Tokyo, December 1931As Japan expands its empire in China and unemployment ravages the economy, Police Inspector Kenji Aizawa receives an anonymous call about the imminent assassination of a leading statesman. The secret informant is Reiko Watanabe, geisha mistress to the plot’s mastermind.Headstrong and outspoken, Reiko prefers a “modern” life to being a geisha and is horrified that her lover, … that her lover, the American-educated descendant of samurai, Masaru Ryusaki, has become a fascist firebrand. Together with his allies in the Imperial Army, Ryusaki plans to overthrow the civilian government and establish a military dictatorship.
Torn between honor and duty, Reiko and Inspector Aizawa must forge an unlikely alliance in order to stay one step ahead of Ryusaki and a fanatical Army officer. All the while, they uncover a shadowy conspiracy that reaches into the upper echelons of government, international finance, and even around the Imperial Throne itself.
Set during the intersection of the Japanese invasion of Manchuria and the Great Depression, Shadows of Tokyo brings the turbulent and dangerous world of prewar Japan to vivid life.
Shadows of Tokyo is the first book in a noir historical thriller series set in pre-World War II Japan.
“”Shadows of Tokyo” portrays the somber zeitgeist of Japan’s capital in 1931, where rightist assassins armed with swords, handguns and bombs stalk key political and business figures.” –The Japan Times
“Legare’s story reflects conscientious research into historic detail.” –The Japan Times
“Five Star Reviewers Have It Right: This Series Sizzles” –Amazon Review
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Mystery, political intrigue, spies and young terror resistance parties and assassinations are making this book a definite 5 star beginning to a new series. Inspector Kenji Aizawa receives an anonymous call from a female about a murder about to happen to a candidate to become Prime Minister of Japan. He is there in time to stop it. The third time is not a charm. This time a policeman is killed along with the Baron and his wife.
Cross and double cross are prominent in this story. How high up does the intrigue go. Aizawa finally finds out who his informer is. Can he save her? Can he save himself? All I can say is read and find out for yourself.
Noir historical thriller in 1930s Japan
Matthew Legare’s “Shadows of Tokyo” is the first book in a Series of noir historical thrillers set in Japan in the 1930s. A highly inflammatory time, with Japan on the peak of its aggressive expansion on the Pacific. The story takes place in 1931, during the invasion of Manchuria and the Japanese Great Depression. It is a time of right-wing terrorist that seek to overthrow the civilian government and establish a military dictatorship more in in sync with their political beliefs, and are not afraid to use swords, handguns and even bombs to get their point across. One of them is Masuru Ryusake, a Western-educated descendant of a prominent Samurai clan. His mistress, geisha Reiko Watanabe, is an independent woman with more modern ideas, and decides to give Police Inspector Kenji Aizawa a hands-up on the plan via anonymous call. Soon Aizawa and Watanabe find themselves in the middle of the plot, while trying to defect the imminent coup d’état. It will be interesting to see how both main characters and their relationship develop in the books ahead.
Matthew Legare has a profound knowledge of the historical Japan of the 1930, the book is not enjoyable but also highly informative, providing the reader does not have cliché expectation about the plot. This is a noir thriller, not a romantic collage of Geisha and Samurai viewed through a western eye.
A most gratifying lecture for fans of the genre, and a great look into the Japan society of the 1930s.
She is a Geisha but she wants so much more and so when she overheads a plot to kill a leading statesman. She connects with a policeman but at first he does not know who gives him the information. Can they stop them from doing it? Will she get a better life? Follow them as they try to stop it all
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Such an authentic told story that I swear I was there. I love Japan and love to read stories about Japan’s history, especially one that is as well-researched as this one, adding facts to my current knowledge. I loved the characters and I cannot wait to read the second book in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.