Policemen's Children Aren't Crooks!
The book is an autobiographical 'novel' based on the memoir of an 8 year old girl growing up in colonial Singapore. She gives a detailed description of the diverse members of her parent's household, living under one roof of a prestigious Colonial style bungalow.
Zubaidah a delusional woman best described as 'one sandwich short of a picnic' is the family Chief Cook. Her humourous antics and spirited escapades are not without drawing undesirable results!
Her father, a Detective Chief Inspector with the Colonial Forces, is traced from his Malay Royal heritage, to his emigration to Singapore, and to the eventual 'arranged marriage' with her mother, and the intriguing, humorous, family life that evolved thereafter. She creates a highly visual depiction of incidents, places and the book characters themselves, who all appear to come alive by her descriptive narrative. Her regales of incidents, customs, festivities, events and places not only lend the reader a candid overview of colonial lifestyle in Singapore of a bygone era, but also offers a clear insight into the activities, practices and differences of a community where British colonials are juxtaposed with an amalgamation of a buffet of Asian races of immigrants living under colonial rule, in one country. Her simple yet frank perceptions and other quaint and quirky regales are peppered with humour and mischief; quite contrary to the expectations from one with a regimental upbringing.
The 'prince and heir' son, her brother, is introduced, with an alarming narrative of a near death miss involving a loaded police revolver and, a foolishly curious young boy; an incredible account of a supernatural incident afflicting him inadvertently and thereupon revealing their mother's clandestinely disguised ghostbusting skills! Then, a mystical house guest arrives and stays with the family for several months showcasing both bizarre and, endearing incidents ....
