The Sharper Edge to Traveling in Asia

Christopher G. Moore

Christopher G. Moore, originally from Vancouver, has been in Thailand since 1989. He has written numerous novels, nonfiction (including Heart Talk, now in its 3rd edition, a book indispensable for discerning Thai concepts and phrases relating the word ‘heart’), and collections of essays. The characters in his novels “include foreign correspondents covering border fights, coups, revolutions, diplomats, business executives, English language teachers, and those living on the margins of Bangkok's night life--the hardcore, the dreamers, adventurers, drunks and con artists who travel the Patpong, Nana Plaza, Soi Cowboy and Thermae circuit.” He has chronicled the lives of Western men who do most, if not all, of their social interactions with Thai women as constituting an under-reported modern-day “underground railroad,” contributing to the ongoing process of restructuring of gender relationships in the Western world.

Moore’s books are resplendent with informative bits on the “little things,” particular to Thai culture that can vex a visitor:

“[She] knows the drill and heads straight for the bathroom. She pulls back the shower curtain. Two white towels are carefully folded and hang side by side on the wall rack. No Thai girl would have left the room without first having taken a shower. Not only would one Coke be missing from the fridge, there would be a damp, used towel left on the floor. Coming out of the bathroom, the disappointed face is gone.” --- God of Darkness

Moore’s signature character is Vincent Calvino, a cynical, New York-born, downmarket private detective plying his trade in the back-alleys of Bangkok. International recognition has come with Moore winning a 2004 German Critics Award for Crime Fiction (Deutsche Krimi Preis) for Stunde Null in Phnom Penh (Cut-Out). His novels have been or are being translated into Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Norwegian, Thai, and Turkish.

His books include:

Novels

• His Lordship’s Arsenal, Freundlich Books (1985) ISBN 0-88191-033-3; Critics Choice (1988); Heaven Lake Press (1999); Subway Books (2003).
• Enemies of Memory, White Lotus (1990); reprinted as Tokyo Joe, Heaven Lake Press (2003) ISBN 974-92281-7-0.
• A Killing Smile, White Lotus (1991) ISBN 974-8495-48-5, second printing (1992), third and fourth printing BookSiam (1996); fifth and sixth printing Heaven Lake Press (2000); seventh printing (2004).
• A Bewitching Smile, White Lotus (1992) ISBN 974-8495-57-4; Heaven Lake Press (2000).
• Spirit House, White Lotus (1992), Heaven Lake Press (1999) ISBN 974-8495-58-2, reprinted (2004), Grove Press (2008).
• Asia Hand, White Lotus (1993) ISBN 974-8495-70-1, Heaven Lake Press (2000), Black Cat (2010).
• A Haunting Smile, White Lotus (1993) ISBN 974-8495-82-5, Heaven Lake Press (1999) reprinted (2004).
• Cut Out, White Lotus (1994) ISBN 974-87116-3-3, Matichon, (1996), Heaven Lake Press (1999). Re-released under the title Zero Hour in Phnom Penh - ISBN 974-93035-9-8.
• Saint Anne, Asia Books (1994) reprinted as Red Sky Falling Heaven Lake Press (2005) ISBN 974-92385-7-5.
• Comfort Zone, White Lotus (1995), pocketbook edition (1997) ISBN 974-87754-9-6; Heaven Lake Press (2001).
• The Big Weird, book Siam (1996), Heaven Lake Press (2000) ISBN 974-89677-3-5.
• God of Darkness, Asia Books (1998) ISBN 974-92281-7-0, Heaven Lake Press (1999) reprinted (2004).
• Cold Hit, Heaven Lake Press (1999) ISBN 974-92104-1-7; reprinted (2004). The German translation is titled Nana Plaza.
• Chairs, Heaven Lake Press (2001) ISBN 974-87691-9-4.
• Minor Wife, Heaven Lake Press (2002) ISBN 974-92126-5-7; reprinted (2004).
• Pattaya 24/7, Heaven Lake Press (2004) ISBN 974-92066-6-5.
• Waiting for the Lady, Heaven Lake Press (2003) ISBN 974-92186-1-2, Subway Books (2004) Trade paperback edition Heaven Lake Press (2005).
• Gambling on Magic, Heaven Lake Press (2005) ISBN 974-92942-5-4.
• The Risk of Infidelity Index, Atlantic Monthly Press (2008) ISBN 978-974-88168-7-6. The Polish translation is titled Ulice Bangkoku.
• Paying Back Jack, Heaven Lake Press (2009) ISBN 978-974-312-920-9, Grove Press (2009).
• The Corruptionist, Heaven Lake Press (2010) ISBN 978-616-90393-3-4.
• 9 Gold Bullets, Heaven Lake Press (2011) ISBN 978-616-90393-7-2.
• The Wisdom of Beer, Heaven Lake Press (2012) ISBN 978-616-7503-11-0.
• Missing In Rangoon, Heaven Lake Press (2013) ISBN 978-616-7503-17-2.
• The Marriage Tree, Heaven Lake Press (2014) ISBN 978-616-7503-23-3.
• Crackdown, Heaven Lake Press (2015) ISBN 978-616-7503-32-5.

Non-fiction

• Heart Talk, White Lotus (1992), 2nd Ed. Heaven Lake Press (1998), 3rd Ed. Heaven Lake Press (2005) ISBN 974-92942-5-4.
• The Vincent Calvino Reader’s Guide, Heaven Lake Press (2010) ISBN 978-616-90393-4-1.
• The Cultural Detective, Heaven Lake Press (2011) ISBN 978-616-90393-8-9.
• Faking It in Bangkok, Heaven Lake Press (2012) ISBN 978-616-7503-13-4.
• Fear and Loathing in Bangkok, Heaven Lake Press (2014) ISBN 978-616-7503-24-0.

Anthology

• Bangkok Noir, Heaven Lake Press (2011) ISBN 978-616-7503-04-2. (Editor)
• Phnom Penh Noir, Heaven Lake Press (2012) ISBN 978-616-7503-15-8. (Editor)
• The Orwell Brigade, Heaven Lake Press (2012) ISBN 978-616-7503-16-5. (Editor)

Review: The Risk of Infidelity Index [Back to top] 

Christopher G. Moore’s The Risk of Infidelity Index (2007 ISBN 974-94840-0-2) is a tale of drug piracy is mixed with a heady broth of legal malfeasance and the political manipulations of an influential family on the Thai justice system. Moore, an ex-lawyer, is an astute observer of the behind-the-scenes workings of Thai society, and spices the story with subtleties relating to kreng jai, a Thai construct that dictates how individuals relate to those in a superior social or political position. The author’s invention of a book (the ‘Index’) used by expat Farang wives as a motivator to spy on the amorous peccadilloes of their husbands is funny, sad, and chilling at the same time. Moore’s descriptions of Bangkok institutions are wonderful, and his documentation of the nighttime activities in the Nana parking lot (p. 103) should be a boon for future historians and scholars.

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