Dorothy B. Hughes, in Twentieth-Century Crime and Mystery Writers (1980), aptly describes Gavin Black, the pseudonym for Oswald Morris Wynd, as "a Scotsman who knows and writes of the Far East quite as if he were a native of Malaysia" and who brings charm, wit, and "irresistible social commentary" to the genre. Like James Clavell, author of Shogun (1975), a stint in the Far East during his wartime service and in a Japanese prison camp gave Black insightful vision with respect to Asia. Unlike Mark Derby, whose thrillers set in Malaysia pit lone westerners against villainous Asians, Black clearly loves Malaysia and appreciates its rural life and its hardworking mix of nationalities. His mystery novels reflect his interests and his special knowledge: they are lessons in geography, history, maritime practices, Asian law, Japanese business practices, Chinese families, Maoist fervor, the Malaysian royal family, cultural distinctions, and much more. His villains...