Killed at the Whim of a Hat

A former crime reporter stuck in rural Thailand discovers a grizzly cold case in this "ebullient series kickoff" by the author of The Coroner's Lunch ( Kirkus ). A former crime reporter with the Chiang Mai Daily Mail, Jimm Juree has moved with her eccentric family to a small fishing village on the Gulf of Siam. Stuck in this provincial backwater, she's convinced her days as a journalist are over—until a local palm oil farmer uncovers a long-buried Volkswagen on his property. Two human skeletons, one wearing a hat, are found inside the van. Jimm is thrilled. Then a Buddhist monk is murdered at a nearby temple, and she finds herself facing a baffling and dangerous mystery. There are no suspects and no apparent motive—but plenty of odd connections to other brutal killings.  Suddenly, Jimm's new life is somewhat more promising and a lot more deadly. To unravel these inexplicable events, she'll need all of her skills, a lot of luck, and the help of her entire family.