Osborne Review

ooks
WEDNESDAY
SEPTEMBER 30, 2015
moody and spirit laden novel, Hunters in the
that Lawrence Osborne can write about any
mist. The Dutch artist painting while naked
Dark, (Hogarth 2015) before following a set
character whom he wishes to, because he does
at 3:00 am with two young female models
of clues that will see one American under-
it with skill and a nuanced imagination. Robert
seemed vaguely familiar and believable. Other
achiever and one English school-teacher cross
Grieve is the central character – 28 years
principal characters are Grieve’s driver, Ouksa,
paths in a tale of double identities and floating
old, a career English literature teacher from
the Khmer doctor Sar, and his beautiful young
indemnity. Investigators in Cambodia pursue
England. His life, like his present day country,
daughter and love interest for Robert – the Paris
for their own personal gain first and foremost
is rather bland and ordinary compared to the
educated Sophal. She is contrasted nicely with
without the benefit of much schooling. Davuth
East. When he has a bit of drowsy luck at the
Simon’s Khmer girlfriend, Sothea who brings a
survived the history of Cambodia precisely
Diamond Club, after a border crossing from
semblance of balance and karmic energy to the
because he comes from peasant stock, yet he
Thailand, his fortunes change forever. I see
story. Osborne gives the reader many details of
wields considerable power over the educated
similarities between the Lord Byron and Robert
the characters later rather than sooner, which
“barangs” that frequent his country for
Grieve characters in Osborne’s last two novels:
enriches the story at an enjoyable pace.
“business or pleasure”.
they both assume new identities; interpersonal
skills are not their strong suit; neither has any
But it is Cambodia and Osborne’s art of
When I first learned that Osborne’s latest novel
love lost for their former country; they both
observation that ultimately seals the deal.
would feature an English school-teacher set
seem to get thrills they never came close to
Don’t skip a sentence of this atmospheric
in Cambodia I thought, how unimaginative is
achieving before; they both wear tailored cloths
novel by Lawrence Osborne. You will be
that? I also thought this will be a far cry from his
and enjoy the details of a fine meal. Grieve is
cheating yourself. The ending is particularly
embezzling, on the lamb, English attorney who
not your cheap haircut, cargo pant wearing
good although not flawless due to a clumsy
Hunters in the Dark -
Lawrence Osborne
By Kevin S. Cummings
reinvents himself as the high-stakes playing
baccarat gambler in Macao, Lord Byron in The
Ballad of a Small Player, a novel I enjoyed very
much, written by Osborne and published in
2014 (Hogarth).
English teacher in flip flops. On the contrary,
Osborne gets his digs in at this expat “subculture”
on more than one occasion.
Osborne’s characters and settings are equally
superb, be they major or minor. The Scottish
transfer of a known vehicle. Osborne shows us
the best and worst of the human experience.
As the narrator observes while Robert eats at
an outdoor terrace on Street 136 in Phnom
Penh, “What an easy life it was. Just moments
randomly pieced together.”
“What is a bad man?”
But just as the American businessman, Simon
innkeeper with a penchant for munitions
This is the calm retort the Cambodian
living by the river in Battambang had come
themed interior design I particularly liked,
In other words, the exact opposite of what
policeman and central investigator, Davuth,
around to the idea of ghosts since living in
along with the yellow taped grounds and
Lawrence Osborne has accomplished in
provides his daughter in Lawrence Osborne’s
Cambodia, I’ve come around to the idea
deer that occasionally get turned to a bloody
writing “Hunters in the Dark.”
the
4 WEEKLY
Phnom Penh