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Sergeants Sueño and Bascom #1
Jade Lady Burning
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year
Meet Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom in their first investigation, set in 1970s South Korea
Almost twenty years after the end of the Korean War, the US Military is still present throughout South Korea, and tensions run high. Koreans look for any opportunity to hate the soldiers who drink at their bars and carouse with their women. When Pak Ok-suk, a young Korean woman, is found brutally murdered in a torched apartment in the Itaewon red-light district of Seoul, it looks like it might be the work of her American soldier boyfriend. Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the US 8th Army, are assigned to the case, but they have nothing to go on other than a tenuous connection to an infamous prostitute. As repressed resentments erupt around them, the pair sets out on an increasingly dangerous quest to find evidence that will exonerate their countryman.
Meet Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom in their first investigation, set in 1970s South Korea
Almost twenty years after the end of the Korean War, the US Military is still present throughout South Korea, and tensions run high. Koreans look for any opportunity to hate the soldiers who drink at their bars and carouse with their women. When Pak Ok-suk, a young Korean woman, is found brutally murdered in a torched apartment in the Itaewon red-light district of Seoul, it looks like it might be the work of her American soldier boyfriend. Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the US 8th Army, are assigned to the case, but they have nothing to go on other than a tenuous connection to an infamous prostitute. As repressed resentments erupt around them, the pair sets out on an increasingly dangerous quest to find evidence that will exonerate their countryman.
254 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
About the author
Martin Limón
38 books97 followersMartin Limon retired from U.S. military service after 20 years in the Army, including a total of ten years in Korea. He and his wife live in Seattle. He is the author of Jade Lady Burning, which was a New York Times Notable Book, Slicky Boys and Buddha's Money.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
March 22, 2024
3.5 stars. Set in the 1970's in South Korea outside an U.S. Army base. CID Sgts Sueno & Bascom begin investigating a horrific murder of a South Korean prostitute when her GI boyfriend is charged with her murder. A gritty crime novel that reveals the seamier side of life near the base; bars, prostitution, & black-market activities along with the corruption that surrounds the Korean businesses who seek contracts with the U.S. government. Limon brings the area and people to life. No one is all good or bad, some interesting reveals that make you question your own biases and/or stereotypes.
October 9, 2019
This is technically a military CID procedural, as Sergeants Suena and Bascom are stationed in South Korea as part of the U.S. Army. This added an interesting dimension to the story in addition to the setting of South Korea.
May 14, 2021
Jade Lady Burning is the first book in Martin Limón's George Sueno and Ernie Bascom mystery series. Both are Army Sgts working in CID in South Korea. They are assigned to investigate the murder of a Korean prostitute as the suspect is an Army Private. It turns out that the Private had filed papers to be married with Pak Ok-Suk. The story is set 20 years after the Korean War.
The story is told in the first person by Sueno. You get an interesting picture of the CID set up and of the darker aspects of Seoul life as the majority of the story takes place in the Ville, the red light district. For much of the story the two detectives seem to be spinning their wheels, trying to find out who might have murdered the girl as they don't believe that the soldier did it.
They get not much support within their chain of command as the system would rather that the case disappear, the better for US and South Korean relations. But Sueno has a bee in his bonnet about the case, partly because of his background and because he believes the two need someone on their side. They are regularly assigned to other work to get them away from this case.
We find out about the corruption between the US Army and their suppliers. We meet Kimiko, an older prostitute who watched over Pak. She is a unique, wonderful character.
I enjoyed this story. It was well-written and it provided a view of a life that was very different to me. My only perspective of South Korea probably harkens back to MASH and maybe The Bridges at Toko-Ri by Michener. Sueno and Bascom are interesting characters, not black and white but with rough edges. Both are good cops who really want to solve the case. I'm looking forward to the next book, Slicky Boys, hoping it shows more of the country and people. (4 stars)
The story is told in the first person by Sueno. You get an interesting picture of the CID set up and of the darker aspects of Seoul life as the majority of the story takes place in the Ville, the red light district. For much of the story the two detectives seem to be spinning their wheels, trying to find out who might have murdered the girl as they don't believe that the soldier did it.
They get not much support within their chain of command as the system would rather that the case disappear, the better for US and South Korean relations. But Sueno has a bee in his bonnet about the case, partly because of his background and because he believes the two need someone on their side. They are regularly assigned to other work to get them away from this case.
We find out about the corruption between the US Army and their suppliers. We meet Kimiko, an older prostitute who watched over Pak. She is a unique, wonderful character.
I enjoyed this story. It was well-written and it provided a view of a life that was very different to me. My only perspective of South Korea probably harkens back to MASH and maybe The Bridges at Toko-Ri by Michener. Sueno and Bascom are interesting characters, not black and white but with rough edges. Both are good cops who really want to solve the case. I'm looking forward to the next book, Slicky Boys, hoping it shows more of the country and people. (4 stars)
October 26, 2013
The interesting thing about Jade Lady Burning is Limon populates the story with unlikeable people doing unlikeable things in unlikeable places and yet has produced a very likeable tale. Sueno and Bascom are rough around the edges military police officers who drink too much, party with prostitutes in Itaewon, the red-light district of Seoul, and turn a blind-eye to some black market activity. The tale works well for three reasons. First, Limon tells the story at face value: he doesn’t romanticise or idealise or sanitize the Itaewon underworld, nor does he portray Sueno and Bascom as likeable rogues. Instead, the tale is told with gritty realism. Second, the story is well contextualised with respect to Korean society after the war and the relationship with the US military and its operations. Third, there is a compelling plot - the investigation into the death of a young Korean woman and the arrest of a young GI - which builds to a nice denouement. Overall, an engaging and entertaining slice of social realism.
March 1, 2012
This book was terrific and I can now say that I am a fan of the author. Although I have no experience in South Korea, I felt as though I had been transported to the country. The author paints a vivid picture of how U.S. operations impact the lives of South Korean people - postiviely and negatively. A great crime novel and a quick read - it is hard to put down!
June 4, 2010
I... enjoyed reading Jade Lady Burning, by Martin Limon. Yep, I do believe I did. It took me quite some time to read, and there were many things going on that I had to take time to understand. But it was suspenseful and interesting.
This book is about this murder case in Korea. Two American criminal investigators, George and Ernie are assigned this case. There's this little tied up, burnt up, beat up young prostitute. They're supposed to find out what happened. She had a boyfriend, who she was going to marry, and he was going to be thrown in jail, with no evidence against him, though he was actually innocent. George and Ernie originally plan to just chill at bars and party with, like, whores and booze, but the case gets to them. They get really deep into the case and disobey alot of orders to do what they feel is right. It's really risky for them too. They almost get killed themselves.
These two men have no obligation to do what's right, but they risk so much to serve justice to people who are completely unrelated to them. Though they were, at first, only interested in using this case to have a good time, their own emotions; their conscience, influenced their actions.
So, obviosly this world is rather fucked up. Looking at what some man did to this poor young girl. But these two men were able to put aside any other doubts and throw everything into bringing this murderer to justice and getting an innocent man from being locked up. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE SOMEWHERE. Heh.
This book is about this murder case in Korea. Two American criminal investigators, George and Ernie are assigned this case. There's this little tied up, burnt up, beat up young prostitute. They're supposed to find out what happened. She had a boyfriend, who she was going to marry, and he was going to be thrown in jail, with no evidence against him, though he was actually innocent. George and Ernie originally plan to just chill at bars and party with, like, whores and booze, but the case gets to them. They get really deep into the case and disobey alot of orders to do what they feel is right. It's really risky for them too. They almost get killed themselves.
These two men have no obligation to do what's right, but they risk so much to serve justice to people who are completely unrelated to them. Though they were, at first, only interested in using this case to have a good time, their own emotions; their conscience, influenced their actions.
So, obviosly this world is rather fucked up. Looking at what some man did to this poor young girl. But these two men were able to put aside any other doubts and throw everything into bringing this murderer to justice and getting an innocent man from being locked up. THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE SOMEWHERE. Heh.
May 23, 2019
Over the years, while browsing for books to read, the name of MARTIN LIMON kept popping up but I paid no attention to the recommendations. I now regret those decisions.
I attended the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2019 where I had a chance to hear Mr. Limon speak during a session of a mystery writers’ panel. I discovered that he lived in the Seattle, WA area not far from where I live. I decided to try his books (there are over 14).
JADE LADY BURNING is the first book in the Sueno and Bascom series featuring two sergeants in the United Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. The stories are set in South Korea in the 1970s. Why there? Mr. Limon served three tours of duty in that country in the 70s. Writers generally write about things they know about. In his talk, Mr. Limon said that he tries to bring to light the Korean culture and language in his stories. He is successful in that endeavor.
In book one, Sgts. Sueno and Bascom investigate the murder of a Korean woman who was engaged to an American Army private. During their investigation, Sueno and Bascom encounter a variety of characters including their immediate boss, an unsavory major general, other U.S. and Korean military types, a Korean crime lord and his henchmen and numerous other Korean personnel including police officers and “good time ladies”. Sueno and Bascom drink a lot of alcohol, seemingly party nightly but are also very good at their job.
The story is easy to read. It is full of suspense and action. If you like military fiction/mystery, history or learning about foreign societies this book/series is for you.
GO! BUY! READ!
I attended the Tucson Festival of Books in March 2019 where I had a chance to hear Mr. Limon speak during a session of a mystery writers’ panel. I discovered that he lived in the Seattle, WA area not far from where I live. I decided to try his books (there are over 14).
JADE LADY BURNING is the first book in the Sueno and Bascom series featuring two sergeants in the United Army’s Criminal Investigation Division. The stories are set in South Korea in the 1970s. Why there? Mr. Limon served three tours of duty in that country in the 70s. Writers generally write about things they know about. In his talk, Mr. Limon said that he tries to bring to light the Korean culture and language in his stories. He is successful in that endeavor.
In book one, Sgts. Sueno and Bascom investigate the murder of a Korean woman who was engaged to an American Army private. During their investigation, Sueno and Bascom encounter a variety of characters including their immediate boss, an unsavory major general, other U.S. and Korean military types, a Korean crime lord and his henchmen and numerous other Korean personnel including police officers and “good time ladies”. Sueno and Bascom drink a lot of alcohol, seemingly party nightly but are also very good at their job.
The story is easy to read. It is full of suspense and action. If you like military fiction/mystery, history or learning about foreign societies this book/series is for you.
GO! BUY! READ!
August 15, 2011
I love Martin Limón's detective series--featuring an US Army sergeant detective, and set in South Korea in the early 1970s--for two reasons (besides the great writing and entertaining mystery plots):
1) The time and place Martin has chosen as a setting are fascinating: 20 years after the end of the Korean War, the US is still very much interfering with Korean politics and government. In a chilly valley of the Cold War, Sergeant George Sueño is caught in a pivotal but overlooked moment in history: Asia--Korea in particular--is rapidly changing. America may have already forgotten the Korean War, but Koreans are very much still experiencing its aftermath. Meanwhile, on top of those tensions are the evolving threats from the Communist Bloc. I love the series for its attention to this forgotten but important (and endlessly interesting) period in world history.
2) As someone who has spent time in Asia, I often get irritated with depictions of Asia by American writers. Martin's view is deft and fresh, respectful and warm and honest. Without shying away from any of the less savory sides of expat American soldier life, Martin still manages to create a lovely, detailed and absorbing picture of South Korea.
I definitely recommend to history buffs, military history fans, and/or Asiaphiles.
1) The time and place Martin has chosen as a setting are fascinating: 20 years after the end of the Korean War, the US is still very much interfering with Korean politics and government. In a chilly valley of the Cold War, Sergeant George Sueño is caught in a pivotal but overlooked moment in history: Asia--Korea in particular--is rapidly changing. America may have already forgotten the Korean War, but Koreans are very much still experiencing its aftermath. Meanwhile, on top of those tensions are the evolving threats from the Communist Bloc. I love the series for its attention to this forgotten but important (and endlessly interesting) period in world history.
2) As someone who has spent time in Asia, I often get irritated with depictions of Asia by American writers. Martin's view is deft and fresh, respectful and warm and honest. Without shying away from any of the less savory sides of expat American soldier life, Martin still manages to create a lovely, detailed and absorbing picture of South Korea.
I definitely recommend to history buffs, military history fans, and/or Asiaphiles.
July 19, 2012
Martin Limon, with whom I visited bookstores in Phoenix, Houston, and Austin earlier in July, is one of my favorite writers, author of a prodigious series set in Korea over a stretch of several decades, beginning in JADE LADY BURNING, the first book in the series, during the period of the Vietnam War. His reluctant Eighth Army investigators, the sensitive and intelligent George Sueno and the intemperate and often bullheaded Ernie Bascom, explore the murder of a young Korean woman, presumably by an American soldier, and gradually uncover something that, if not more tragic, is at least much bigger. The attitude of the Koreans toward the Americans is returned with interest and considerable ignorance by most of those with whom Sueno and Bascom serve, and Limon brilliantly creates this shadow world, balanced by the carefully measured insanity of military life. When I started to write about Bangkok one of my great hopes was that I would do it one-fifth as well as Limon writes Korea. I'm still trying.
(By the way, SLICKY BOYS, the second in the series, is also killer. Oh, hell, they all are.)
(By the way, SLICKY BOYS, the second in the series, is also killer. Oh, hell, they all are.)
January 14, 2015
PROTAGONISTS: George Sueno and Ernie Gascom
SETTING: South Korea
SERIES: #1 of 10
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the U.S. 8th Army located in Seoul, South Korea, are assigned to investigate the death of local prostitute Pak Ok-Suk, whose body was found in her hut which had been burned to the ground. Relations are always tense between the Americans and Koreans; the situation is somewhat alleviated when her US boyfriend is accused. Sueno and Bascom soon find there's lots more to the story. Limon succeeds in painting an authentic picture of life in Korea for both the military and the locals.
SETTING: South Korea
SERIES: #1 of 10
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, Military Police for the U.S. 8th Army located in Seoul, South Korea, are assigned to investigate the death of local prostitute Pak Ok-Suk, whose body was found in her hut which had been burned to the ground. Relations are always tense between the Americans and Koreans; the situation is somewhat alleviated when her US boyfriend is accused. Sueno and Bascom soon find there's lots more to the story. Limon succeeds in painting an authentic picture of life in Korea for both the military and the locals.
Shelved as 'i-get-the-picture'
July 5, 2014This appears, from reading 15% or so that I stuck it out, to be a serviceable, if pedestrian, airplane/train ride procedural of two US Army criminal investigators who work (and play) in Seoul's red light disctrict, the 'ville'. Would have read more of it if I'd already read all of the things I haven't yet already read. (No rating - but looks like it would likely be a 3)
August 2, 2018
I started with Book #5 and I really liked the writing and plotting more than this first in the series. For me, the ending seemed choppy and disjointed. I guess military justice is nothing like civilian. Going keep going with the series; these are great characters.
December 5, 2013
George Suenos and Ernie Bascom, investigators for the 8th U.S. Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, are assigned to a joint investigation with the Korean National Police when a young prostitute is brutally murdered and her apartment torched.
Suspects are as prevalent as the scent of kimchi on the frigid air and it isn’t long before the two troops are clashing with both the military brass and the KNP as clues they uncover paint a different scenario than desired by officials.
Between bouts of drinking and carousing in the seedy environs of Itaewon, Seoul’s red light district, the two follows their own inclinations despite threats and physical assaults and eventually identify the murderer and the reason for the crime. Still, justice is sometimes in the eye of the beholder.
Jade Lady Burning, the first in this crime series set in South Korea in the 1970s, introduces Suenos, the analytic and compassionate opposite of his friend, Ernie, who is impulsive and stubborn, characteristics which often get the two in trouble.
Martin Limon did five tours with the Army in Korea. While much has changed since the period of this novel, by my own experience of the CID and in South Korea I can attest for the accuracy of his depiction of places and events at the time. I would note, though, George and Ernie get away with a lot more rogue behavior than their real life counterparts might manage.
If you’re looking for something different, Limon offers interesting characters, action and a glimpse at the two-sided coin of American/Korean relations.
Suspects are as prevalent as the scent of kimchi on the frigid air and it isn’t long before the two troops are clashing with both the military brass and the KNP as clues they uncover paint a different scenario than desired by officials.
Between bouts of drinking and carousing in the seedy environs of Itaewon, Seoul’s red light district, the two follows their own inclinations despite threats and physical assaults and eventually identify the murderer and the reason for the crime. Still, justice is sometimes in the eye of the beholder.
Jade Lady Burning, the first in this crime series set in South Korea in the 1970s, introduces Suenos, the analytic and compassionate opposite of his friend, Ernie, who is impulsive and stubborn, characteristics which often get the two in trouble.
Martin Limon did five tours with the Army in Korea. While much has changed since the period of this novel, by my own experience of the CID and in South Korea I can attest for the accuracy of his depiction of places and events at the time. I would note, though, George and Ernie get away with a lot more rogue behavior than their real life counterparts might manage.
If you’re looking for something different, Limon offers interesting characters, action and a glimpse at the two-sided coin of American/Korean relations.
December 1, 2009
Good review of the latest book in the series led me to this, the first book in the series. I could never connect the dots in the plot nor figure out the time period, probably 70's or 80's. I've walked the streets of Itaewon both in summer and winter and I enjoyed the descriptions of the bargirls and life in the ville. However, the plot seemed unrealistic with CID agents going rogue and it was never clear as to who did what to whom and why. I'll still read the other books in the series as it fills a void in mysteries set in Korea.
February 27, 2012
Noir it is, and not a better setting for it: US army bases in Korea circa early 70s. This mystery has a lot going for it: piquant characters, humor and heart, but it dragged sometimes. There were dangling facts (who took those incriminating photos? Kimiko?) but it gets four stars from me for the way it reverses sleaze - those we expect to be sleazy are complex and those we expect to uphold civic values - are corrupt. The corrupt, on the other hand, have evolved a different system altogether.
The end:chilling.
The end:chilling.
September 27, 2012
While the action and plot occasionally wandered a bit slowly as Ernie and George wandered from bar to bar, the overall mystery was eventually solved satisfactorily. The setting, however, was the most interesting part, Seoul, South Korea in the 1970s and the interaction between the American military and the local Korean population.
May 28, 2017
I read this book when it first came out and loved it!
I remember some of the events in the story that happened in 1992 which inspired the author to write this chilling and evocative tale of the U.S. military and South Korea, specifically, the "camp towns" where the GIS congregate. In this gritty and visceral novel, Limon delves deep into the seamy underbelly of the US-ROK alliance.
Limon is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this novel.
Jeffrey Miller, Bureau 39
I remember some of the events in the story that happened in 1992 which inspired the author to write this chilling and evocative tale of the U.S. military and South Korea, specifically, the "camp towns" where the GIS congregate. In this gritty and visceral novel, Limon delves deep into the seamy underbelly of the US-ROK alliance.
Limon is one of my favorite authors and I highly recommend this novel.
Jeffrey Miller, Bureau 39
August 14, 2019
Review from Asia Thrills - https://asiathrills.com/jade-lady-bur...
This is the first in Martin Limón’s great series of police procedurals, set in South Korea “twenty-some years” after the end of the Korea War (it ended in 1953). Our heroes are Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, military police for the Eighth United States Army, which at the time occupied a giant military base in the Seoul suburb of Itaewon.
A young Korean prostitute is found brutally murdered in a torched Itaewon apartment. It looks like the killer is her American soldier boyfriend. Sueño and Bascom are put on the case.
At times the book gets weighed down with a little too much first-novel explanation of the main characters’ backgrounds, but otherwise it is a good read. The key is the realistic and unsentimental way that Limón takes us right into the gritty underbelly of 1970s Itaewon.
As he writes in “Slicky Boys,��� the second novel in the series, Itaewon is “the greatest GI village in the world,” meaning booze (though no drugs), prostitutes, a buzzing nightlife and a thriving black market scene. Sueño and Bascom are enthusiastic participants in the nightlife, booze and prostitutes part, while sometimes turning a blind eye to the black market.
But Itaewon is still part of Korea, and Limón also shows us how the Koreans aren’t always as favorably disposed towards their American military “protectors” as the seductive bargirls would have them believe. In fact, Korean customs can be quite baffling for an outsider.
Add in the continuing Communist threat from the north plus constant bickering among the ranks of the US military and you have the ingredients for a marvellous collection of books. As of early 2019 the series comprised thirteen novels and one compilation of short stories.
This is the first in Martin Limón’s great series of police procedurals, set in South Korea “twenty-some years” after the end of the Korea War (it ended in 1953). Our heroes are Sergeants George Sueño and Ernie Bascom, military police for the Eighth United States Army, which at the time occupied a giant military base in the Seoul suburb of Itaewon.
A young Korean prostitute is found brutally murdered in a torched Itaewon apartment. It looks like the killer is her American soldier boyfriend. Sueño and Bascom are put on the case.
At times the book gets weighed down with a little too much first-novel explanation of the main characters’ backgrounds, but otherwise it is a good read. The key is the realistic and unsentimental way that Limón takes us right into the gritty underbelly of 1970s Itaewon.
As he writes in “Slicky Boys,��� the second novel in the series, Itaewon is “the greatest GI village in the world,” meaning booze (though no drugs), prostitutes, a buzzing nightlife and a thriving black market scene. Sueño and Bascom are enthusiastic participants in the nightlife, booze and prostitutes part, while sometimes turning a blind eye to the black market.
But Itaewon is still part of Korea, and Limón also shows us how the Koreans aren’t always as favorably disposed towards their American military “protectors” as the seductive bargirls would have them believe. In fact, Korean customs can be quite baffling for an outsider.
Add in the continuing Communist threat from the north plus constant bickering among the ranks of the US military and you have the ingredients for a marvellous collection of books. As of early 2019 the series comprised thirteen novels and one compilation of short stories.
June 30, 2020
I had some problems with this read, mainly (as some other reviewers have pointed out) that the sexism on show can be hard to swallow. The introduction of every female character is just another description of body parts, and the treatment of the female characters is shallow and grim.
That being said, this is set in the 1970s and the narrator is an American soldier in Seoul, and, as my friend reminded me, the narrator isn't the writer, and the narrator doesn't have to be likable. This is a gritty, seedy world and the characters are representations of that. It is a product of its setting.
Aside from the obvious concerns about this novel in the current climate, I found it to be an enjoyable read. The writing is sharp and witty, with some hard-boiled noir streaks and wonderful descriptions. The Itaewon village itself is a brilliantly rough setting, the ragged backstreets and neon providing a great backdrop to the disturbing events. The plot is simple but chugs along nicely, and the characters, though not likable, are an interesting bunch. Kimiko, for instance, is an standout example of a complex, well-rounded character amidst the horrible GIs and gang members of the Itaewon underworld.
Be well advised, you are going to find it hard to like the narrator, and the depiction of women is discomforting. If you are able to accept that this is an intentional representation of American GIs in 1970s Seoul, though, you can find a lot to enjoy here.
That being said, this is set in the 1970s and the narrator is an American soldier in Seoul, and, as my friend reminded me, the narrator isn't the writer, and the narrator doesn't have to be likable. This is a gritty, seedy world and the characters are representations of that. It is a product of its setting.
Aside from the obvious concerns about this novel in the current climate, I found it to be an enjoyable read. The writing is sharp and witty, with some hard-boiled noir streaks and wonderful descriptions. The Itaewon village itself is a brilliantly rough setting, the ragged backstreets and neon providing a great backdrop to the disturbing events. The plot is simple but chugs along nicely, and the characters, though not likable, are an interesting bunch. Kimiko, for instance, is an standout example of a complex, well-rounded character amidst the horrible GIs and gang members of the Itaewon underworld.
Be well advised, you are going to find it hard to like the narrator, and the depiction of women is discomforting. If you are able to accept that this is an intentional representation of American GIs in 1970s Seoul, though, you can find a lot to enjoy here.
April 12, 2019
Martin Limon's Sueno and Bascom books are all pretty solid. I started in the middle of the series and read them not in order. I like these books because they're a pretty good character study and I love the depiction of 1970's South Korea. Having said that, none of these books really stand out. They're all pretty solid police procedurals except that the police are US 8th Army CID officers. The whole series reads like a TV series binge. I finish one and go on to the next.
I finally get the first book but this first in the series doesn't do a great job of establishing the setting. It does explain why Sueno and Bascom are in South Korea, but it does it piecemeal in bits and pieces in the middle of the story here and there. I should have expected it as it jibes with how the stories are written.
I finally get the first book but this first in the series doesn't do a great job of establishing the setting. It does explain why Sueno and Bascom are in South Korea, but it does it piecemeal in bits and pieces in the middle of the story here and there. I should have expected it as it jibes with how the stories are written.
July 24, 2016
George Sueno and his partner Ernie Bacom are CID officers working for the 8th army division in South Korea. They are assigned the case of a Korean prostitute who was brutally murdered, possibly by her GI boyfriend. Their investigation continues into the steamier side of South Korea. The investigators spend a lot of time drinking and having sex. I found the glimpse into South Korean culture to be interesting. The last 40 pages of so loses a lot of narrative connectivity, events start randomly happening, which was disappointing. There is not a ton of character development for Sueno's partner Bascom or some of the other characters. An okay mystery but I'm in no hurry to read more in the series.
March 1, 2020
This book came highly recommended by someone who reads a lot of mysteries. Not something I would normally pick up and read, but so glad I was convinced to give it a try. Pretty gritty story set in Korea after the war. The two main characters (Sueno and Bascom) are CID officers with the Army. They are likeable characters (even though they are not always "good guys"). There are a lot of unlikeable characters in this story, but what a good story and excellent writing. It did take me a lot longer to read than expected which I think was because there was a lot about Korea that I didn't understand, so I took my time. I am happy to have discovered a new to me author with lots of books to enjoy.
December 22, 2012
This was an interesting story - the characters are two military CID members who work in Korea. I really like how Limon makes the culture and characters understandable and interesting without having to describe everything. The story itself was okay but it wandered a bit at times. Sadly, the whodunit is kind of resolved with icky, wicked people being "taken care" of outside the law and without giving too much away, the ending is somewhat of a surprise and I'm not quite sure I like how it was resolved. Will have to see if book #2 is a step up to keep reading this series but....it's definitely worth a try.
July 1, 2016
I was not sure about this book. It started out with a very nasty murder of a Korean young girl. When I started to read it, I almost put it down, and forgot about it, but I was wondering why the author would start the book like that would it get better or would it get worse?
Well it really did not get that much better. There were other murders and the two CID officers were onto the people who were doing the murders, but the Koreans were covering up everything and in the end the officers were separated and sent to different places.
It did turn into a fairly good book, but it took a long time.
Well it really did not get that much better. There were other murders and the two CID officers were onto the people who were doing the murders, but the Koreans were covering up everything and in the end the officers were separated and sent to different places.
It did turn into a fairly good book, but it took a long time.
January 3, 2019
Set in what looks to be 1970s-era Seoul, Limon's debut is a highly enjoyable procedural featuring two well-drawn US army CID officers. Normally confined to busting up black market operations, the two must battle army bureaucracy while trying to solve the murder of one of the hundreds of prostitutes who live off US GIs. The book is excellent at exploring the relationship between the army and the local service economy that it supports, and Limon's service in Korea brings raw authenticity to every page. Limon's use of both Korean and US army culture in service of the plot makes this well worth reading.
Read
December 11, 2021No rating. Too crude. Not only in language. Continuity and context are double void spots and when there is this level of obscene regard? Just not for me. His writing has to have gotten better for this author to have a series.
March 26, 2012
Limon knows his turf, the world of American soldiers stationed in Korea in the late 1960s and early 1970s. HE really brings it to life in this noir mystery, the first of an ongoing series.
August 17, 2020
A good look at the American presence in South Korea in the 1950's.
August 8, 2023
George sueño and Ernie Bascom are two MPs stationed in Seoul, South Korea, 20 years past of war. Don't ask me why they're still there? Their usual job is to investigate Black Market deals, but they are pulled off this detail to investigate the death of a young sex worker whose name means Jade. It's really a cover-up, though, because she was passed around between the big muckety muck generals and officers of the army base there. She was murdered in an extremely brutal fashion, that's never really spelled out in the book. but you'll find out by reading reviews that she was skewered, ie something stuck inside of her vagina and set on fire.
" our rank was classified. So if Young Buck sergeants, like me and Ernie, had to investigate a full bird colonel, we wouldn't be intimidated. That's another one of those things that doesn't really work in practice. After you've worked at 8th Army headquarters for a while, everybody knows you. And the colonels have this habit of protecting themselves and their fellow officers. In that order. Of course, the generals don't have to worry about anything. They're just one step below god."
It's kind of hard to stomach these characters, because all they care about is drinking and having sex with the poor young women sex workers, who, of course, are forced into this kind of work, usually by older madame.
" the girl I had been with last night was slightly harelipped, I think, with a long, slender, unblemished body. She sneered at me through the whole thing. I think I hadn't paid her enough money. And then she wouldn't let me have any in the morning.
Just as well. I was so hungover I hadn't really wanted it anyway. The attempt was a matter of form."
They also take advantage of the oppressed workers:
"People also have this idea of some sort of sad sack existence. I haven't touched a mop since I left the states. We have houseboys. Every night I throw my dirty clothes on the floor, in the same spot, and in the morning after I shower and shave I put on the clean clothes that were laid out for me the day before. About an hour before I leave for work, my houseboy shows up and brings my footgear to a high spitshine. When I get back to my room, usually at lunch or in the late afternoon, the place is clean, the bed is made, and my work clothes for the next day are hanging in front of my wall locker."
🙄
The protagonist George is also not ashamed to take advantage of an innocent native woman.
"To be honest, there are some totally straight girls around, ones who aren't as desperate as Miss Oh. It's sort of hard for a GI to meet them, though, especially if you're like me and Ernie and spend all of your free time in the village of Itaewon.
I did once.
Ernie and I were pulling security, along with about 8,000 other guys for some big mucketymuck from the U.S. government who was visiting the Israeli Embassy in Seoul. Ernie was driving around a big unmarked sedan and I rode shotgun. We spotted her leaving the embassy, walking towards the bus stop, so we slowed down and offered her a ride. At first she didn't understand me but then I spoke Korean to her and everything was all right.
I took her to lunch at the Naija R&R Center downtown and then on a date where we walked through Duksoo palace, and one afternoon I even went home and met her oldest sister. I don't know what came over me. Just going along out of curiosity, I guess. Anyway I took her to the Frontier Club after that on Yongsan South Post, let her listen to the live band, and bought her a Brandy Alexander. We spent the night together in a little yoguan I know in Samgakji. It was the first night she ever spent with a man.
I saw her a couple of times after that but then I got tired of it and I stood her up once and then I wouldn't return her calls. Her brother-in-law, a Korean man of about 40, called me and in faltering English told me I couldn't do that to her. I was hung over, and in a bad mood, and I told him to go screw himself."
what an asshole character. Here's an amusing observation by this main character:
" I have a theory about fast-dancing, that it's intended to make men look ridiculous. And the more ridiculous a woman can make a man look, the more Power she has over him and the more she affirms her own attractiveness. It makes me want to barf to see all those guys out there shucking and jiving with big smiles on their faces, as if they're really enjoying themselves. I don't believe it. Why don't they admit that they'd rather be in the sack with the woman and stop pretending that they love the Rhythm and the sounds of the movement? Give me a break."
I got news for you protagonist george. Men will make themselves look ridiculous all by themselves. They don't need any help for that.
I wonder if the author was like this. Probably, because this is where he got his material. He was stationed in Seoul Korea for 10 years. Decided to make his experiences into a book. How lovely. I won't be reading anymore of this author.
" our rank was classified. So if Young Buck sergeants, like me and Ernie, had to investigate a full bird colonel, we wouldn't be intimidated. That's another one of those things that doesn't really work in practice. After you've worked at 8th Army headquarters for a while, everybody knows you. And the colonels have this habit of protecting themselves and their fellow officers. In that order. Of course, the generals don't have to worry about anything. They're just one step below god."
It's kind of hard to stomach these characters, because all they care about is drinking and having sex with the poor young women sex workers, who, of course, are forced into this kind of work, usually by older madame.
" the girl I had been with last night was slightly harelipped, I think, with a long, slender, unblemished body. She sneered at me through the whole thing. I think I hadn't paid her enough money. And then she wouldn't let me have any in the morning.
Just as well. I was so hungover I hadn't really wanted it anyway. The attempt was a matter of form."
They also take advantage of the oppressed workers:
"People also have this idea of some sort of sad sack existence. I haven't touched a mop since I left the states. We have houseboys. Every night I throw my dirty clothes on the floor, in the same spot, and in the morning after I shower and shave I put on the clean clothes that were laid out for me the day before. About an hour before I leave for work, my houseboy shows up and brings my footgear to a high spitshine. When I get back to my room, usually at lunch or in the late afternoon, the place is clean, the bed is made, and my work clothes for the next day are hanging in front of my wall locker."
🙄
The protagonist George is also not ashamed to take advantage of an innocent native woman.
"To be honest, there are some totally straight girls around, ones who aren't as desperate as Miss Oh. It's sort of hard for a GI to meet them, though, especially if you're like me and Ernie and spend all of your free time in the village of Itaewon.
I did once.
Ernie and I were pulling security, along with about 8,000 other guys for some big mucketymuck from the U.S. government who was visiting the Israeli Embassy in Seoul. Ernie was driving around a big unmarked sedan and I rode shotgun. We spotted her leaving the embassy, walking towards the bus stop, so we slowed down and offered her a ride. At first she didn't understand me but then I spoke Korean to her and everything was all right.
I took her to lunch at the Naija R&R Center downtown and then on a date where we walked through Duksoo palace, and one afternoon I even went home and met her oldest sister. I don't know what came over me. Just going along out of curiosity, I guess. Anyway I took her to the Frontier Club after that on Yongsan South Post, let her listen to the live band, and bought her a Brandy Alexander. We spent the night together in a little yoguan I know in Samgakji. It was the first night she ever spent with a man.
I saw her a couple of times after that but then I got tired of it and I stood her up once and then I wouldn't return her calls. Her brother-in-law, a Korean man of about 40, called me and in faltering English told me I couldn't do that to her. I was hung over, and in a bad mood, and I told him to go screw himself."
what an asshole character. Here's an amusing observation by this main character:
" I have a theory about fast-dancing, that it's intended to make men look ridiculous. And the more ridiculous a woman can make a man look, the more Power she has over him and the more she affirms her own attractiveness. It makes me want to barf to see all those guys out there shucking and jiving with big smiles on their faces, as if they're really enjoying themselves. I don't believe it. Why don't they admit that they'd rather be in the sack with the woman and stop pretending that they love the Rhythm and the sounds of the movement? Give me a break."
I got news for you protagonist george. Men will make themselves look ridiculous all by themselves. They don't need any help for that.
I wonder if the author was like this. Probably, because this is where he got his material. He was stationed in Seoul Korea for 10 years. Decided to make his experiences into a book. How lovely. I won't be reading anymore of this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2021
This novel could almost be seen as a historical document alongside the likes of Kim and Burmese Days were it not describing a time still not entirely in the past. I see this novel as three distinct stories in one. It is a simple detective story with hints of Memories of Murder in which incompetent cops follow up on a grizzly murder. It is a description of a culture and a lifestyle in which life, wellbeing and empathy are severely undervalued. The main characters harm themselves as much as those around them. They drink continuously and have nightly encounters with prostitutes. The protagonist Sueno discusses how he doesn't consider himself better than anyone but the grizzly murderer. His own self-loathing seems to give him license not to concern himself with the wrongs in the world around him and done by him. The novel is also a description of American empire in action. While the US never colonized Korea as it did with the Philippines, the book describes the workings of an economic and military occupation on par with that described by Orwell in Burmese Days. Having armed patrols of foreign troops walk the streets at night certainly looks a lot like an occupation, even if they are only there to police their own. The US army presence is not described as a benign force. The GIs are subject to different rules, particularly unwritten rules. Regular Korean police customarily do not enter GI clubs until after curfew. The Korean resentment at the US presence seeps through at regular intervals. Captain Kim actively dislikes having to deal with CID to get his job done and the Korean police can't hide their disgust at the goings-on in the GI clubs.
Sueno is a character highly comparable to Flory in Burmese Days. He speaks of his admiration for the Korean people but is surrounded by others filled with racist disgust or indifference. He has learned some of the language and enjoys a visit to the library to lookup Korean words, although why he needed a larger reference dictionary to lookup such a basic word I'm not sure. However, it does speak droves that the American murderer of a Korean prostitute and everyone else involved went on to live happy lives, except for one other Korean, the local gang boss, who was killed in the end by Sueno either, as he claims, in retribution for Pak's murder or because the he was changing too much of the character of Sueno's favorite neighborhood hangout, Itaewon.
Sueno is a character highly comparable to Flory in Burmese Days. He speaks of his admiration for the Korean people but is surrounded by others filled with racist disgust or indifference. He has learned some of the language and enjoys a visit to the library to lookup Korean words, although why he needed a larger reference dictionary to lookup such a basic word I'm not sure. However, it does speak droves that the American murderer of a Korean prostitute and everyone else involved went on to live happy lives, except for one other Korean, the local gang boss, who was killed in the end by Sueno either, as he claims, in retribution for Pak's murder or because the he was changing too much of the character of Sueno's favorite neighborhood hangout, Itaewon.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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