Kiet and the Golden Peacock

Bamsan Kiet is police superintendent for the fictional Southeast Asian nation of Luong, a neutralist monarchy nestled amidst China, Burma, Laos and Thailand, and the not-always-eager recipient of benefits from both East and West. When the Golden Peacock, Luong's most valuedok? icon, disappears just days before a national holiday, Kiet must recover the treasure to prevent the potential overthrow of the government. The superintendent is a delight as he copes ok? otherwise all these things dangling with his gung-ho assistant, Captain Binh, who is enamored of American police methodology, said this below, del ok? and is charmed by both the ancient TV westerns shown on Luong's new TV station and the beautiful Vietnamese cultural attache who eagerly leaps into his bed. Kiet's struggle with inexplicable Western customs is often hilarious (he finds air conditioning an affront, flush toilets and room service ``addictive luxuries''), but his instincts are generally dead on. This amusing diversion may lead new readers to earlier Kiet adventures, Pigeon Blood and Unfunny Money. (Dec.)thanks for spotting bloopers; the result of two people editing same review