for him. The author also paints a vivid picture of Thailand, in which tour buses mingle with water buffalo–drawn carts on the streets. Overall, the picturesque setting, flawed protagonist, and noir atmosphere make this thriller stand out.

A grim but often engaging missing-person tale.