Gone Case, Book 1 — Story by Dave Chua, Art by Koh Hong Teng (2010)

My family recently moved to Singapore, and I’ve spent the past few weeks trying to get my bearings—transportation, culture, language. It’s all slightly different than I’ve been used to. Familiar enough to navigate, but still: different.

Part of my weekly adventures has included looking for used book stores. I’m searching for the cheapest stores as well as those with the best selections. It’s slow going, but I’m really enjoying the process. Along the way, I’m also trying to pick up books about Singapore itself, whether fiction or nonfiction, history or culture, I don’t really mind.

At what’s become my favorite-so-far library, I found this two-book graphic-novel series about a boy growing up in Singapore. It’s haphazard in its plotting, but it’s based off a novel (I assume) and is such a slice of genuine culture that I’ve learned a lot from it.

Note: this post includes Amazon affiliate links.

Brief Summary of Gone Case, Book 1

The story traces the experiences of a 12-year-old boy in Singapore through little snippets and anecdotes of life. Some recollections deal with frustrations, some with death. They’re set at home, at the playground, in the city, at school. They involve friends and family, fears and struggles.

Overall, the weight of the book comes from his fathers absence and his family’s resultant financial struggles. Along the way, though, there’s also the boy’s own process of maturing through doubts and fears and puberty and responsibility.

How the Story Grew on Me

Because it’s a book of recollections loosely tied together, it does feel a touch haphazard at first. That was off-putting when I began reading, but the more I read, the more I realized that this is how memory works.

I’ve actually sketched out an outline of my own childhood anecdotes with a thought of someday turning it into a graphic novel, and it’s true: my own memories too are just a jumble of loose recollections that would never flow smoothly. That doesn’t diminish they’re value, of course. It just means that personal experiences don’t necessarily equal “plot.”

Some Singapore-Specific Sensations

The language used in this book is Singlish, which, although 95% English is still a little hard to hear and read. But I’m getting a better ear (and eye) now for language, especially the rampant use of particles. I’m not ever going to start using them in my own speech lah, but at least I can understand them leh!

I enjoyed seeing in this story some Singaporean sights that are already becoming familiar to me. There are the HDB buildings, those apartment blocs where most Singaporeans live. The hawker centers, which are small cafeteria-like eateries where most Singaporeans go for their daily meals. And I enjoyed seeing the church and temple, expertly drawn, which are sights I see daily from my bus windows.

Incredible Illustrations

Those drawings in particular drew my focus. Koh Hong Teng’s artwork is superb in this volume, using only black and white, yet including incredible detail throughout the book, especially in the broader scenes. I love the “camera movement” (like the pathway of the bird of the first two pages) and the cross-panel action (like the soccer match later on in the story). These unique strokes make this an artistic delight to watch as well as an interesting story to read.

Conclusion

I borrowed the second book in this short series as well, so I look forward to reading that and learning what happens next in this family, now that the 12-year-old knows that he’s the man of the house.

This book doesn’t appear to be available in the U.S. (at least on Amazon), but I’m glad I’ve come across it here in Singapore and am getting a taste of what life must be like for an average, non-wealthy Singapore family.

©2026 E.T.

Want more? Get Elliot’s Weekly Digest.