(Crime) Fiction
Tom Vater is a writer, publisher and editor working mostly in Asia.
He has published four crime novels and is the co-owner of Crime Wave Press, a Hong Kong based crime fiction imprint. He is also the co-founder of book-coaching service The SandScribes.
Tom has published some twenty non-fiction books, including the bestsellers Sacred Skin with Aroon Thaewchatturat & Cambodia: A Journey through the Land of the Khmer with Kraig Lieb.
His work has appeared in a wide variety of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, The Times, The Guardian, The Nikkei Asian Review, CNN, Marie Claire, Geographical, and The Mekong Review. Tom is a Daily Telegraph destination expert and has authored several guidebooks on Thailand and Cambodia.
He is the co-author of three documentary screenplays, including the highly praised The Most Secret Place On Earth, a feature on the CIA’s secret war in Laos.
Tom works as a consultant for a range of organizations providing background on the political, cultural and social landscape of South and Southeast Asia.
He is represented by London-based literary agency Marjacq.
(Crime) Fiction
As soon as Maier, detective and former war reporter, arrives in Cambodia, his journey leads into the darkest corners of the country’s history.
Detective Maier is sent to Laos to find a legendary CIA file crammed with Cold War secrets.
In the wake of 9 11, Detective Maier finds himself in Thailand, thrust into the heart of the United States’ War on Terror and the CIA’s extraordinary rendition program. From Bangkok’s concrete canyons to the country’s remote jungles and hedonist party islands, Maier races against formidable foes to discover some of our darkest truths and to save his life into the bargain.
Feature Stories
As The Serpent draws to a close, one writer recalls interviewing the serial killer in prison - and his shocking lack of remorse In December 2003, Central Jail in the Nepali capital Kathmandu was everything one might expect from a prison in a developing country.
My latest reportage is a long read on the island of Koh Phangan in Thailand, with eye witness accounts going back to the 1940s.
KOH PHANGAN, Thailand -- It is 9 a.m. on a sultry Sunday morning off the coast of Koh Phangan, a popular tourist island in the Gulf of Thailand.
KOH PHANGAN, Thailand -- In the late afternoon sun, a long line of sandals snakes down the beachfront road in Thong Sala, the main town on Koh Phangan, a tourist island in the Gulf of Thailand famed for its scenic settings and laid-back beach life.
Illustrated Books
A beautifully illustrated book introducing the mysterious world of sak yant, spirit tattoos said to bestow protective powers upon their bearers.
Behind the Bamboo Curtain: a journey through a fascinating country slowly but steadily emerging from a long period of involuntarily isolation.
A trip through the history and landscape of Cambodia introducing the country's people, culture and colorful festivals.
Publishing & Documentaries
Asia's only independent English language crime fiction imprint! 33 books published, from Asian noir to historical crime fiction.
In the footsteps of Alok Sharma, the top policeman in charge of the Maha Kumbh Mela in India, the largest gathering of people on planet earth, ever!
The CIA's secret war in Laos, as told by protagonists on both sides, including State Department officials and Hmong general Vang Pao.
Travel Guides
Bangkok City Break Guide. Songkran celebrations, restaurants, hotels, nightlife, shopping, unspoilt islands, festivals and events.
With Siem Reap & Phnom Penh The ancient temples at Angkor Wat are unlike anything else on earth. Step back in time and take the trip of a lifetime with Moon Angkor Wat.
Current titles: Thailand Handbuch - Best-selling German language Thailand Guidebook. Inseltrip - Bestselling guide to Koh Samui, Koh Phangan & Koh Tao. Citytrip - Guide to the Angkor temples in Cambodia. Kulturschock Thailand - Introduction to ethnic minorities in Thailand.