The Iron Sickle

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Early one rainy morning, the head of the 8th United States Army Claims Office in Seoul, South Korea, is brutally murdered by a Korean man in a trench coat carrying a small iron sickle hidden in his sleeve. The attack was a complete surprise, carefully planned and clinically executed. Against orders, CID agents Sergeant George Sueno and Ernie Bascom start investigating. Somehow, each person they speak to has not yet been interviewed. The 8th Army isn't great at solving cases, but they aren't that bad either. As the search continues, they realise not everyone wants the case solved.

Reviews

Praise for The Iron Sickle

2015 Washington State Book Award Finalist
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2014

"As always, the author vividly contrasts adventures in the seamy side of Seouls nightlife with a sensitive appreciation for Koreas ancient culture."
The Seattle Times

"Limn has a profound ability to depict everyday South Korean civilian life in a police state, where anyone can be taken off the streets and lost to an impersonal bureaucratic machine . . . His vivid portraits of Korea, particularly the Itaewon district where Sueo and Bascom often work black-market duty, are deeply textured, nuanced, intimate. 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."
Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic

"Limn engages readers by blending Korean history, lore and geography with a tightly developed plot . . . Sueo and Bascom are a fascinating pair who add occasional levity without overshadowing the gravity of the novel's subject matter."
Shelf Awareness

Limn builds tension expertly . . . A fine, character-driven tale, drenched in fascinating Korean War history and reflecting the authors firsthand knowledge of army life.
Booklist

"Readers will feel as if they are right there alongside Sueo and Bascom exploring the foreign Korean landscape."
Bookreporter.com

The Iron Sickle is a great introduction to the Sueo-Bascom series while building on what came before. Limn looks at history and culture, and at the sins of each, with two heroes who understand the true meaning of justice. Youll be going back for the other books after youve read this one.
Scott Montgomery, BookPeople Bookstore

Limn brilliantly combines a procedural with a harrowing portrayal of the wounds of war . . . The secret at the heart of the crimes is truly chilling, and Limn's nuanced characters enhance a fast-paced, carefully crafted plot.
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

Praise for the George Sueo and Ernie Bascom series

"Limn is one of the best military writers ever. His stories are addictive entertainment todayand valuable slices of history tomorrow."
Lee Child

"Limn is an expert guide to Korea and the U.S. army whose passionate commitment to his subject is expressed in direct, searing prose."
John Burdett, international bestselling author of Bangkok 8

"[Combines] the grim routine of a modern police procedural with the cliff-hanging action of a thriller movie."
Wall Street Journal

"[W]hat a great gift any of Limn's six mysteries starring Army Sgts. George Sueo 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

"Throughout this critically acclaimed series, Limn has displayed a remarkable talent for weaving his background knowledge of the country into his plots."
Booklist

Author Bio

Martin Lim nretired from military service after twenty years in the US Army, including ten years in Korea. He is the author of numerous books in the Sueno and Bascom series, including theNew York TimesNotableJade Lady Burning,Slicky Boys,The Iron Sickle,Nightmare Range, andThe Ville Rat. He lives near Seattle.