Nightmare Range: The Collected George Sueño & Ernie Bascom Stories

In the 17 stories in this strong collection from Limón (The Joy Brigade and seven other novels set in Cold War–era South Korea), 8th Army Criminal Investigation Division detectives George Sueño and Ernie Bascom often deal with prostitutes, swindlers, and black marketers who pop up wherever naïve soldiers and American relative wealth intersect with Korean poverty and political desperation. Sueño draws on his ability to speak passable Korean to investigate crimes that the Army brass and the autocratic Korean authorities would just as soon sweep under the rug. Standouts include “Seoul Story,” with its tour of the social layers of Limón’s milieu, and “The Gray Asian Sky,” featuring Sueño’s heartbreaking romance with a Korean woman. An underlying theme of justice for the innocent—often a young Korean trapped in a pitiful situation or an inexperienced American soldier in over his head—keeps the tales from becoming mired in gloom. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyons Literary. (Sept.)