Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Coroner’s Lunch | 2004 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 2 | Thirty-Three Teeth | 2005 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 3 | Disco for the Departed | 2006 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 4 | Anarchy and Old Dogs | 2007 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 5 | Curse of the Pogo Stick | 2008 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 6 | The Merry Misogynist | 2009 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 7 | Love Songs from a Shallow Grave | 2010 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 8 | Slash and Burn | 2011 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 9 | The Woman Who Wouldn’t Die | 2013 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 10 | Six and a Half Deadly Sins | 2015 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 11 | I Shot the Buddha | 2016 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 12 | The Rat Catchers’ Olympics | 2017 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 13 | Don’t Eat Me | 2018 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 14 | The Second Biggest Nothing | 2019 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
| 15 | The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot | 2020 | Colin Cotterill | Buy |
The Dr. Siri Paiboun series launched with The Coroner’s Lunch in 2004 and ran for fifteen books through The Delightful Life of a Suicide Pilot in 2020. Set in Laos during the early years of communist rule, the series follows Dr. Siri, an aging physician drafted into becoming the country’s only coroner despite his complete lack of forensic training.
What makes the series distinctive is its tone. Cotterill uses humor and warmth to tell stories set against a backdrop of political repression and poverty. Siri’s encounters with the supernatural – he is believed to be host to a centuries-old shaman spirit – add an unexpected layer to what might otherwise be straightforward mystery fiction. The supporting cast, including Siri’s wife Madame Daeng and his loyal assistant Mr. Geung, give the books a strong sense of community and friendship.