Sonchai Jitpleecheep, a detective with the Royal Thai Police in District 8, is called to investigate the mutilated body of a man suspected to be CIA. The situation is made worse by the fact that the murderer seems to be a prostitute named Chanya, who's the top working girl at The Old Man's Club. This club is owned jointly by Sonchai's mother, Nong, and his boss, Police Colonel Vikorn. Not wanting anything to reflect their involvement, Vikorn orchestrates a cover-up involving al-Qaeda, which makes things difficult for Sonchai in his pursuit of the truth.

Sonchai, the son of a Thai prostitute and an American GI, speaks French and English, as well as Thai, and is a devout Buddhist who meditates often. As he becomes embroiled in his investigation, he has to deal not only with prostitutes, transsexuals, corrupt cops, covert military forces and drug dealers, but also with his growing affection for Chanya. But what he eventually uncovers is more shocking than even he imagines.

BANGKOK TATTOO is set in an exotic locale not used very often in thrillers of this sort, so it was fresh and invigorating to find myself learning about a totally different culture. Thai words used throughout were a bit confusing, at first, but I caught on easily. The author has an eye for detail and for cutting beneath the crust of society to expose the real lifestyle beneath the façade. I found myself paying close attention to plot, as well as the diverse collection of characters, so as not to miss anything important. My effort was rewarded with an exciting reading experience. I now have to read BANGKOK 8, which first introduced Detective Sonchai Jitpleecheep. If you're looking for something out of the ordinary, I recommend this gripping novel.