Tale set in Laos engaging, enjoyable

SLASH AND BURN. By Colin Cotterill. Soho Crime. 290 pages. $25.

Dr. Siri Paiboun is not your typical crime novel hero.

True, his job as the national coroner of the Lao People's Democratic Republic fits the profile, but Paiboun is pushing 80. In addition, he occasionally channels Yeh Ming, his shaman spirit. Both set him apart from the crowd of fictional sleuths.

"Slash and Burn" is Colin Cotterill's eighth novel set in Laos in the late 1970s featuring Paiboun. This time out, a team of Laotians and Americans search for the body of a pilot missing since his helicopter went down over Laos in 1968.

Cotterill never loses sight of the fact that this is a murder mystery. He handles the political aspects deftly and with humor. "They're back? Did they forget something?" Paiboun responds when told about the Americans.

Political nuances may shade the story, but ultimately it's about motive and opportunity. When an American member of the team is murdered, it becomes apparent that there's more to the story than a downed helicopter.

In Paiboun, Cotterill has created an endearing character who provides a unique perspective into an unfamiliar culture. That, combined with Cotterill's crisp writing and a well-plotted mystery, makes for engaging and enjoyable reading.