The Ville Rat

Written by Martin Limon

Narrated by Tim Andres Pabon

The tenth book in the critically acclaimed Ernie Bascom and George SueNo series set in South Korea in the 1970s. South Korea, 1974: A young Korean woman is found strangled to death on the frozen banks of the Sonyu River with only a carefully calligraphed poem on her person. Sergeants George SueNo and Ernie Bascom, agents in the US 8th Army CID, are called in by the formidable KNP detective Gil Kwon-up to investigate. As they begin to investigate, George and Ernie come into direct contact with the US Army's 2nd Infantry Division, a disciplined and often brutal force that won't stand for outside officers questioning its men. But George and Ernie aren't exactly known for going out of their way to avoid stepping on US Army toes, and this is no exception. A pair of likable protagonists who often discover and expose crime within their own ranks. A rarity in fiction that looks closely at daily life in 1970s South Korea, with American troops stationed there in the wake of the war. Praise for the Ernie Bascom and George SueNo series "It's great to have these two mavericks back. . . . Mr. LimOn writes with gruff respect for the culture of Seoul and with wonderful bleak humor, edged in pain, about G.I. life in that exotic city." --The New York Times Book Review "Combin[es] the grim routine of a modern police procedural with the cliffhanging action of a thrilling movie serial . . . full of sharp observations and unexpected poignancy." --The Wall Street Journal "[W]hat a great gift any of LimOn's six mysteries starring Army Sgts. George SueNo and Ernie Bascom would make for those mystery lovers who haven't yet discovered them! . . . Imbued with affecting characters, a morally knotty storyline, and a last chapter that just plain stuns." --Maureen Corrigan, NPR Martin LimOn retired from military service after twenty years in the US Army, including ten years in Korea. He is the author of nine previous books in the SueNo and Bascom series, including J ade Lady Burning, Slicky Boys, and The Iron Sickle, and the short story collection Nightmare Range. He lives near Seattle. Marketing and Publicity National media campaing targeting crime mystery reviewers; military historical fiction outlets. Inclusion in all Soho Crime Fall 2015 trade-facing advertisements. Featured galley at ALA Annual 2015

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490696652

Reviews for The Ville Rat

[Marshall Parrish · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An interesting portrait of Korea. Good characters and plot twists.

[anniemod · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

When a young woman is found dead in a river, Mr. Kill requests Sueño and Bascom to help with the investigation - the body washed out just under the Division compound so the US army will be involved anyway so he can at least get the best possible team. Which does not sit very well with either Division or with the big bosses down in Seoul. And yet, the investigation is theirs. Before long it gets tangled with the black market which seems to be everywhere in Korea. And just so our guys are not bored, they also get asked to investigate an internal matter - a soldier shot at another (with a higher rank) and is getting court marshaled. We learn some more about the Korean culture (the kisaeng tradition and its revival post WWII for example) but the novel is more concerned with the internal relationship inside of the army - the segregation (which technically does not exist anymore but seems to be alive and well) and the army's and the common soldiers' views towards homosexuality. It is the 70s and most of the commanding staff is from another generation - which makes them uncomfortable with the latter and even worse with the first. Add the Division commander who is trying to convince everyone that everything is ok in Division and some parts were almost cringe-worthy - the 70s is another country in a lot of ways. And somewhere between all of the running around the country, Sueño's new love is blooming, he does not get beaten for a change (but someone tries to kill him a few times) and Ernie Bascom is... Ernie Bascom. Not a good novel to get introduced to the series - while the mystery can work as a standalone, a lot of the secondary characters rely on knowing them (there are introductions but they are very concise). But if you had been reading the series, it is a good addition to it.

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A police procedural set in South Korea featuring Army CID's looking for the killer of a woman fond in the river. The descriptions of Korea and Army life brought back memories of when I served 13 months there.A good read.