Irreverent, informed and downright eclectic crime fiction and reportage from Southeast Asia and beyond
Sacred Skin, the first English language book on Thailand’s sacred tattoos, is now available at the excellent Backstreet Books in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. Why is this remarkable? Well, Backstreet Books and its owner, bookmaster George O’Brian, have been a source for much of my reading matter in the past decade – the selection, especially [...]
The Cambodian Book of the Dead, published by Crime Wave Press has garnered another great review on amazon by American writer and Asia expert Janet Brown. “Tom Vater clearly knows the country and its history; his descriptions of Cambodia and his careful interweaving of its Pol Pot years bring a dimension to this book that [...]
Travel Writer Marco Ferrarese interviews me about my new fiction imprint Crime Wave Press, and its first two recently published novels The Devil’s Road to Kathmandu and The Cambodian Book of the Dead. Read the full interview on Vagablogging, Rolf Potts’ celebrated travel blog.
Photographer Kraig Lieb, writer Joe Cummings and yours truly at last week’s Bangkok Poetry event at WTF (whatthefuck) Bar in Thong Lor. The unusual suspects were captured by Aroon Thaewchatturat.
Currently on the road updating the 16th edition of Reise Know How Thailand. 14 days around the north, Chiang Mai, Pai, Mae Hong Son, Mae Sariang, Chiang Dao, Fang, Thaton, Mae Salong, Mae Sai, Chaing Saen, Chiang Kong, Nan, Phrae, Lampang, Chiang Rai and a few places that escape me now. Eating miles every day….
My fiction imprint Crime Wave Press and my first novel The Devil’s Road to Kathmandu get a mention on celebrated crime fiction blog Pattinase… a big thanks for the opportunity to announce our current search for crime writers…
Co-writer, major collaborator and photographer Aroon Thaewchatturat has been posting some of the proofs from Sacred Skin, the first English language book on Thailand’s sacred tattoos.
“Mee and Ow sat in the shade of a mango tree and were doing their make-up. Both of them wore gloves that reached all the way up to their elbows, to keep the tropical sun off their skins. They looked briefly at Maier, with the curiosity usually reserved for a passing dog. It was too [...]
The second Crime Wave Press publication to hit the digital shelves, my very own The Cambodian Book of the Dead, is reviewed at Crime Fiction Lover this week… “The narrative is fast-paced and the frequent action scenes are convincingly written. The smells and sounds of Cambodia are vividly brought to life, and aficionados of this [...]