Bob Swain

Blood On The Mekong Bob Swain

After the death of his wife, Jake Simpson goes to South-East Asia desperate for escape. But while in Phnom Penh, he meets Oliver Robert at a lakeside guesthouse and is captivated by a mysterious figure who has lived and seen too much. When Oliver dies of an overdose, his death becomes Jake's obsession. His journey follows the Mekong River and flows through its historical tributaries - the Vietnam War, the bombing of Laos, CIA drug-running and the Pol Pot years in Cambodia. The parallel story of American pilot Sam Campbell reveals an amoral but passionate exploitation of the heroin trade in order to fund America's secret war in Laos. When Jake's pursuit of Oliver's ghost finally leads him to Sam, he is confronted by the God-like self-belief of one who has controlled the destinies of millions. Blood On The Mekong combines the power of ancient myth with the horror's of 20th century history and a dark adventure of self-discovery.