Why a Booktrail?
2000s: A killer hides in plain sight on the crowded streets of Jakarta . . .
The Burnings
What you need to know before your trail
When a woman’s scorched remains are discovered in her burnt-out car, Ruud Pujasumarta and his team are brought in to investigate what appears to be a routine homicide. But when another woman’s charred body is found a few days later, Ruud also finds a banner unfurled by the corpse’s feet. A verse from the Quran is scribbled across it, calling for unbelievers to be burned. Suspicions that the team have a religiously-motivated serial killer on their hands seem to be confirmed when a third body turns up with the same MO.
But who is responsible? Is it the Australian diplomat who was obsessed with the first victim? The imam who preaches Sharia law? Or the military general taking backhanders and living a life of luxury in Jakarta? Despite the many possible suspects, Ruud is suspicious that the killer may actually be someone much closer to home, someone he has trusted for many years. What unravels next is a terrifying chain of events . . . And what Ruud discovers puts his life, and the lives of those around him, in danger.
Travel Guide
Travel BookTrail style to Jakarta
This novel shoves you into the deep dark shadows that is Jakarta – There’s a lot of detail and attention spent evoking everyday life and the colourful characters that make the place come alive . There’s also the ugly sexism faced by female police officers which is hard to swallow but on a lighter note, much is made of the culture and food in the city which you will want to sample right after reading if not before!
The novel opens in the dark shadows of the city
“The night grew darker as the sedan made its way out of the city. The sky became a bruised shade of purple.”
But then the city is shown in its nicer shades…..a contrast of what has just been and what is to come:
“It was a steamy Javandse morning; the sun in the sky was over the tree line, already the colour of a dark orange egg yolk.”
It’s a city where taxi rides are a risk unto themselves:
Why is it taxi drivers claim to know all ten thousand street names in Jakarta apart from the one I’m going to?”
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Burnings
Destination : Jakarta Author/Guide: Julian Lees Departure Time: 2000s
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