In
Paying Back Jack, Calvino agrees to follow the ‘minor
wife’ of a Thai politician and report on her movements. His client
is Rick Casey, a shady American whose life has been darkened by
the unsolved murder of his idealistic son. It seems to be a simple
surveillance job, but soon Calvino is entangled in a dangerous
web of political allegiance and a reckless quest for revenge.
And,
unknown to our man in Bangkok, in an anonymous tower in the center
of the city, a two-man sniper team awaits its shot, a shot that
will change everything. Paying Back Jack is classic Christopher
G. Moore: densely-woven, eye-opening, and riveting.
Praise
“Moore’s
depiction of Thai life is gritty, colorful and thoughtful. He
ranges from the sex trade to politics to the careful and lavish
preparations for an upper-class wedding, while never losing
track of his fast-paced, hard-boiled story."
—Lynn Harnett, MostFiction
Book Review
“Hard-boiled
mystery laced with humor.... A pulse-pounding tale of human trafficking,
mercenaries, international conspiracies and revenge... made more
real because they are set against the lovely and sordid streets
of Bangkok."
—"In the Know" at WCVPL (Warren County-Vicksburg
Public Library, Mississippi)
“A
rich panorama of east meets west. This time round Calvino is
drawn into the murky world of private prisons, political assassination
and UN officialdom.... Whether you try it for the exotic setting,
the hard-boiled hero or the intrigue and action, you won't be
disappointed. And you'll be back for more!."
—Chris Bilkey, Crime Buzz
“Moore's
depiction of Thai life is gritty, colorful and thoughtful. He
ranges from the sex trade to politics to the careful and lavish
preparations for an upper-class wedding, while never losing track
of
his fast-paced, hard-boiled story."
—Portsmouth Herald
“The
plots are complex, as are the characters, and Moore is a writer
who insists on his reader. Inevitably, the most impressive character
of all is Bangkok itself, which the author brings wonderfully
to life."
—Morning Star (UK)
“Crisp,
atmostpheric. . . . Calvino's cynical humour oils the wheels nicely,
while the cubist plotting keeps us guessing."
—Guardian
“Plenty
of action sequences ... fascinating reading . . . Moore obviously
brings his own experiences of years of living in Bangkok to
the story. His love and understanding of Thai sentiments and
protocol come across on every page, making the stories even
more rich and fulfilling.”
—Christine Zibas, ReviewingTheEvidence.com
“Paying
Jack Back is the best Calvino yet. . . . There are many wheels
within wheels turning in this excellent thriller. . . . It's about
time everyone discovered Bangkok PI Vincent Calvino."
—Margaret Cannon, The Globe and Mail
“The
powerful, resonant and nuanced voice of Christopher G. Moore
introduced German readers to his private investigator Calvino’s
Thailand in a unique way.”
—Susanna Mende, Titel Magazine
“Paying
Back Jack is so tightly woven and entertaining it is hopeless
to try to put it down. Not only was it new and fresh, but I feel
like I have taken a trip to the underbelly of Thailand. It is
impossible not to love this book"
—Carolyn Lanier, I Love a Mystery
“Moore
clearly has no fear that his gloriously corrupt Bangkok will
ever run dry."
—Kirkus Review
“A
vivid sense of place...the city of Bangkok, with its chaos and
mystery, is almost another character. Recommended."
—Library Journal
“This
series belongs on every Asian crime list."
—Booklist
“Moore
reveals the seething stew of wealth, corruption, cultural clashes,
poverty and lust that is modern Bangkok. . .all will appreciate
the raw passion that drives the action.”
—Publishers Weekly
“[Paying
Back Jack] might be Moore's finest novel yet. A gripping
tale of human trafficking, mercenaries, missing interrogation
videos, international conspiracies, and revenge, all set against
the lovely and sordid backstreets of Bangkok that Moore knows
better than anyone.”
—Barry Eisler
“Moore
creates a cast of vibrant characters worth of the best Elmore
Leonard caper for this hard-edged, stylish mystery.... His VIncent
Calvino is at once in the finest tradition of the lone private
detective and a complete original.”
—Matt Beynon Rees, author of "The Samaritan's Secret"
“A
lot of the evil that exists in Bangkok lays buried beneath the
duel headstones of 'culture' and 'tradition'. In Paying Back
Jack, Moore isn't afraid to dig the dirt. He knows the system,
he knows the city, and he paints it beautifully.”
—Colin Cotterill, "The Merry Misogynist"
“Moore
has the intellectual and emotional ability to perceive what is
in the hearts and minds of the Thai populace. Not least, he grasps
the nuances of language. . . . I dare say a screen adaptation
of at least one of the Calvino books isn’t far off.”
—Bernard Trink, Bangkok
Post
“Christopher
G. Moore is an exceptional writer. . . . The way the different
characters, which seem unrelated to each other, are finally
brought together is superb literary craftsmanship. Paying
Back Jack is a tale which will have you snarling at the
intrusion of a telephone. . . . Get this book.”
—Lang Reid, Pattaya Mail
“Every
big city has its fictional detective; and Bangkok's is Vincent
Calvino.”
—Bangkok 101
“Think
Dashiell Hammett in Bangkok..”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“It's
easy to see why Moore's books are popular: While seasoned with
a spicy mixture of humor and realism, they stand out as model
studies in East-West encounters, as satisfying for their cultural
insights as they are for their hard-boiled action.”
—The Japan Times
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