About the Author

Sujata Massey was a reporter for the Baltimore Evening Sun and spent several years in Japan teaching English and studying Japanese. She is the author of The Salaryman's Wife, Zen Attitude, The Flower Master, The Floating Girl, The Bride's Kimono, The Samurai's Daughter, The Pearl Diver, and The Typhoon Lover. She lives in Minneapolis.

Reviews

Rei Shimura, the Tokyo-based, Japanese-American freelance antiques buyer whom smart mystery fans will remember from The Salaryman's Wife, finds herself the owner of an overpriced, ersatz Edo-period tansu. Bad karma comes with this to-die-for chest of drawers, and Rei becomes, in rapid succession, murder suspect, then murder target. Stuck with bad goods, financial losses and a relationship frayed around the edges, she skips out on her boyfriend and his luxurious lifestyle, and ends up befriended by ex-judo champ Akemi Mihori, who offers her a place to stay on the grounds of the famous Zen temple Horin-ji. Exhausted, scared and a little malnourished, Rei battles growing paranoia that leads her to confuse friend and murderous foe. As with her first novel, Massey manages to combine a very entertaining mystery with lessons in Japanese culture. Caveat lector: Japanese speakers will find clues embedded in characters' names. (June)

"Massey [combines] a very enteraining mystery with lessons in Japanese culture."--" Publishers Weekly""You can't find a better guide to the mean streets of Japan than Rei Shimura!...An excellant new series from a very talented writer."-- Marcia Muller"Page-Turner of the week. Sly, Sexy, and Deftly done." --" People