Shinju

by Laura Joh Rowland | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0061009504 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingGoryDetailswing of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 11/9/2014
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingGoryDetailswing from Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, November 9, 2014
I found this slightly-battered advanced readers' copy softcover (different cover than shown) at the Amherst NH transfer-station book-swap hut. It opens with the discovery of an apparent lovers-suicide, a man and woman bound together and drowned in a river. But young Sano, a yoriki - a samurai-class police force, more or less - suspects something's wrong with that story. The woman turns out to be from a noble family and thus the whole matter is highly sensitive - and that kicks in the main thrust of the story, with Sano trying to work his way around the many sensitive political, cultural, and social roadblocks to find the truth, even as it becomes increasingly obvious what it could cost him. Lots of period detail here, sometimes a bit too much when it bogs down the story, but it certainly brings the reader into the setting.

In classic mystery-novel form, Sano meets a talented forensic pathologist - in the person of a disgraced doctor who is only permitted to live by doing the low-caste work of examining the dead, and by living within the confines of the death house. His fate is one of many early warnings to our hero as to what might happen if he oversteps his bounds, but he finds himself intrigued by the doctor's knowledge and abilities.

Most of the story is told from Sano's point of view, but we do get a few chapters from the viewpoint of an unidentified watcher, one who is clearly involved in the case - but to what degree and for what motive we don't learn right away. It makes for some tantalizing suspense as he follows our hero and muses on ways to get to him...

Will Sano solve the case, or give up under the pressure from nearly everyone he loves and respects? What do you think? But can he do it and avoid becoming an outcast, or worse? Read and find out!

Journal Entry 2 by wingGoryDetailswing at Nashua, New Hampshire USA on Friday, May 20, 2016

Released 7 yrs ago (5/20/2016 UTC) at Nashua, New Hampshire USA

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I'm adding this book to the Far East bookbox, which will be on its way to its next stop soon. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 3 by rhythmbiscuit at Northglenn, Colorado USA on Tuesday, August 23, 2016
I selected this book from AlterEgoZoe's Asian bookbox. I'm so intrigued by the book's description. Thank you for sharing.

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