After the Inquiry
Jolene Tan
Ethos Books: 2021
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I was told that After the Inquiry should be reviewed by not just a Singaporean, but someone who can understand the nuances of civil service and police investigations. Now that I’ve read it, I can understand why.

The novel revolves around a terrible (and thankfully fictional) incident in the Singapore Police Force that has left a sergeant comatose from a gunshot to the head. An internal police investigation concluded that the injury was supposedly self-inflicted during a reckless game of Russian roulette. This is where the story begins: after the internal department’s inquiry, civil servant Boon Teck is brought in to tie up loose ends. With the assistance of his younger colleague Nithya, his job is to talk to all the parties involved and make sure that there’s nothing untoward that could cast doubts on the integrity of the investigation and its findings.

The novel is presented as a series of eight reports, although it is immediately clear that these are not typical work documents but journal records. It’s entirely narrated from Boon Teck’s perspective, complete with detailed footnotes, musings and significant inner dialogue. As he and Nithya begin their investigations, we’re introduced to other recognisable archetypes from the civil service and other segments of Singaporean society. After the Inquiry delves into the intricacies of life in the city-state and provides a representation of Singaporean attitudes towards inequality, politics, apathy and the callousness of bureaucracy.

• Tags: Issue 32, Jolene Tan, Loh Pei Ying, Singapore