The Kingdom of Cambodia is struggling into the twenty-first century, following the Pol Pot "killing fields" which erased a third of the population in the late 1970s. The encroaching dragons of mighty China and vibrant Vietnam vie with the tiger of Thailand to squeeze the precious life from the Mekong River Basin.
Politics is still dominated by the enduring shadow of the Khmer Rouge whose tentacles pervade a corrupt oligarchy, which is fighting to keep out the popular opposition leader, Sam Rainsy.
With a backdrop of potential civil war, our hero Chief Inspector Suon has to solve the case of Leap Son. A body found at the end of the murderous six-hour bus journey from Battambang to Siem Reap. With a coachload of tourists, all with a tale to tell or a secret to keep. Will Chief Inspector Suon be able to solve a crime committed in full view of all yet seen by no-one? More importantly, will he be allowed to?