Publisher's Synopsis
Aom has lost her son while fleeing Burma across the border to Thailand. He is gone but is still there. Auk's spirit, his ghost or Nat, is watching over her and the many racing for their lives from burning villages as they try to escape crazed soldiers bent on a murderous, destructive mission of ethnic cleansing. The stricken mother and her close friend Mon near the glittering land of freedom only to be captured by slavers.
Still there is hope even in the grip of toxic servitude making mobile phones for the rich in the far away, almost mythic lands of America and Australia. Auk's ghost does not forsake them, and soon the two women find a way out of this hell to the beeming Thai tourist city of Pattaya. With freedom they plan a rescue for those left behind ignoring the inherent danger of such a mission. With the restless soul of her lost son watching over her, Aom is unafraid.
Meanwhile in Australia a warring couple, Grace Winters and Brodie Jamieson, finalise plans to make up with a trip to exotic, trendy Phuket. At the last minute the destination is changed to the raunchier (and cheaper) resort of Pattaya. As they begin to land in Bangkok, Brodie watches the aftermath of a terrible bombing in one of the city's restaurants on inflight TV. He listens as the killer of the terrorist, Police Chief Timon, answers questions about his hot pursuit and street shooting of the perp who happens to be Burmese or Maung. There is something about this man's beaming, proud face that fascinates him. Later he will get to know this charismatic 'cowboy' cop far more than he bargained for.
Brodie turns off the disturbing sounds and images so as not to alarm his already jittery partner Grace before the two embark on a life changing adventure. What follows is a stupendous ride through the dark alleys of a red- light town up to a rescue raid in the deep jungles of Burma organized by Aom, Mon, Challai a sympathetic bar girl who manages to capture Brodie's heart, and funded by Grace's mysterious and long- lost father Ralph Winters, who just happens to be a former CIA operative who may or not be retired. Put your seat belts on this is a wild ride that will take you to places you haven't been before.
Ralph, a presumably retired CIA with many friends in influential places has much to offer for these wanting to go on such a dangerous assignment into rebel controlled deepest darkest Burma.
Finally, back on the street he struggles to renew things with Grace as he keeps in contact with Challai. This juggling act SUPERNATURAL CRIME THRILLER can't last and doesn't last. As he tries to make sense of his life Ralph and a retired Black Ops Major named Dane Van Dyke assist some of the Maung freedom fighters in raiding some of the diabolical work camps where so much pain and death has occurred. Brodie is happy te help as they all live in interesting times. Watching over all are the restless ghosts of the dead including Auk, a lost spirit who has saved so many as his spirit yearns for justice and eternal rest. He and his fellow spirits have much to do.
David Byerlee website for novel Ghosts of Burma http: //ghostsofburma.com
