KIET AND THE OPIUM WAR

by Gary Alexander ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1990

Alexander's mythical Luong, that Southeast Asia backwater situated deep in funny-bone territory, is where ""rice, tobacco, corn, coffee, and opium"" are raised--and where various insiders and outsiders are now waging war over drugs. Sorting his way through suspicious flight patterns, peculiar camera-shop receipts, and the untrustworthy testimony of Little Big Vinnie--the mobster who owns the Scarlet Mongoose porn pub--Superintendent Bamsan Kiet must interrupt his courtship of Nurse Quin to stop the drug-trafficking. This involves him in a serious car crash, a chat with friendly nemesis Ril Thoi (leader of the Luong Rouge rebels), and a kidnapping in which he hides the Tropical Agricultural Expert of Cuba in the Scarlet Mongoose. Eventually, Kiet and his techno-gizmo-crazy sidekick Binh discover ties between the Cuban Agricultural Expert, several of Luong's greedy government ministers, and the American political contingent stationed in Luong's capital--but by that time true tragedy has struck: Kiet's supply of frozen Sara Lee cakes has defrosted and is ripe with mildew. Luong may soon replace Disney World as the most entertaining tourist spot. This fourth Kiet mystery has less of the billiard-playing Prince, but the other regulars are in sidesplitting form.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1990

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: St. Martin's

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1990

Categories: FICTION