Christopher G. Moore (born 8 July 1952[1]) 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.[2]
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.[3] 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.[4]
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.[5]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[6]
"Thailand's finest expatriate crime-fiction novelist." —Paul Dorsey, The Nation[7]
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.[8]
Works
Novels
His Lordship's Arsenal, Freundlich Books (1985) ISBN0-88191-033-3; Critics Choice (1988); Heaven Lake Press (1999); Subway Books (2003).
Enemies of Memory, White Lotus (1990); reprinted as Tokyo Joe, Heaven Lake Press (2004) ISBN974-92281-7-0.
A Killing Smile, White Lotus (1991) ISBN974-8495-48-5, 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) ISBN978-616-7503-43-1.
Spirit House, White Lotus (1992), Heaven Lake Press (1999) ISBN974-8495-58-2, reprinted (2004), Grove Press (2008).
Asia Hand, White Lotus (1993) ISBN974-8495-70-1, Heaven Lake Press (2000), Black Cat (2010).
A Haunting Smile, White Lotus (1993) ISBN974-8495-82-5, Heaven Lake Press (1999) reprinted (2004; Heaven Lake Press revised edition (2025) ISBN978-616-7503-49-3.
Cut Out, White Lotus (1994) ISBN974-87116-3-3, Matichon, (1996), Heaven Lake Press (1999). Re-released under the title Zero Hour in Phnom Penh – ISBN974-93035-9-8.
Saint Anne, Asia Books (1994) reprinted as Red Sky Falling Heaven Lake Press (2005) ISBN974-92385-7-5.
Comfort Zone, White Lotus (1995), pocketbook edition (1997) ISBN974-87754-9-6; Heaven Lake Press (2001).
"Moore's flashy style successfully captures the dizzying contradictions in [Bangkok's] vertiginous landscape."—Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times[10]
"Think Dashiell Hammett in Bangkok. A hard-boiled, street-smart, often hilarious pursuit of a double murderer."—SFGate.[11]
"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.[12]
"One of Moore's greatest strengths . . . is his knowledge of Southeast Asian history."—Newsweek, Joe Cochrane (November 10, 2003).[13]
"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[15]
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.[16]
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.[17]
References
↑ Born 1946 according to the Library of Congress authorities database. Other sources, such as Fantastic Fiction list him as 1952.
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