Christopher G. Moore

Christopher G. Moore (born 8 July 1952) is a Canadian writer of twenty-seven novels, six works of non-fiction, editor of three anthologies, and author of four radio dramas. He is best known for his trilogy ''A Killing Smile'' (1991), ''A Bewitching Smile'' (1992) and ''A Haunting Smile'' (1993), a behind-the-smiles study of his adopted country, Thailand, and for his Vincent Calvino Private Eye series set in Bangkok.

Background

While a law professor at the University of British Columbia, he had the chance to visit Japan in 1983 and from Tokyo at the invitation of a friend continued on to visit Thailand for the first time. His first book ''His Lordship's Arsenal'' was published in New York in 1985. A short documentary about Moore's writing life in Thailand is titled ''The Big Weird World of Christopher G. Moore''.

Vincent Calvino

Vincent Calvino is a fictional Bangkok-based private eye created by Christopher G. Moore in the Vincent Calvino Private Eye series. Vincent Calvino first appeared in 1992 in ''Spirit House'', the first novel in the series. ''Spirit House'' was included on The top 100 Kindle books of all time. ''District #3'', the 18th novel, the last in the series was published in November 2024. Moore's protagonist, Vincent Calvino, half-Jewish and half-Italian, is an ex-lawyer from New York, who, under ambiguous circumstances, gave up law practice and became a private eye in Bangkok. "Hewn from the hard-boiled Dashiell Hammett/Raymond Chandler model, Calvino is a tough, somewhat tarnished hero with a heart of gold."—Mark Schreiber, ''The Japan Times''

"Thailand's finest expatriate crime-fiction novelist." —Paul Dorsey, ''The Nation''

Chad A. Evans' ''Vincent Calvino's World, A Noir Guide to Southeast Asia'' explores the historical, social and cultural context of the 15 Calvino novels written over 25 years.

Works

Novels

*''His Lordship's Arsenal'', Freundlich Books (1985) ; Critics Choice (1988); Heaven Lake Press (1999); Subway Books (2003).
*''Enemies of Memory'', White Lotus (1990); reprinted as Tokyo Joe, Heaven Lake Press (2004) .
*''A Killing Smile'', White Lotus (1991) , second printing (1992), third and fourth printing BookSiam (1996); fifth and sixth printing Heaven Lake Press (2000); seventh printing (2004); Heaven Lake Press revised edition (2025).
*''A Bewitching Smile'', White Lotus (1992) ; Heaven Lake Press (2000); Heaven Lake Press revised edition (2025).
*''Spirit House'', White Lotus (1992), Heaven Lake Press (1999) , reprinted (2004), Grove Press (2008).
*''Asia Hand'', White Lotus (1993) , Heaven Lake Press (2000), Black Cat (2010).
*''A Haunting Smile'', White Lotus (1993) , Heaven Lake Press (1999) reprinted (2004; Heaven Lake Press revised edition (2025).
*''Cut Out'', White Lotus (1994) , Matichon, (1996), Heaven Lake Press (1999). Re-released under the title ''Zero Hour in Phnom Penh'' – .
*''Saint Anne'', Asia Books (1994) reprinted as ''Red Sky Falling'' Heaven Lake Press (2005) .
*''Comfort Zone'', White Lotus (1995), pocketbook edition (1997) ; Heaven Lake Press (2001).
*''The Big Weird'', bookSiam (1996), Heaven Lake Press (2008) .
*''God of Darkness'', Asia Books (1998) , Heaven Lake Press (1999) reprinted (2004).
*''Cold Hit'', Heaven Lake Press (1999) ; reprinted (2004). The German translation is titled ''Nana Plaza''.
*''Chairs'', Heaven Lake Press (2000) .
*''Minor Wife'', Heaven Lake Press (2002) ; reprinted (2004).
*''Pattaya 24/7'' (2004) Heaven Lake Press.
*''Waiting for the Lady'', Heaven Lake Press (2003) , Subway Books (2004) Trade paperback edition Heaven Lake Press (2005).
*''Gambling on Magic'', Heaven Lake Press (2005) .
*''The Risk of Infidelity Index'', Atlantic Monthly Press (2008) . The Polish translation is titled ''Ulice Bangkoku''.
*''Paying Back Jack'', Heaven Lake Press (2009) , Grove Press (2009).
*''The Corruptionist'', Heaven Lake Press (2010) .
*''9 Gold Bullets'', Heaven Lake Press (2011) .
*''The Wisdom of Beer'', Heaven Lake Press (2012) .
*''Missing In Rangoon'', Heaven Lake Press (2013) .
*''Reunion'', Heaven Lake Press (2013) .
*''The Marriage Tree'', Heaven Lake Press (2014) .
*''Crackdown'', Heaven Lake Press (2015) .
*''Jumpers'', Heaven Lake Press (2016) .
*''Dance Me to the End of Time'', Heaven Lake Press (2020) .
*''District #3'', Heaven Lake Press (2024) .

Non-fiction

*''Heart Talk'', White Lotus (1992), 2nd Ed. Heaven Lake Press (1998), 3rd Ed. Heaven Lake Press (2005) .
*''The Vincent Calvino Reader's Guide'', Heaven Lake Press (2010) .
*''The Cultural Detective'', Heaven Lake Press (2011) .
*''Faking It in Bangkok'', Heaven Lake Press (2012) .
*''Fear and Loathing in Bangkok'', Heaven Lake Press (2014) .
*''The Age of Dis-Consent'', Heaven Lake Press (2015) .
*''Memory Manifesto: A Walking Meditation through Cambodia'', Heaven Lake Press (2017) .
*''Rooms: On Human Domestication and Submission'', Heaven Lake Press (2019) .

Anthology

*''Bangkok Noir'', Heaven Lake Press (2011) . (Editor)
*''Phnom Penh Noir'', Heaven Lake Press (2012) . (Editor)
*''The Orwell Brigade'', Heaven Lake Press (2012) . (Editor)

Radio drama

*''View from Cambie Bridge'' (N.H.K. Japan) (1983)
*''The Bamboo Pillar'' (C.B.C.) (1983)
*''The Semi-Detached Barrister'' (C.B.C.) (1981)
*''Sticks and Pucks'' (C.B.C.) (1980)

Documentary

The Impatient Artist (2017)

Critical response

"Moore's flashy style successfully captures the dizzying contradictions in angkok'svertiginous landscape."—Marilyn Stasio, ''The New York Times''

"Think Dashiell Hammett in Bangkok. A hard-boiled, street-smart, often hilarious pursuit of a double murderer."—''SFGate''.

"Moore's noir thrillers and literary fiction—like Graham Greene, he alternates between 'entertainment' and serious novels—are subtle and compelling evocations of a part of the world rarely seen through our eyes."—''Macleans''.

"One of Moore's greatest strengths . . . is his knowledge of Southeast Asian history."—''Newsweek'', Joe Cochrane (November 10, 2003).

"Moore might be described as W. Somerset Maugham with a bit of Elmore Leonard and Mickey Spillane thrown in for good measure."—''The Japan Times''.

"Moore's work recalls the international 'entertainments' of Graham Greene or John le Carré, but the hard-bitten worldview and the cynical, bruised idealism of his battered hero is right out of Chandler. Intelligent and articulate, Moore offers a rich, passionate and original take on the private eye game, fans of the genre should definitely investigate, and fans of foreign intrigue will definitely appreciate."—KJ. Kingston Pierce, ''January Magazine''

Awards

* The German edition of ''Cut Out'', titled ''Zero Hour in Phnom Penh'', the third Calvino novel, won the German Critics Award for international crime fiction in 2004 and Premier Special Director Book Award Semana Negra, Spain in 2007.
* Asia Hand, the second Calvino novel, won the Shamus Award sponsored by the Private Eyes of America in 2011 in the Best Paperback Original category.
* Reunion, a novella, Finalist Arthur Ellis Award 2013, Best Novella.

Philanthropy

Moore is the founder of the Christopher G. Moore Foundation, a charitable organization registered in London, UK. The foundation was established in 2015 to support and promote the values of human rights and literary excellence in fiction and non-fiction. An annual prize is awarded to the best book that advances awareness of human rights.

He is also the founder of Changing Climate, Changing Lives (CCCL) Film Festival 2020. CCCL Film Festival will feature short films by young Thai film makers showcasing ways of using local wisdom and experience to adapt to climate change in Thailand.

References

External links

Author's website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moore, Christopher G.
Canadian crime fiction writers
Canadian male novelists
1952 births
Living people
20th-century Canadian novelists
21st-century Canadian novelists
20th-century Canadian male writers
21st-century Canadian male writers