The Kizuna Coast: A Rei Shimura Mystery (The Rei Shimura Mysteries) - Softcover

Massey, Sujata

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0983661057 ISBN 13: 9780983661054

Publisher: Sujata Massey, 2014

Synopsis

When a devastating earthquake rocks Japan's northeast coast, a tsunami follows and Rei Shimura is drawn into her most rugged adventure yet. The mystery begins with an SOS from Rei's friend, the antiques dealer, Yasushi Ishida, who's trapped among the displaced, injured and dead on the Tohoku coast. Rei rushes from Honolulu to Tokyo and discovers that Ishida-san's dog has been abandoned and the shop may have been burglarized. She takes the dog, Hachiko, with her on volunteer bus to the ravaged town of Sugihama. But Mr. Ishida's got more work for her. He's lost contact with his antiques apprentice, Mayumi, and is frantic with worry. He won't leave Sugihama without knowing the fate of the troubled 19-year-old girl from a famous lacquer-making family. Calling on disaster survivors and volunteers--and her own knowledge of Japanese manners and history--Rei investigates the suspicious journey. From Sugihama's muddy shops and shelters to the buzzing bars and bathhouses of Tokyo, it's a suspenseful journey. But as Rei draws closer to the truth, she realizes that she's being stalked. Who is following her--and can she survive the wave of danger she never saw coming? PRAISE FOR THE REI SHIMURA MYSTERIES "An appealing protagonist and memorable supporting characters blend smoothly with lessons in Hawaiian and Japanese history in a tale sure to win new readers for this series."--PUBLISHERS WEEKLY on SHIMURA TROUBLE "Massey builds the bridge between mystery fiction and mainstream women's fiction . . . a lively, intuitive view of contrasting societies and a young woman trying to find her place in the world."--FORT LAUDERDALE SUN SENTINEL on THE TYPHOON LOVER "A gifted storyteller who delivers strong characters, a tight plot and an inside view of Japan and its culture."--USA TODAY on ZEN ATTITUDE "A totally captivating experience. A unique plot, exceptional protagonist, and some subtle cultural lessons are as beautifully arranged as a vase of cherry blossoms."--BOOKLIST on THE FLOWER MASTER "One can just about feel the cold draft blowing through the traditional house as Massey walks us through a foreign culture. Her description of the Tokyo that tourists don't see is intriguing, and her explanation of Japanese ways are enlightening and entertaining."--WASHINGTON TIMES "A nearly pitch-perfect voice in modern-day Japan."--THE JAPAN TIMES

About this title

From the Author:

I wrote The Kizuna Coast, the eleventh Rei Shimura mystery, with a number of questions in mind. What was the situation really like on Japan's Tohoku coast after the 2011 tsunami? Cameras could catch images of the massive wave and crushed buildings but not tell every human story. I was so concerned that I wrote a fictional accounting about a village with characteristics of several of the hardest-hit real places. 
Here's the set-up: It's March 2011, and the news of the tsunami has spread worldwide. My protagonist Rei Shimura rushes into this devastated area looking for one elderly person but quickly finds herself involved in searching for others. As hard as the work is, she feels duty-bound to continue. When a body is found under suspicious circumstances, a new question arises for her: why is this one death worth investigating among thousands? The police are overstretched and unable to help. Will knowing the truth bring closure...or put Rei's own life in jeopardy? Readers have asked about the significance of the book title. "Kizuna" became a popular word in Japanese right after the disaster. it means "bonds of loving kindness," and was used to describe selfless behavior of people helping each other survive the tragedy. I think it fits this book very well.  

From the Inside Flap:

After a devastating earthquake and tsunami hit Japan in 2011, Rei Shimura's beloved mentor, Yasushi Ishida, sends an SOS. Rei immediately takes off from her historic cottage in Hawaii to find him. But the search is complicated by the disappearance of Ishida-san's apprentice Mayumi, a troubled 19-year-old from a famous lacquer dynasty. As Rei wades through wreckage, and her husband Michael heads to Fukushima to battle a spiraling nuclear disaster, the couple's caught in a massive wave of danger they never anticipated.

About this edition

• Publisher: Sujata Massey
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0983661057
• ISBN 13: 9780983661054
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 390