‘Marina Bay Sins’ by Neil Humphreys

Published by Muswell Press London,
31 March 2022. 
ISBN 978-1-83834-014-8 (PB)

DI Stanley Low works for the CPIB – the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau - in Singapore. A single chap with a bipolar disorder and aggressive tendencies, Low is exceedingly good at his job. Unfortunately, the only person who seems to like Low is his ex- boss, Tiger, who now resides in prison as a result of Low’s investigative abilities. The CPIB detective visits him in prison and discusses his current case with him.

An Australian, Richard Davie, has been found dead in a posh hotel room. Davie had been one of Low’s informants and was providing him with information on illegal betting in Singapore. Conventional wisdom suggests Davie killed the prostitute he was with, and then killed himself.

DI James Tan, DS Charles Chan and Low challenge the suicide theory.  The odds are stacked against them mainly because Davie’s room was forty floors up and the only route into it was from the corridor outside his room. The hotel’s security cameras show that the only person who entered Davie’s room in the time the crime could have been committed was a cleaner and she hadn’t stayed long enough to murder anyone.

Who would want to murder Davie? What is the role of an obscenely rich Indonesian who has his fingers in every illegal racket in Singapore? Like everybody else, the Indonesian has his eye on the beautiful singer, Yue Liang whose husband owes the Indonesian a bucket load of money. The couple feature prominently in the story.

Dogged determination, and an uncompromising, no holds barred approach that might upset those of a sensitive disposition, are the hallmarks of Low’s approach to those he wants to extract information from.  Solving crime is the only thing that interests this unique detective who uses his episodes of manic elation to stimulate his insight and provide the energy to achieve his goals.  All in all, a gripping and entertaining tale with what felt like a distressingly authentic background - even Low seems surprised by the final twist in the tale.
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Reviewer: Angela Crowther.

Neil Humphreys grew up in Dagenham Essex and went to university in Manchester. He now lives in Singapore where he writes for various publications and broadcasts on TV and radio. He is one of the bestselling authors in Asia.

 

Angela Crowther is a retired scientist.  She has published many scientific papers but, as yet no crime fiction.  In her spare time Angela belongs to a Handbell Ringing group, goes country dancing and enjoys listening to music, particularly the operas of Verdi and Wagner.