It's possible they'll show up, but unlikely. Chances are they are sitting in a big stack of books to be checked for "inappropriate" subject matter. Or they're sitting on the personal bookshelf of one of the employees.

File a complaint at the main post office downtown, and then file a complaint with the original carrier, whether it be United States Postal Service, or whoever. Search your package for a shipping ID number and give it to your original carrier. The local service here won't pay much attention to a single expat, however they might eventually get their acts together if enough foreign postal services start putting the pressure on them.

Bookworm is your best bet for foreign books in this town:
http://newhanoian.xemzi.com/en/venue/show/2141/Bookworm

A while back Xunhasaba bookstore at 32 Hai Ba Trung had Doyle and Shakespeare new paperbacks (among many other classics) on their shelves. I doubt they have the complete works - others may have better suggestions.

DevDuo marked this as a good answer

Advice on future shipments...

If it absolutely MUST get here, use DHL or FedEx, and insure the package. It will cost you about triple the price, but it's the only real guarantee if it's something that important. Well, let's not use the word "guarantee" in this country. It just has a much, much better chance of getting here in one piece.

Dear DevDuo,

That is a massive pain no doubt. If you can hold off for a while don't give up on them yet as I've had things turn up after insane delays (to the extent I've had another edition delivered by Amazon in the meantime). If you can't hold off then the foreign language bookshop on the corner of Hai Ba Trung (no. 32 I believe) near the plaza have those old cheapie classics (you know the ones - blue covers). They've got tons of Dickens, Austen and I'm pretty sure Shakespeare. As for the great detective - I don't like your chances I'm afraid. Good luck,

Candide

My experience is: when it is taken out of a package w/o notification, it is not confiscated but stolen.
You can complain here at the PO, but I think I already know the answer (how do you know it was taken in Vietnam and not somewhere else).
If you receive a parcel here and you pick it up at the PO, you have to check it immediately in the presence of the postal employees, otherwise nobody will accept your complain.
I have had some bad experiences here myself, 50% of my parcels were "lost".
Courier charges are expensive, but so is losing your parcels. Just remember: Shipments with couriers like DHL and others will be subject to all kinds of import duty, which can be as high as 60% of the value for certain items.
Check in advance to avoid disappointment.
Good Luck!

I am sorry to hear this. After some disappointments/hassles I ask my parents to hold off with gifts until I can find a friend/associate/ workmate to bring it over to me. Can you set your Mom up with some contacts? Or alternatively put money in our account for the kids. Unromantic and hardly in the spirit of gift giving, I know, but it is maddening to think others have helped themselves to it - and you never know what will be taken. The Vietnamese are always laughing at me because of my height and girth - why then, did someone need help themselves to ladies nightwear my mom sent me???
None of these comments helps with your predicament of course - granteralus has it covered.

Maybe they needed a tent canopy for a wedding celebration.