
Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness
Ethical Chiang Mai Detective, Book 1
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Narrated by:
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Kristin Kalbli
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By:
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David Casarett
About this listen
Meet Ladarat Patalung - the first and only nurse detective in Thailand.
Two nights ago a young woman brought her husband into the emergency room of the Sriphat Hospital in Thailand, where he passed away. A guard thinks she remembers her coming in before but with a different husband - one who also died.
Ladarat Patalung, for one, would have been happier without a serial murderer - if there is one - loose in her hospital. Then again, she never expected to be a detective in the first place.
And now Ladarat has no choice but to investigate.
The first novel in a captivating new series by David Casarett, MD.
©2016 David Casarett (P)2016 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
great
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I would want to hear more about the characters and read other books, but it is very difficult to get past so many chapters and comments that are peripheral to the story and represent wide, negative generalizations about culture in the US. If the comments were more about the characters experiences in the US and not such generalizations that would help (e.g., "Americans are hard-wired to..."). I won't be reading or listening to any more of this series, but I would like to read stories set in Thailand.
Love the Characters but ...
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Delightful
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Ladarat stays busy with her job in the hospital, as she also looks into the case. She relies upon her understanding of human nature, especially that gained from a particular textbook from her time spent at the University of Chicago. In the process of dealing with issues in her job and in the case, Ladarat gains further insights into human nature that help her in dealing with things.
Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness proved to be a fascinating book with strong insights into human nature and also Thai culture. It introduces us to Thai terms, explaining each one used and especially talking about Thai foods, explaining what each one is made of. Further, we gain insight into medical issues, as Ladarat deals with her routine work. We see a pair of Americans dangerously injured by an elephant they were riding during their honeymoon, with the new husband's showing no signs of life. In most countries, he would be declared brain- dead and taken off life support, but in Thailand, there are no such standards. Thus the medical officials are faced with trying to convince the Americans that the young man will never wake again and that they ought to decide to take this action. All throughout the book, the dominating question is what is ethical.
I stumbled upon Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness during an Audible sale and am very glad I did. As a lover of other cultures and as someone who grew up with a Thai best friend, I really enjoyed the flavor of the book. It is very obvious that Casarett knows the Thai culture, and the fact that he himself is a hospice doctor gives credibility to the depictions of life in the hospital, especially when it comes to decisions of what to do about the American man who has not shown any sign of brain function. The story does not press forward in the typical American manner, but instead the book adds extra side details that add color to the book.
I really enjoyed the various characters of the book. The only challenge I had was sometimes in keeping straight the names of the various characters. That left some of the book confusing to me, as I wasn't always able to hear a name and recognize which identity the name belonged to. But otherwise, I really enjoyed the depth of the character of Ladarat and such other characters as the assistant nurse ethicist, the chief doctor in the ICU, the American family, and the barefoot man from the mountains who spends his time squatting in the waiting room of the ICU.
I was deeply impressed by the performance of the narrator, Kristin Kalbli. It took a special person to be able to perform this book, throwing in Thai names and other words to the book written in English. Kalbli keeps the book moving smoothly and shifts between the Thai and English words fluently. But besides her ability to switch between the two languages, Kalbli does a strong job of keeping the book pleasurable to listen to.
I really found Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness to be an excellent book. It has an interesting mystery plot as well as secondary details. Further, the characters do a lot to draw us into the story. I look forward to the next book in this so-far too-short series and give this one five stars.
A terrific cultural mystery
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Curious Thai Culture and a Nurse Turned PI
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This is written by someone who knows Thai and western manners and thinking. Two thumbs up!
Kristin Kalbli is fluent in Thai and English and so makes the perfect narrator.
A Sensitively Written Thai Mystery
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Good performance, funny how it’s strange to keep track of character’s names in a language so different as Thai.
Simple but entertaining
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Read for the Thai food and culture
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I really enjoy listening to this.
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Is there anything you would change about this book?
Although the heroine is a nurse ethicist, this inaugural book has a bit too much about a medical/cultural problem and less about the actual mystery. And, the mystery is really quite interesting!What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?
Using Chiang Mai as the locale was wonderful. Describing the food made me ravenous. The least interesting? I know the author is a doctor but please, less about the hospital and more about Ladarra.Which character – as performed by Kristin Kalbli – was your favorite?
She did them all extremely well, I can't pick out just one. Outstanding!Do you think Murder at the House of Rooster Happiness needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Yes, please. I think The Number One Ladies Detective Agency series has reached the end of the line. We need another series about a smart, kind hearted female detective.Any additional comments?
When the narrator spoke Thai words, especially food names, it seemed as if there was a very small pause or break in the recording so the correct pronunciation could be inserted. May be my imagination, but it certainly didn't hurt the narrative, which was great.Good first effort, will make a good series
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