Book review: The Coroner's Lunch

The first Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos

The Coroner’s Lunch

Author – Colin Cotterill
Published – 2004
Type of book – Fiction
Locale – Laos
Time period – 1978

The Coroner’s Lunch, written by British author Colin Cotterill, is the first Dr. Siri Paiboun mystery set in Laos.

The story takes place in 1978 following the Communist takeover of the country by the Pathet Lao two years earlier. Dr. Paiboun, after years working at clinics in the northern mountains, is now the country’s national coroner, based in the capital Vientiane.

When tasked with determining the cause of death of two men found floating in a lake, Dr. Paiboun (or Siri) and his quirky staff of two take action. To find the truth, they face government agents, Hmong shamans, and trained assassins.

Through Siri’s adventures, I learned much about Laos, a little-known country in Southeast Asia that has long captured my imagination. In fact, I read The Coroner’s Lunch as part of my preparation for an upcoming trip there in October of this year.

While I love a good mystery, I found this book a challenge to follow. Perhaps there were too many characters for my taste. And yet, as someone who has spent time trekking amongst Hmong villages along the Thai-Laos border, for me this book is a win despite its flaws.

It’s only a matter of time before I dig into the next title in the series, Thirty-Three Teeth.

-June 25, 2025-