[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"work-reviews-detail-the-showgirl-and-the-minister-sy1b":3,"work-reviews-list-the-showgirl-and-the-minister-sy1b":120},{"id":4,"slug":5,"title":6,"original_title":7,"description":8,"first_publish_year":9,"original_language":10,"primary_cover_url":11,"cover_3d_url":12,"cover_blurhash":13,"preferred_edition_id":7,"community_rating_avg":7,"community_rating_count":14,"page_count":15,"estimated_reading_minutes":16,"shelves_added_this_week":14,"enrichment_status":17,"community_depth_avg":7,"community_momentum_avg":7,"community_atmosphere_avg":7,"community_craft_avg":7,"community_impact_avg":7,"community_spice_avg":7,"is_non_fiction":18,"is_romance":18,"is_indexable":19,"rating_distribution":7,"authors":20,"genres":27,"characters":52,"places":68,"subjects":78,"series":91,"editions":92,"enrichment":102,"community_distribution":7,"default_edition":116,"faqs":117,"reviews_count":118,"contributions_count":14,"quotes_count":14,"photos_count":14,"created_at":119},"01kr81vnyygnqjkg1mbfz6ffn7","the-showgirl-and-the-minister-sy1b","The Showgirl and the Minister",null,"In 1966 Sydney, Singapore's former Chief Minister Lim Yew Hock vanishes from Canberra, sparking a hunt for answers amidst Cold War tensions. Private detective Dave Chen must untangle a web of political intrigue, mounting debts, and rumors of CIA involvement. His investigation leads him to a nineteen-year-old Russian stripper, Sandra Nelson, whose role in Lim's disappearance remains a mystery, forcing Chen to confront his own past while solving the case.",2024,"en","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fstorage\u002Fcovers\u002Feditions\u002F01\u002F01kr81vpe2crdbkrs0701345qr.jpg","https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fstorage\u002Fcovers\u002Fworks-3d\u002F01\u002F01kr81vnyygnqjkg1mbfz6ffn7.png?v=34492f0333","LhK@;ZNuR5n%}FX8v~r?Efo1XmX8",0,162,184,"complete",false,true,[21],{"id":22,"slug":23,"name":24,"role":25,"bio":26},"01kr81gzj5e6x717qaey64wvgf","felix-cheong-calm","Felix Cheong","author","Felix Cheong writes poetry and short stories, often with a focus on contemporary life. His books include *Be Real A Guide to Authenticity* and *The Showgirl and the Minister*.",[28,32,36,40,44,48],{"id":29,"name":30,"slug":31,"is_fiction":19},5,"Thriller","thriller",{"id":33,"name":34,"slug":35,"is_fiction":19},6,"Mystery","mystery",{"id":37,"name":38,"slug":39,"is_fiction":19},18,"Graphic Novels","graphic-novels",{"id":41,"name":42,"slug":43,"is_fiction":19},44,"Crime","crime",{"id":45,"name":46,"slug":47,"is_fiction":19},46,"Espionage","espionage",{"id":49,"name":50,"slug":51,"is_fiction":19},214,"Political Thriller","political-thriller",[53,57,61,64],{"id":54,"name":55,"description":7,"role":56,"is_spoiler":18},"01kr81vpewbxavtn21sydswfpq","Dave Chen","protagonist",{"id":58,"name":59,"description":7,"role":60,"is_spoiler":18},"01kr81vpeqjntbhxcaxns74whk","Lim Yew Hock","supporting",{"id":62,"name":63,"description":7,"role":60,"is_spoiler":18},"01kr81vpetb0ybh4rbbtnqxjk6","Sandra Nelson",{"id":65,"name":66,"description":7,"role":67,"is_spoiler":18},"01kr81vpez71ce9qec456bvd41","Chew Swee Kee","cameo",[69,72,75],{"id":70,"name":71,"description":7,"is_fictional":18,"real_world_location":7},"01kk4ntj2n8t8wy6dy4m8eahby","Sydney",{"id":73,"name":74,"description":7,"is_fictional":18,"real_world_location":7},"01kr81vpg1wgxbj1zk3cdh5xer","Kings Cross",{"id":76,"name":77,"description":7,"is_fictional":18,"real_world_location":7},"01kr81vpg5pwgq597tezs6vd23","Canberra",[79,83,86,89],{"id":80,"name":81,"type":82},"01kjq7f7zpgx9mfxxa1nbs0y93","Comics & Graphic Novels","subject",{"id":84,"name":85,"type":82},"01kjr302p9qzv7fc9w5nkvhjdh","Crime & Mystery",{"id":87,"name":88,"type":82},"01kjq7cgzpvgfzthz60sbhzqw7","Thrillers",{"id":90,"name":46,"type":82},"01kjr329edgf7vra1r92fnf5cn",[],[93],{"id":94,"title":6,"edition_name":7,"format":95,"format_label":96,"page_count":15,"audio_duration_minutes":7,"narrator":7,"publish_date":97,"cover_url":11,"cover_blurhash":13,"isbn_13":98,"asin":7,"publisher":99,"language":10,"quality_score":100,"submission_status":101},"01kr81vpe2crdbkrs0701345qr","paperback","Paperback","2024-01-23","9789815144314","Penguin Random House SEA Pte. 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Witty and quite amusingly plotted for a political thriller that was centered in a post-setting of Singapore’s independence from Malaysia in 1965. An era of conflict in between Malaysia and Indonesia that was also inspired from the 10-day disappearance of Singapore’s former Chief Minister, Lim Yew Hock in Australia back in 1966.\n\nFrom a horse racing bet that went wrong to blackmailing himself into a love scandal scene with a showgirl; the 19-year-old Sabrina Nicholson, Lim Quee Hock was in a hurry to find that missing film roll before it gets into another scandalous mess. Being the Malaysia’s High Commissioner in Australia, all eyes were on Lim when he suddenly reported missing in Canberra raising questions and worries from his family as well the Malaysian Prime Minister who was urging Lim to come out from his hiding. \n\nA thrilling full of suspense execution with eye-catchy illustration (its black and white panels really complement the classic noir backdrop!) and I really love how the storytelling was told in a melodious punchy prose. Having a galore of action giving me a clock-ticking twist with its engaging characterization; those Russian thugs and Indonesian spies with an anti-hero Australian Intelligence— so cunning and totally mischievous. The later part was a bit tense and as much as I thought Lim finally managed to pull himself out from more troubles, the ending struck me with an unforeseen a week later scene; too clever I was actually stunned. \n\nWould say that both the author and illustrator did well in striving their ideas to depict the real-life historical event on the disappearance case of Lim Yew Hock; it impressed me too on how this fragment of incident could be turned into something graphically engrossing and awe-inducing much (thanks for the epilogue!). 5 stars for this read! \n\nHuge thanks to Times Reads for sending me a copy to review!","none","rv-01kr81vrbe104tnn7ebdbbprpk",[],"2026-05-10T04:20:54.000000Z",{"first":7,"last":7,"prev":7,"next":7},{"path":133,"per_page":134,"next_cursor":7,"prev_cursor":7,"has_more":18},"https:\u002F\u002Fapi.seekquel.app\u002Fapi\u002Fworks\u002F01kr81vnyygnqjkg1mbfz6ffn7\u002Freviews",20]