The Problem of the Parasol

The Umbrella Man opens on Inspector Samuel Tay of the Singapore CID, having a relaxing time in his garden. And then he hears the explosions: two of them almost simultaneous, followed by the third. Singapore is under attack: three hotels (The Hilton, the Marriott, and the Grand Hyatt) have been targeted. Hundreds of people are dead, and thousands lie injured. Tay himself winds up in the hospital.

But upon awaking, Tay discovers that he is being shut out of the investigation. His superiors suggest taking a leave of absence, while Singapore’s Internal Security Department (ISD) take over the investigation. Tay has made himself a nuisance in certain corners, and now ISD is demanding that he be shut out of the investigation. And so Tay finds himself investigating an ordinary death in some remote corner far away from the terrorist plot.