New Story at BEAT to a PULP

BEAT to a PULP :: Weekly Punch

Inspector Singh Investigates: The Singapore School of Villany -- Shamini Flint

I've been reading a lot of books set in Southeast Asia lately. Here's another one. The Inspector Singh of the title has had two previous cases, one in Kuala Lumpur and one in Bali.

Singh is a Sikh, whose turban is the neatest thing about him. He's overweight and he doesn't dress well. Both things upset his superiors on the force, but they can't do anything about him because of his success rate. He's the best investigator on they have. He has to undergo a monthly "you're a disgrace to the force" lecture, but he hardly pays attention.

The current case involves the murder of an expatriate, a lawyer who's one of a group of partners in a high-powered international firm. It seems pretty clear that one of the other partners killed him, but which one? Singh discovers that all of them have secrets to hide, and that the killer might even have been someone outside the firm. Certainly the man's wife and ex-wife have motives. Making things worse is the fact that a relative of Singh's wife is one of the suspect lawyers.

Good local color and entertaining characters, especially Singh and his wife, a couple with a complex and realistic relationship. There's humor, too, and a case that's even more complicated that it first appears. The poignant ending is a bonus. Check it out.

Faulkner Update

Yahoo News: A rare auction of signed William Faulkner books and personal items has drawn international interest, but few on the town square of the author's hometown were aware of the bidding set for Tuesday at Christie's in New York.

[. . . .]

"For absolute certainty in my judgment, nothing like this can come behind it," Brodsky said. "No book dealeris going to have this. There is not going to be anything else on the market."

FYI

Canadian Centennial - Definition: "The Canadian Centennial was a year long celebration held in 1967 when Canada celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation. Celebrations occurred throughout the year but culminated on Dominion Day, July 1st. 1967 coins were different from previous (or forthcoming) years' issues, with animals on each - the cent, for instance, had a bird on its reverse.

[. . . .]
Children born in 1967 were declared 'Centennial babies'. The first baby born on July 1, 1967, future model and actress Pamela Anderson, was the national 'Centennial baby'."

Today's Western Movie Poster

Why Can't They Just Protect Their Lawns?

AARP: 'Sexting' Catching On In The 50 Crowd - wcbstv.com: "Teenagers aren't the only ones sending racy pictures and text messages over their cell phones. Believe it or not, the AARP says 'sexting' is catching on with the 50-and-up crowd."

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

Man attempts to hold up gas station with caulk gun | The Blotter: "Police have issued an arrest warrant for a man accused of injuring a gas station clerk while attempting to rob him — with a caulk gun.

The suspect fled the scene in the company of a transgender prostitute he’d picked up earlier in the evening, according to an affidavit issued by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office."

Hat tip to Jeff Segal.

Destroy all Monsters!

Ronald Neame, R. I. P.

Ronald Neame, Filmmaker, Dies at 99 - Obituary (Obit) - NYTimes.com: "Ronald Neame, who began as an assistant cameraman on Alfred Hitchcock’s first sound film before going on to photograph, produce and direct more than 70 films, among them “Tunes of Glory,” “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” and “The Poseidon Adventure,” died Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 99 and lived in Beverly Hills."

Hat tip to Jeff Meyerson.

New Issue or Plots with Guns Now On-Line

PLOTS WITH GUNS #9, JUNE 2010

I Love this Story

A wizard's words finally set free -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

The Best-Laid Plans . . . .

Monkey Phobia Woman Savaged By Macaques - Yahoo! News UK: "A British woman who went to a Thai nature resort to conquer her fear of monkeys has been savaged by a pack of macaques.

Dee Darwell, 56, lost consciousness after the monkeys surrounded her and sank their teeth into her arms and body."

Grand Opening

Chuck Jones Center for Creativity — Blog Entry

Rhode Island Leads the Way

The Associated Press: Toy soldiers run afoul of school's weapons ban: "Christan Morales said her son just wanted to honor American troops when he wore a hat to school decorated with an American flag and small plastic Army figures.

But the school banned the hat because it ran afoul of the district's zero-tolerance weapons policy. Why? The toy soldiers were carrying tiny guns."

Hat tip to Rusty Burke.

Once Again, Texas Leads the Way

HPD Practices On Prisoners For Drawing Blood From Drunk Driving Suspects - Houston News Story - KPRC Houston: "Houston City Hall has nixed a plan to have HPD officers draw blood themselves from drunken drivers, and Local 2 Investigates found they practiced on state prison inmates in a psychiatric ward.

'This type of behavior on psychiatric inmates is very, very unethical,' said Houston civil rights attorney Randall Kallinen."

For You Fans of the Wild West . . .

. . . a great photo of Wyatt Earp.

Gator Update (Ohio Edition)

Dog points way to rescue of stray gator | The Columbus Dispatch: "'My sales manager was taking his dog out to go to the bathroom, and he went to bring him back in and he was on point - but not at a bird - at a gator,' Tate said."

Hat tip to Jeff "They're Everywhere!" Meyerson.

Today's Western Movie Poster

Road Trip Reads

Road Trip Reads on AbeBooks

What? No Gators?

Police: Man had 8 foxes, 50 chameleons in suitcase: "Security at Cairo's international airport on Wednesday stopped an Egyptian man trying to smuggle eight live foxes and 50 chameleons in a huge suitcase out of the country.

Police stopped the 36-year-old traveler and asked him to open his suspiciously large suitcase, revealing the squirming mass of animals confined in small plastic cages."