Tokyo Heist

A thrilling adventure awaits amidst the vibrant streets of Tokyo in this “fast-paced and engaging mystery with a spunky protagonist” (VOYA).

“Violet filtering her investigation through her passion for manga, art, and Japan makes her seem like a real, relatable teenager.”—A.V. Club

“Renn keeps the tension high and the pace moving in a modern, unique whodunit.”—The Los Angeles Times

Sixteen-year-old Violet is thrilled when her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns sour when a priceless sketch by van Gogh is stolen from her father’s client and held ransom for a painting by the artist. The problem is that nobody knows where the painting is hidden, and until they find it, all their lives are in danger.

Joined by her friend Reika, Violet searches for the missing van Gogh in a quest that takes her from the Seattle Art Museum to the mafia-infested streets of Tokyo to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery deepens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to find the painting and the criminals—before it’s too late.

Diana Renn grew up in Seattle and now lives in Boston. She has taught ESL and writing, most recently at Boston University. She has published numerous short stories and essays, and she is also the Fiction Editor at YARN (Young Adult Review Network), an award-winning online magazine featuring short-form writing for teens. She is the author of several ESL textbooks, as well as the YA mystery novels Latitude Zero and Tokyo Heist. She is an avid traveler.