Thirty-Three Teeth by Colin Cotterill

Dr. Siri Paiboun's adventures as the only coroner in 1977 communist Laos continue in the second book in the series. Siri is asked to identify the nationalities of two badly burned corpses in Luang Prabang, the Royal Capital. He also is intrigued by the deaths of people who have fallen from the Ministry of Sport, Information and Culture building. On the bizarre side, a creature is killing individuals around Vientiane. It might be a bear, but could it be something more sinister? The reader learns a lot more about Siri's background and the spirit/ghost element is even more prominent in this book than in the The Coroner's Lunch, the first book of the series.