Sano Ichiro, the Shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, is back in action in Laura Joh Rowland's latest, The Samurai's Wife. After a heated dispute with his colleague and archrival, Honorable Chamberlain Yanigasawa, Sano finds himself in Miyako, Japan's imperial capital, investigating the mysterious death of Minister Konoe Bokuden. Apparently a victim of murder by kiai, a martial arts technique in which a burst of pure mental energy is concentrated in the voice of the killer, Konoe had been plotting an overthrow of samurai rule. Sano must determine whether his death is a personal or political matter, all the while tiptoeing around the delicate sensibilities and violent tempers of the Emperor and his Imperial Court. His roster of suspects ranges from the Emperor himself to Kozeri, Konoe's former wife, a Buddhist nun whose habit barely conceals a powerful and disturbing sensuality.

Rowland has obviously done her homework; her zest for historical detail complements, rather than overwhelms, the story, giving the reader a glimpse into the ceremoniality of 17th-century imperial Japanese culture: "In the southern sector of the imperial enclosure stood the Purple Dragon Hall.... The austere half-timbered building faced a courtyard bounded with covered corridors supported by vermilion posts. The ground was covered with white sand to reflect the light of the sun and moon onto the hall. A cherry tree and a citrus tree flanked the entrance, representing the guardian archers and horsemen of ancient tradition. Leading up to the door, eighteen steps, framed by red balustrades, symbolized the number of noble ranks in the court hierarchy. Sano and Hoshina slowly approached the bottom of the steps, where a line of courtiers waited."

Unfortunately, Rowland seems sometimes to sacrifice accuracy for the sake of action, creating a bond between Sano and his spirited wife Reiko so modern that one feels that even the most liberated Genroku woman would have been far more circumscribed by ritual and expectations. On the level of plot, rather than philosophy or politics, Sano's deductions have less to do with dogged investigation than with divine inspiration.

Laura Joh Rowland's previous Sano mysteries include The Concubine's Tattoo and The Way of the Traitor. Mystery fans intrigued by the notion of a Japanese mise en scène may be interested in Dale Furutani's Death at the Crossroads and Jade Palace Vendetta, also set in 17th-century Japan. --Kelly Flynn


From Publishers Weekly
With her fifth mystery set in 17th-century Japan, Rowland (The Concubine's Tattoo, Bundori, etc.) offers a rich historical that is equal parts police procedural and political thriller. The shogun sends his Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations and People, Sano Ichiro, to the ancient court city of Miyako to investigate the murder of imperial minister Konoe Bokuden. Normally such a crime wouldn't concern the shogun, but the victim was a spy who reported on activities among nobles of dubious loyalty. Sano has to solve the murder and diffuse any resulting political tensions, a job that requires delicacy and etiquette--and vigilance. Felled by a rare martial art that can vanquish the most skilled samurai, Bokuden had discovered a secret plot against the shogun involving members of the court, feudal lords, gangsters and ronin. To find the killer and avert civil war, Sano must step on imperial toes and risk both censure from the shogun and the displeasure of Reiko, Sano's spirited young wife. Rowland delineates the class distinctions of her characters with subtlety and pulls together the strands of her multifaceted plot with enviable grace. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
The Shogun's principal investigator, Sano Ichir , frowns upon his new wife's untraditional lack of submissiveness, but now he needs her help. In order for Sano to find an elusive killer, his wife must infiltrate the emperor's circle of friends. An authentically detailed and wonderfully involving historical novel of 17th-century Japan. For fans of historical mysteries. Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
The fifth novel about Sano Ichiro, the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, and his wife and sleuthing partner, Reiko, examines the intricacies of court life and the unhappy relationship between an emperor with divine authority but no power and his civil administrators. After the treacherous Yanagisawa maneuvers Sano into the shogun's disfavor, Sano must travel from Edo to the distant imperial capital of Miyako to find the murderer of a high-ranking official. Yanagisawa, sensing an opportunity to discredit his antagonist once and for all, secretly journeys to Miyako to stir up trouble and undermine Sano's investigation. Instead of finding a murderer, the rival samurai uncovers a plot to overthrow Japan's military dictatorship. This forces Sano and Yanagisawa into an uneasy alliance to prevent the revolt while preserving the long but uncomfortable detente between the emperor and the shogun. Rowland seasons her novels with fascinating insights into seventeenth-century Japanese culture, and she capably incorporates her setting into the action. Entertaining reading for fans of the historical mystery. George Needham


Review
"You'll immediately recognize [Sano] as an ancestor of Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade."--Denver Post

"As a fan of Shogun, it's easy to say that The Samurai's Wife provided me with the same sense of place and culture that was so invigorating in James Clavell's epic yarn...Rowland's a pretty terrific storyteller."--Chicago Tribune



Review
"You'll immediately recognize [Sano] as an ancestor of Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade."--Denver Post

"As a fan of Shogun, it's easy to say that The Samurai's Wife provided me with the same sense of place and culture that was so invigorating in James Clavell's epic yarn...Rowland's a pretty terrific storyteller."--Chicago Tribune



Review
"You'll immediately recognize [Sano] as an ancestor of Philip Marlowe or Sam Spade."--Denver Post

"As a fan of Shogun, it's easy to say that The Samurai's Wife provided me with the same sense of place and culture that was so invigorating in James Clavell's epic yarn...Rowland's a pretty terrific storyteller."--Chicago Tribune



Book Description
Far from the Shogun's court at Edo, Most Honorable Investigator Sano Ichiro begins the most challenging case of his career. Upon the insistence of his strong-willed and beautiful wife Reiko, Sano arrives with her at the emperor's palace to unmask the murderer--who possesses the secret of kiai, "the spirit city," a powerful scream that can kill instantly. A high Kyoto official is the victim. Treading carefully through a web of spies, political intrigue, forbidden passions, and intricate plots, Sano and Reiko must struggle to stay ahead of the palace storm--and outwit a cunning killer. But as they soon discover, solving the case means more than their survival. For if they fail, Japan could be consumed in the bloodiest war it has ever seen...

A legendary land comes alive in this compelling murder mystery set in seventeenth-century Japan. Filled with finely drawn characters and suspenseful plot twists, The Samurai's Wife is a novel as complex, vivid, and artful as the glorious, lost world it portrays.



About the Author
LAURA JOH ROWLAND, the granddaughter of Chinese and Korean immigrants, grew up in Michigan. She is the author of four previous Sano Ichiro novels, The Concubine's Tattoo, Shinju, Bundori, and The Way of the Traitor, and lives in New Orleans with her husband and three cats.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Far from the Shogun's court at Edo, Most Honorable Investigator Sano Ichiro begins the most challenging case of his career. Upon the insistence of his strong-willed and beautiful wife Reiko, Sano arrives with her at the emperor's palace to unmask the murderer--who possesses the secret of kiai, "the spirit city," a powerful scream that can kill instantly. A high Kyoto official is the victim. Treading carefully through a web of spies, political intrigue, forbidden passions, and intricate plots, Sano and Reiko must struggle to stay ahead of the palace storm--and outwit a cunning killer. But as they soon discover, solving the case means more than their survival. For if they fail, Japan could be consumed in the bloodiest war it has ever seen...

A legendary land comes alive in this compelling murder mystery set in seventeenth-century Japan. Filled with finely drawn characters and suspenseful plot twists, The Samurai's Wife is a novel as complex, vivid, and artful as the glorious, lost world it portrays.

FROM THE CRITICS

Toby Bromberg - Romantic Times

The Samurai's Wife is an exquisite tale of murder, passion, and revenge. Feudal Japan springs to vibrant life under Ms. Rowland's skillful hand, and the sleuthing team of Sano and Reiko will touch your heart. All lovers of mystery, the orient, romance, and history will enjoy this magnificent tale.

Publishers Weekly

With her fifth mystery set in 17th-century Japan, Rowland (The Concubine's Tattoo, Bundori, etc.) offers a rich historical that is equal parts police procedural and political thriller. The shogun sends his Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations and People, Sano Ichiro, to the ancient court city of Miyako to investigate the murder of imperial minister Konoe Bokuden. Normally such a crime wouldn't concern the shogun, but the victim was a spy who reported on activities among nobles of dubious loyalty. Sano has to solve the murder and diffuse any resulting political tensions, a job that requires delicacy and etiquette--and vigilance. Felled by a rare martial art that can vanquish the most skilled samurai, Bokuden had discovered a secret plot against the shogun involving members of the court, feudal lords, gangsters and ronin. To find the killer and avert civil war, Sano must step on imperial toes and risk both censure from the shogun and the displeasure of Reiko, Sano's spirited young wife. Rowland delineates the class distinctions of her characters with subtlety and pulls together the strands of her multifaceted plot with enviable grace. (Apr.) Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

Library Journal