Inspector SINGH investigates : a most peculiar Malaysian murder By SHAMINI FLINT

Book N°2 - Englishtravelbookclub's meeting of the 28th of  May 2017

A suggestion of Laurence Dubourg

We met to discuss our second book today.

This time we have travelled through Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and read about Singapore and Borneo.

Inspector SINGH is the central character and is viewed differently by all of us:

- a wonderful, even if a bit anarchic type of inspector, charming, non-traditional

- a non-inspector type, who does not help finding a murderer but gets people out of jail

- the anti-thesis of inspector POIROT

- a guy that goes on instinct and needs others to do the paperwork

The book was fun to read with its descriptions of KL and S with a drama in Borneo.

First part :

Issues of religion are also described : a Buddhist father, Alan Lee, converts to Muslim to get custody of the kids. He gets murdered. His Singapore wife gets accused. 

Inspector SINGH does not believe she did it.

Second part : 

Her brother in law confesses to the murder, Inspector SINGH does not believe he did it.

The other police officers include Sergeant Shukor, a well-mannered sergeant, whose birth origin is amongst the influencial sultans, who has to follow inspector SINGH everywhere. Mutual respect will emerge.

Inspector Mohammad, supervises all events and dislikes inspector SINGH at the beginning, then agrees reluctantly to some of the strategies, then ends up amused and copying inspector SINGH.

SO WHO KILLED ALAN LEE?

CHELSEY LEE? Battered wife, divorcing, losing the custody of the children? No

JASPER LEE? the brother, against tree logging in Borneo? No

KIAN MIN LEE? the brother who shall inherit the full business? No

RAVI? the wife lover fobbed off? No

MARCUS LEE? the son, who hated his dad because, amongst other things, he stole his girlfriend? No

DOUGLAS WEE? the corrupt Chinese business man? No

RUPERT WINFIELD? the English activist whose girlfriend was killed by the wood logging business? No

SHARIFAH? the girlfriend of the son and the father? No

Well the last chapter reveals the plot.  

Jasper returns to jail for 2 murders.

Chelsey escapes to Singapore then probably Australia to stop the Syrah court from taking her children away. Sergeant Shukor, helps her pass the border.

Rupert returns preventing illegal loggin in Borneo.

We all agree that SHANINI FLINT writes in an entertaining manner.  

She addresses :

- religious affairs, 

- cultural differences between Singapore and Malaysia, 

- corruption and integrity of the police forces, 

- and finally campaigns against logging illegally in Borneo.

We met at 15:00 at the Marmoire, and parted at around 17:00.