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Fogarty-Tanaka #2
Leopard
Accompanied by cosmetic surgeon Rachel Saunders, medical examiner Josef Tanaka returns to his native Japan for the first time in fifteen years when his brother is savagely murdered. To find the killer, he must rediscover his Japanese heritage - and plunge into the mysterious world of ritual tattoing, sumo wrestling, and the Yakuza. But Tanaka faces something even more deadly than gangsters; The Leopard, a remorseless human killing machine, swift, cunning, and unstoppable.
265 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 3, 2013
A taut, gripping, terrifying and suspenseful follow-up to Mantis, which I thoroughly enjoyed - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79... .
Leopard grabs and pulls you in from the first page, taking you on an explosive journey with Joey Tanaka, his fiancee Rachel and Bill Forgarty, which is set in Philadelphia and Tokyo in the trail of a chilling and yet another original serial killer.
Estranged from his Japanese father, after accidently crippling his half-brother in a karate match, Tanaka now has to face his guilt and his Japanese heritage, after being told about his brother’s death.
Travelling to Tokyo with Rachel, his fiancée who had been brutally assaulted by the killer in the previous book, they are greeted by Tanaka’s cousin, Ken Sato, a cold and unfeeling man who is not afraid to display his hatred for anything or anyone Western.
Tanaka learns that his brother had been murdered in the most savage and gruesome way. He sends Rachel back home to keep her safe, and with Bill Forgarty, who travels to Tokyo to help him, the two are soon pulled into the underbelly of the Yakuza and the world of sumo wrestling, right wing fanatics and being almost killed as they discover that a serial killer, known as Leopard, is responsible for the murders of rich Japanese industrialists with Western connections.
The characterization is absolutely stunning. You feel Tanaka’s guilt, questioning his Japanese side, his love/hate for the West, for Rachel. You see the cruelty and falseness underneath Ken Sato’s smiling and polite face which makes you agree with Rachel that he’s something more than evil. The interaction between Tanaka and his mother and father – the pain, love and hope. Really got to me.
A well-written and gripping plot, with great characters and settings, an unexpected finale, and a fabulous epilogue.
I’m amazed that this series hasn't been made into a movie!!!!!
Leopard grabs and pulls you in from the first page, taking you on an explosive journey with Joey Tanaka, his fiancee Rachel and Bill Forgarty, which is set in Philadelphia and Tokyo in the trail of a chilling and yet another original serial killer.
Estranged from his Japanese father, after accidently crippling his half-brother in a karate match, Tanaka now has to face his guilt and his Japanese heritage, after being told about his brother’s death.
Travelling to Tokyo with Rachel, his fiancée who had been brutally assaulted by the killer in the previous book, they are greeted by Tanaka’s cousin, Ken Sato, a cold and unfeeling man who is not afraid to display his hatred for anything or anyone Western.
Tanaka learns that his brother had been murdered in the most savage and gruesome way. He sends Rachel back home to keep her safe, and with Bill Forgarty, who travels to Tokyo to help him, the two are soon pulled into the underbelly of the Yakuza and the world of sumo wrestling, right wing fanatics and being almost killed as they discover that a serial killer, known as Leopard, is responsible for the murders of rich Japanese industrialists with Western connections.
The characterization is absolutely stunning. You feel Tanaka’s guilt, questioning his Japanese side, his love/hate for the West, for Rachel. You see the cruelty and falseness underneath Ken Sato’s smiling and polite face which makes you agree with Rachel that he’s something more than evil. The interaction between Tanaka and his mother and father – the pain, love and hope. Really got to me.
A well-written and gripping plot, with great characters and settings, an unexpected finale, and a fabulous epilogue.
I’m amazed that this series hasn't been made into a movie!!!!!
May 30, 2021
Read in 1997. Good mystery.
April 30, 2024
Not sure how authentic the depictions of Japan were, but isn't that the majesty?
April 28, 2016
Okay, just a quick review as I had read Mr La Plante's Fogarty & Tanaka series years ago. These are very much in the same vein as Eric Van Lustbader's Asian series of books and Marc Olden martial arts thrillers. So if you like that stuff you will probably like these. The unlikely pairing of a veteran cop and a Japanese/American forensics expert works well. Tanaka is a complex chap being duel heritage, feeling the pull of both. He is a respected and competent martial artist but this does not get in the way of the superbly written stories that run on their own merit. Serial killers, mentalists the two books Leopard and Mindkill are brilliant stories. Leopard deals with the pull of Tanaka's heritage and Mindkill features a villain who has the power of suggestion to the nth degree.
I enjoyed re reading these two books immensely.
I enjoyed re reading these two books immensely.
July 28, 2011
What a fantastic read! Very easy to read, grips you from the very start, a nice gruesome killing or two.....brilliant. I would definately recommend it to people.
December 7, 2007
Actually too violent for me.
February 18, 2014
beautiful
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews