BANGKOK BLUES TO BE RELEASED FEBRUARY 4

The third novel in my NJA Club Series will be released and available on Amazon starting February 4. Bangkok Blues will be offered as an e book and a quality paperback print edition.

The series follows the adventures of American expat lawyer Glenn Murray Cohen and his eclectic friends from the mysterious NJA Club, where Thais and foreigners meet and mingle, and where intrigue is always on the menu.

Bangkok Blues differs from Bangkok Shadows and Bangkok Whispers because it is written in the third person. (The first two were in the first person, told exclusively from Glenn’s point of view.) The third person point of view allows readers to enter the minds of all characters and be present in scenes where Glenn is not. I greatly enjoyed writing about my characters from this vantage point.

The regular cast of NJA club characters is on full display: the enigmatic and powerful General, Sleepy Joe, the trained killer and dope-smoking hippie, Oliver, who can find out anything there is to know, Lek, the honorable and most helpful condo concierge in Thailand, and of course, Glenn’s nemesis, Phil Funston, the loud and obnoxious musical talent and permanent sexpat. There are several new Thai characters introduced, some of whom are likely to appear in future novels. These new faces include the General’s military colleagues, two Thai women who develop as romantic interests for Glenn, and a rather interesting American scientist who becomes dependent upon the NJA gang for protection when he learns about a strange virus reported in China.

The setting is late 2019. Glenn is celebrating another birthday in Thailand. America is getting ready for an explosive Presidential election in less than a year. Glenn was pressured to manage Phil Funston’s musical career, a decision he deeply regrets but his sense of honor won’t allow him to quit until he finds a replacement. Glenn, like most American expats in Thailand, follows the pending Presidential election of 2020 and has rather strong opinions about the incumbent seeking another term. Like his creator, Glenn is vociferously anti-Trump and makes no attempt to hide his feelings. There have been Trumpies who read the first two books, and a few have complained about Glenn’s views on the defeated ex-President. Without spoiling a thing, let me say I’ve doubled down in Bangkok Blues, and if any Trumpies don’t like it, they can kiss my derriere. Anyone who has lived in Thailand knows that many if not most American expats share Glenn’s views. You have to wonder about people who get all tied up in knots over the views of a fictional character, sort of like when Dan Quayle engaged in an argument with Murphy Brown, a character on a television show.

The arrival of the scientist propels Glenn and company into a web of intrigue and danger far more troubling than managing Funston. Lives are risked, and some are lost. That’s about all I can say right now if I don’t want any “spoilers.”

The regular cast of NJA club characters is on full display: the enigmatic and powerful General, Sleepy Joe, the trained killer and dope-smoking hippie, Oliver, who can find out anything there is to know, Lek, the honorable and most helpful condo concierge in Thailand, and of course, Glenn’s nemesis, Phil Funston, the loud and obnoxious musical talent and permanent sexpat.. There are several new Thai characters introduced, some of whom are likely to appear in future novels. These new faces include the General’s military colleagues, two Thai women who develop as romantic interests for Glenn, and a rather interesting American scientist who becomes dependent upon the NJA gang for protection when he learns about a strange virus reported in China and the NJA gang realize he’s being followed by dangerous characters.

I worked with a new editor on this book, also engaged the service of a new cover designer, who remained faithful to the styles and logos of the first two books. The text designer is the same talent who redid the first two books and made them error-free and attractive.

All three novels are published under the imprimatur of Crosswinds Press.

Originally published at http://stephenshaiken.com on January 30, 2022.