Waking the Tiger
Singapore, December 1939. The shadow of war in Europe and the expansionist ambitions of Japan hang over the British colony.
Inspector Maximo Betancourt’s life is in turmoil following the disappearance of his wife the previous year. Formerly of the Singapore CID, he is now demoted to a new position as the sole member of the Special Investigations Unit of the Marine Branch, responsible for dockside disputes and Customs irregularities.
When the body of a young Japanese woman is discovered down by the docks, Max is infuriated that she is dismissed as “just another tart” whose luck has run out, and determines to solve her murder.
The author captures the steamy, seamy atmosphere of the port city, and the island of Singapore, with its multi-ethnic community. Max’s investigation soon leads him into dangerous waters – war-profiteering, sex-trafficking and secret societies, including the infamous Sleeping Tigers – as we move from the suteretsu red-light district, through louche nightclubs to the elegance of Raffles Hotel and the Bukit Timah Turf Club. The plot rattles along at a fine pace, with a well-drawn cast of supporting characters. I was myself drawn in to our flawed, yet compassionate hero’s search for the truth about Akiko Sakai’s murder.
