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Ken Tanaka #2
The Toyotomi Blades
An ancient sword cuts to the heart of a baffling mystery.
Unemployed computer operator and amateur sleuth Ken Tanaka is thrilled at the chance to visit his ancestors' homeland, especially when it's courtesy of a Tokyo talk show that wants to interview him about his role in solving a recent murder case. But Ken's fifteen minutes of fame could prove fatal-- if the Japanese Mafia has its way. Why has the Yakuza targeted him ?
The answer, Ken discovers, is tied to the murder of an organized-crime figure in Manhattan...to the bizarre, sex-related death of a student in Japan...and to his own purchase of an ancient samurai sword at a Los Angeles garage sale. Now Ken is on the trail of a 300-year-old mystery that could soon have him pushing up bamboo shoots.
Unemployed computer operator and amateur sleuth Ken Tanaka is thrilled at the chance to visit his ancestors' homeland, especially when it's courtesy of a Tokyo talk show that wants to interview him about his role in solving a recent murder case. But Ken's fifteen minutes of fame could prove fatal-- if the Japanese Mafia has its way. Why has the Yakuza targeted him ?
The answer, Ken discovers, is tied to the murder of an organized-crime figure in Manhattan...to the bizarre, sex-related death of a student in Japan...and to his own purchase of an ancient samurai sword at a Los Angeles garage sale. Now Ken is on the trail of a 300-year-old mystery that could soon have him pushing up bamboo shoots.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1997
9 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Dale Furutani
20 books35 followersDale Furutani's first novel, Death in Little Tokyo, was nominated for an Agatha Award, and won Anthony and Macavity Awards for best first mystery. He lives in Los Angeles.
Series:
* Ken Tanaka
* Matsuyama Kaze
Series:
* Ken Tanaka
* Matsuyama Kaze
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 13, 2013
The book opens with a series of sinister events. There's a Ninja rappelling a skyscraper in a quest for something of value. The theft of an artifact from a Dutch museum. The drunken seduction and hanging of a young Japanese student. There's a connection between all of these events, one which will become clear to Ken Tanaka much later.
Ken has been downsized and recently engaged in some amateur sleuthing which resulted in solving a crime involving a Japanese businessman. A Japanese TV show wants to feature him in an episode and has offered to pay for a trip to Japan, all expenses covered. Being a third generation Japanese American, Ken is thrilled to have the opportunity to see the land of his family roots for the first time. Much is revealed to him during his time there, and his acknowledgment that he is truly an American, albeit a member of a minority population, is truly an epiphany. In Japan, he is accepted as being Japanese purely based on his outward appearance but he feels like an alien based on his American upbringing. In America, the opposite is true.
During his visit, Tanaka learns that he may possess a valuable samurai sword that belonged to the Toyotomi dynasty dating from the 1600s. The Toyotomis had a series of six swords or blades that held clues to the location of a treasure. Using computer enhancing techniques at the local Nissan offices, he narrows down the possible locations of the treasure. Threatened by the Yakuza mobsters, he uses all his wits to resolve the dilemma.
The book itself is a treasure. Ken is a very likeable protagonist, subject to making errors in judgment but maintaining a wry sense of humor. Furutani does an excellent job of painting a picture of a culture that is both known and unknown to us, building in unexpected humor along the way. From the description of a Japanese men's room to a unique way of preparing noodles, you'll be fascinated. The plotting is interesting, but Furutani's greatest strength is clearly in characterization. Don't miss this and the first in the series, Death in Little Tokyo.
Ken has been downsized and recently engaged in some amateur sleuthing which resulted in solving a crime involving a Japanese businessman. A Japanese TV show wants to feature him in an episode and has offered to pay for a trip to Japan, all expenses covered. Being a third generation Japanese American, Ken is thrilled to have the opportunity to see the land of his family roots for the first time. Much is revealed to him during his time there, and his acknowledgment that he is truly an American, albeit a member of a minority population, is truly an epiphany. In Japan, he is accepted as being Japanese purely based on his outward appearance but he feels like an alien based on his American upbringing. In America, the opposite is true.
During his visit, Tanaka learns that he may possess a valuable samurai sword that belonged to the Toyotomi dynasty dating from the 1600s. The Toyotomis had a series of six swords or blades that held clues to the location of a treasure. Using computer enhancing techniques at the local Nissan offices, he narrows down the possible locations of the treasure. Threatened by the Yakuza mobsters, he uses all his wits to resolve the dilemma.
The book itself is a treasure. Ken is a very likeable protagonist, subject to making errors in judgment but maintaining a wry sense of humor. Furutani does an excellent job of painting a picture of a culture that is both known and unknown to us, building in unexpected humor along the way. From the description of a Japanese men's room to a unique way of preparing noodles, you'll be fascinated. The plotting is interesting, but Furutani's greatest strength is clearly in characterization. Don't miss this and the first in the series, Death in Little Tokyo.
June 23, 2019
I want more Ken Tanaka mysteries!
I’m thoroughly enjoying all of Furutani’s novels, especially for their insights into Japanese history and culture and Japanese-American culture. I just want more of them!
I’m thoroughly enjoying all of Furutani’s novels, especially for their insights into Japanese history and culture and Japanese-American culture. I just want more of them!
June 1, 2021
More than ordinary enjoyment.
Wonderful combination of mystery history persona!it to make the reader difficult to put the book down !!!!!!!!! This is a book to read and remember.
Wonderful combination of mystery history persona!it to make the reader difficult to put the book down !!!!!!!!! This is a book to read and remember.
April 14, 2022
A sensei reader
A good read, also interesting connection as a Sensei with insight of racial and cultural dichotomy that is within one's mind.
A good read, also interesting connection as a Sensei with insight of racial and cultural dichotomy that is within one's mind.
March 1, 2015
Another great Ken Tanaka mystery. You do not have to read "Death in Little Tokyo" to be able to enjoy this book but I did like the way Furutani blended the stories somewhat. Tanaka receives a trip to Japan due to the mystery he solved in the last book...a sword from the first book features prominently in this tale too.
July 2, 2013
As fantastic as his Mr. Furutani's Matsuyama Kaze voice was, this was the opposite. Because I loved his samurai trilogy so much--it was infinitely enjoyable--I will be kind and just say I couldn't finish it.
November 6, 2016
Not bad but I like my heroes a little more confident. :) I love the plot point about the swords, but I felt the cutthroat villains introduced in the beginning kind of melted away and didn't live up to the standard I was expecting.
September 2, 2010
I really wanted to like this book so I could go on and read the series, but I found the tone and pacing slow and the plot boring. Ah well.
March 2, 2016
A good book to discover Japan . Good story but unfortunately not good enough as my expectation. I love the way of Ninja in this book .
August 24, 2016
Although reading the first book does help with this one I thoroughly enjoyed the setting in Japan and the twisty plot.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews