Publishers Weekly
★ 08/21/2017
The disappearance of three American soldiers serving in 1970s South Korea kick-starts Limón’s outstanding 12th mystery featuring U.S. Army CID agents George Sueño and Ernie Bascom (after 2016’s Ping Pong Heart). The missing men were all reliable, hadn’t shown any signs of stress, and didn’t have access to classified information that would have made them appealing targets for North Korean intelligence. Despite the urgency of the assignment to find the men, Sueño and Bascom run into bureaucratic obstacles and also find themselves diverted from pursuing clues to dealing with an unauthorized refrigerator delivery—an absurdity that will remind readers of the TV series M.A.S.H. They eventually get a promising lead, but it’s one that they hesitate to share with their superiors—that the case may be connected with the myth of the gumiho, a fox transformed into a shape-shifting lustful woman by the gods. Clever plotting and superior characterizations lift this suspenseful, atmospheric installment. Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyons Literary. (Oct.)
From the Publisher
Praise for The Nine-Tailed Fox
"An enduring and freshly relevant series by Martin Limón . . . Mr. Limón, himself a former U.S. Army man who served 10 years in Korea, writes with knowledge of the travails and rewards of military life."
—The Wall Street Journal
"Limón provides a highly enjoyable, multi-layered, dynamic tale—a nifty crime novel full of striking images of a bygone time in Korean history."
—Lansing State Journal
"Clever plotting and superior characterizations lift this suspenseful, atmospheric installment."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"As always, Limón brews a fine mix of Cold War world affairs, army life, and Korean society and culture."
—Booklist
"Absorbing."
—The Seattle Times
"The Nine-Tailed Fox is a fast paced, action-packed yarn that will keep you glued to your seat from the first page to the last.
— San Antonio Express-News
"A fast-paced, enjoyable story that is fun and easy to read . . . if you love a fast-paced, humorous crime novel, don’t miss it."
—New York Journal of Books
"Fast moving and entertaining . . . another solid reading experience."
—Deadly Pleasures
Praise for the Sueño and Bascom series
“Action-filled.”
—The Wall Street Journal
“What a great gift any of Limón's six mysteries starring Army Sgts. George Sueño and Ernie Bascom would make for those mystery lovers who haven't yet discovered them! . . . Imbued with affecting characters, a morally knotty storyline, and a last chapter that just plain stuns.”
—Maureen Corrigan, NPR.org
“Limón has a profound ability to depict everyday South Korean civilian life in a police state . . . He doesn't just describe the clamor and sweat inside an ex-pat bar crowded with GIs. He drops you onto the bar stool and hands you a glass.”
—The Arizona Republic
“Pulse-pounding . . . This police procedural, with its unusual locale, admirable protagonists, and well-developed plot, stands as a superior entry in a consistently impressive series.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“Often praised for his knowledge of Korean society and culture and the massive footprint of the US Army on Korea, Limón has an outstanding series going, and this one may be the best installment yet.”
—Booklist, Starred Review
“Limón engages readers by blending Korean history, lore and geography with a tightly developed plot . . . Sueño and Bascom are a fascinating pair who add occasional levity without overshadowing the gravity of the novel's subject matter.”
—Shelf Awareness
