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Jim Brodie #1
Japantown
In this fresh and engaging thriller, an American antique dealer-turned-reluctant-private eye must use his knowledge of Japanese culture to unravel a major murder in San Francisco, even as he and his daughter become targets for the same mysterious killer.Jim Brodie, a San Francisco antique dealer with ties to a Tokyo-based private investigation firm, receives a call one night from a friend at the SFPD: an entire family has been senselessly gunned down in the Japantown neighborhood of the bustling city. As an American born and raised in Japan, Brodie has advised the local police in the past, but when he arrives at the crime scene, the near-perfect murder offers only one clue--an unreadable scrap of paper that has devastating personal consequences not only for the victims but for Brodie himself.
With his array of Asian contacts and fluency in Japanese, Brodie follows leads gathered from a shadow powerbroker, a renegade Japanese detective, and the elusive tycoon at the center of the Japantown murders along a trail that takes him from the crime scene in California to terrorized citizens and informants in Japan. Step by step, he unravels a web of intrigue stretching back centuries and unearths a deadly secret that threatens not only his life but also those of his entire circle of family and friends.
Drawing on a wealth of insider information on Japanese culture, "Japantown" offers a riveting read and a terrific new series character in Jim Brodie.
With his array of Asian contacts and fluency in Japanese, Brodie follows leads gathered from a shadow powerbroker, a renegade Japanese detective, and the elusive tycoon at the center of the Japantown murders along a trail that takes him from the crime scene in California to terrorized citizens and informants in Japan. Step by step, he unravels a web of intrigue stretching back centuries and unearths a deadly secret that threatens not only his life but also those of his entire circle of family and friends.
Drawing on a wealth of insider information on Japanese culture, "Japantown" offers a riveting read and a terrific new series character in Jim Brodie.
432 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2013
108 people are currently reading
2681 people want to read
About the author
Barry Lancet
12 books170 followersBarry Lancet is the author of the award-winning international suspense series featuring Jim Brodie. The latest entry is THE SPY ACROSS THE TABLE (Simon & Schuster) and sends Brodie careening from Washington, D.C. and San Francisco to Japan, then on to South Korea, the DMZ, and the Chinese-North Korean border in a story that could have been ripped from today’s headlines. In one of the first advance reviews, Publishers’ Weekly said that “Lancet keeps the suspense high through the exciting climax.”
The previous entry in the series, PACIFIC BURN, explores the tragic aftermath of the Fukushima quake-tsunami disaster and the real reasons behind the nuclear melt down. JAPANTOWN, the first Brodie adventure, won the Barry Award for Best First Novel, was initially optioned by J. J. Abrams, and is now under consideration at other studios. The second volume, TOKYO KILL, was a finalist for a Shamus Award for Best Novel of the Year and declared a must-read by Forbes magazine.
An American from California, Lancet has lived in Japan for more than twenty years. His editorial position at one of the Japan’s largest publishing houses allowed him access behind many closed doors, and his overseas experiences lend his novels a true insider’s authenticity.
The previous entry in the series, PACIFIC BURN, explores the tragic aftermath of the Fukushima quake-tsunami disaster and the real reasons behind the nuclear melt down. JAPANTOWN, the first Brodie adventure, won the Barry Award for Best First Novel, was initially optioned by J. J. Abrams, and is now under consideration at other studios. The second volume, TOKYO KILL, was a finalist for a Shamus Award for Best Novel of the Year and declared a must-read by Forbes magazine.
An American from California, Lancet has lived in Japan for more than twenty years. His editorial position at one of the Japan’s largest publishing houses allowed him access behind many closed doors, and his overseas experiences lend his novels a true insider’s authenticity.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 260 reviews
January 2, 2017
In this tense thriller set primarily in San Francisco and Tokyo. In the Japantown district of San Francisco, five members of a visiting Japanese family are wiped out in a brutal and violent manner. Ex-LAPD cop, widower Jim Brodie is now a antiques dealer who part owns a Tokyo private investigation company. He was born and bought up in Japan, so it is no surprise the SFPD turn to him for help. There are no clues to the murders other than a blood drenched kanji note found at the scene. Jim is baffled by the kanji but it reminds him of one found at his wife's death at a family house fire. He is determined to delve into the kanji and the murders. Despite having considerable skills, Jim's investigation brings considerable danger to his friends, daughter and himself. He encounters corruption, deceit, intrigue, greed and the Soga clan. There is a complicated plot, although over-egged and over dramatic for my tastes. I liked the story well enough, although I am sure many others will enjoy it more than me. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for an ARC.
October 22, 2024
Добър криминален трилър, който ни позволява да надникнем в иначе добре прикритата от външни очи структура на японското общество.
Лансет се е постарал и като добър познавач на Япония ни дава информация за консервативната и безмилостна японска бюрокрация, за безмилостния бизнес етикет на големите корпорации, както и за военните престъпления на Имперска Япония преди и по времето на ВСВ, които някак са останали неглижирани и непризнати основно поради факта, че на САЩ им е трябвала тази страна като съюзник за да умиротворят трайно региона.
Интересна, макар и на моменти малко фантасмагорична история - хареса ми!
P.S. Естествено, издателство "Бард" не са си направили труда да издадат следващите книги от поредицата...
Лансет се е постарал и като добър познавач на Япония ни дава информация за консервативната и безмилостна японска бюрокрация, за безмилостния бизнес етикет на големите корпорации, както и за военните престъпления на Имперска Япония преди и по времето на ВСВ, които някак са останали неглижирани и непризнати основно поради факта, че на САЩ им е трябвала тази страна като съюзник за да умиротворят трайно региона.
Интересна, макар и на моменти малко фантасмагорична история - хареса ми!
P.S. Естествено, издателство "Бард" не са си направили труда да издадат следващите книги от поредицата...
December 25, 2013
Small spoilers. Really wanted to like this book, but I think that comes from having lived in Japan and being familiar with the language, the society, and the history of the country. The last 10% of the book was ridiculous, and not in a good way. Bad guy after bad guy steps out to face the good guy in the middle of the woods and he wins every single time. James Bond movie speechifying by the bad guys in the finale undermines the fearsome ruthlessness the author spent the first 90% creating and building for this army of merciless mercenaries. The conclusion is just one glaring bit of horrible writing. There are just too many coincidences and contrivances, the main character's skill set is too unbelievable, his daughter acts and talks like no six year old, so many issues. This a not a good book.
December 4, 2013
The exciting ending, meaning the slew of events that lead to the final showdown, the last hundred pages or so, forced me decisively to bump the rating to four stars. I also bumped it up because I don’t want to do a disservice. I suspect a majority of mystery/thriller fans will find a lot, a lot, to love in Barry Lancet’s first novel, Japantown, so take my slight objections with a spot of soy sauce.
So what’s to love? Well, the lead, Jim Brodie, ain’t too bad, and since the author bio on the flap promises a series and the author’s formidable skills suggest even better novels to come, I think it’s possible Jim Brodie may grow to be a favorite and beloved character of the genre. Right now, the only thing that may tire you about him is . Other highlights include the fact that the setting and situation is complex, Brodie has a past and a young child, but the pacing is nevertheless fast. Some digressions did not interest me because I’m familiar with Japan and most of the included Japan related tidbits, but those digressions were slight and did not detract, even to me. Mr. Lancet must have held back (or been edited back), because I suspect he’s a lot more knowledgeable about Japan than I am. Weapon details and the intricacies and intimacies of close combat fooled me and may even have been accurate. All I can say is the action scenes were crisp and clean, the actions understandable and believable, though of course occasionally overly coincidental. (But only Bill Clinton and a few others can read a mystery/thriller and not find the lead’s good fortune just a tad too much.)
Brodie is an art dealer and, due to his father’s profession, a semi-reluctant, part-time PI. He manages himself believably well for the most part, I thought, despite ample twists and turns. I am not the kind of reader who is dead set on trying to predict things, but I worked at it and lost some points. I’ll wager you’ll lose some too, maybe not all. Brodie’s daughter is eventually drawn into it, and the author went out of his way to make her trauma/input realistic, especially during the climatic events.
So what’s not to love? Maybe I’m peculiar, but a few of my pet peeves appeared, though admirably they did not claw at me as much as I’d expect. Still. At times I had to clench my teeth and look over my shoulder. Such as 1), the villain. The murder in San Francisco of a visiting Japanese family, including their young children, is the work of a killer, killers, who are extremely adept, extraordinarily well-trained and all that jazz. Hope that makes my pet peeve clear, though I have to say Mr. Lancet managed it without inducing serial eye-rolling. I never threw the book aside in disgust, I merely sat up straighter and grew cautious, vigilant. And 2), the villain. Brodie, the hero, was raised, in part, in Japan, and the villains, he learns somewhat quickly so I don’t think this is a spoiler but if you’re worried skip, the villains .
Buy now and get in on the bottom floor of an exciting new series!
So what’s to love? Well, the lead, Jim Brodie, ain’t too bad, and since the author bio on the flap promises a series and the author’s formidable skills suggest even better novels to come, I think it’s possible Jim Brodie may grow to be a favorite and beloved character of the genre. Right now, the only thing that may tire you about him is . Other highlights include the fact that the setting and situation is complex, Brodie has a past and a young child, but the pacing is nevertheless fast. Some digressions did not interest me because I’m familiar with Japan and most of the included Japan related tidbits, but those digressions were slight and did not detract, even to me. Mr. Lancet must have held back (or been edited back), because I suspect he’s a lot more knowledgeable about Japan than I am. Weapon details and the intricacies and intimacies of close combat fooled me and may even have been accurate. All I can say is the action scenes were crisp and clean, the actions understandable and believable, though of course occasionally overly coincidental. (But only Bill Clinton and a few others can read a mystery/thriller and not find the lead’s good fortune just a tad too much.)
Brodie is an art dealer and, due to his father’s profession, a semi-reluctant, part-time PI. He manages himself believably well for the most part, I thought, despite ample twists and turns. I am not the kind of reader who is dead set on trying to predict things, but I worked at it and lost some points. I’ll wager you’ll lose some too, maybe not all. Brodie’s daughter is eventually drawn into it, and the author went out of his way to make her trauma/input realistic, especially during the climatic events.
So what’s not to love? Maybe I’m peculiar, but a few of my pet peeves appeared, though admirably they did not claw at me as much as I’d expect. Still. At times I had to clench my teeth and look over my shoulder. Such as 1), the villain. The murder in San Francisco of a visiting Japanese family, including their young children, is the work of a killer, killers, who are extremely adept, extraordinarily well-trained and all that jazz. Hope that makes my pet peeve clear, though I have to say Mr. Lancet managed it without inducing serial eye-rolling. I never threw the book aside in disgust, I merely sat up straighter and grew cautious, vigilant. And 2), the villain. Brodie, the hero, was raised, in part, in Japan, and the villains, he learns somewhat quickly so I don’t think this is a spoiler but if you’re worried skip, the villains .
Buy now and get in on the bottom floor of an exciting new series!
December 4, 2013
Won Through a Goodreads Giveaway
I should have opened this book upon receiving it in the mail but in the interest of me being a slacker I decided to put it on the back-burner. Big Mistake! Huge!(In my Pretty Woman voice to those snobby Rodeo Drive women.) Japantown by Barry Lancet is what I look for in all thrillers. A great plot that has all the bells and whistles such as dead bodies, major butt-kicking, and impossibly awesome villains is nonnegotiable. Thank you Barry Lancet for fulfilling this criteria.
An antique dealer, Jim Brodie, is asked to consult with the San Francisco PD on a recent murder of a Japanese family. Because of his expertise in all things Japan, he's the go to guy. He's also part-owner of his deceased father's PI firm in Japan. Immediately Brodie notices there is something very calculated and expert about this killing. Similar to his wife's death, there is a kanji note found at the murder. Ultimately, his investigation places him in a dangerous position that threatens the life of his friends and his only living relative.
Barry Lancet uses his knowledge of Japanese culture and the language to write Japantown. This debut novel is descriptive, absorbing, and thrilling. Suffice it to say it does not read like a debut novel. Lancet scraps unnecessary dialogue for a more intelligent thriller. Instead of littering the pages with failed one-liners, Lancet goes for a more believable approach with a strong pivotal character.
Japantown shifts focus between Jim Brodie's narratives and a third party view of the bad guys movements. It is not clear how the two are related but we are privy to the understanding that Jim has definitely pissed the wrong guy off. As more layers of mystery are unraveled, the tension is palpable. The world of high-stakes business is a lot more deadly than one would have thought.
Barry Lancet is a great new voice in the thriller genre. I hope his next novel is just as good as Japantown. It's an in-depth look at Japanese culture, business, and values. Sign me up for his next book. PLEASE!?!
I should have opened this book upon receiving it in the mail but in the interest of me being a slacker I decided to put it on the back-burner. Big Mistake! Huge!(In my Pretty Woman voice to those snobby Rodeo Drive women.) Japantown by Barry Lancet is what I look for in all thrillers. A great plot that has all the bells and whistles such as dead bodies, major butt-kicking, and impossibly awesome villains is nonnegotiable. Thank you Barry Lancet for fulfilling this criteria.
An antique dealer, Jim Brodie, is asked to consult with the San Francisco PD on a recent murder of a Japanese family. Because of his expertise in all things Japan, he's the go to guy. He's also part-owner of his deceased father's PI firm in Japan. Immediately Brodie notices there is something very calculated and expert about this killing. Similar to his wife's death, there is a kanji note found at the murder. Ultimately, his investigation places him in a dangerous position that threatens the life of his friends and his only living relative.
Barry Lancet uses his knowledge of Japanese culture and the language to write Japantown. This debut novel is descriptive, absorbing, and thrilling. Suffice it to say it does not read like a debut novel. Lancet scraps unnecessary dialogue for a more intelligent thriller. Instead of littering the pages with failed one-liners, Lancet goes for a more believable approach with a strong pivotal character.
Japantown shifts focus between Jim Brodie's narratives and a third party view of the bad guys movements. It is not clear how the two are related but we are privy to the understanding that Jim has definitely pissed the wrong guy off. As more layers of mystery are unraveled, the tension is palpable. The world of high-stakes business is a lot more deadly than one would have thought.
Barry Lancet is a great new voice in the thriller genre. I hope his next novel is just as good as Japantown. It's an in-depth look at Japanese culture, business, and values. Sign me up for his next book. PLEASE!?!
October 29, 2016
When five members of a rich and powerful Japanese family are gunned down assassination-style at a pedestrian mall in San Francisco's Japantown, Jim Brodie is consulted by SFPD. He is a part time antique dealer and part time PI, owning 50% of a successful firm in Tokyo started by his father. A single, highly complex Kanji character left on a scrap of paper at the scene is identical to one left at his wife Meiko's murder. This leads him back to Tokyo, where his best operative and he join forces, and find themselves battling a powerful, secretive clan: the Soga, who have been assassins for hire for many centuries. Lots of action, but rather predictable, and a strong need for suspending believability.
December 28, 2013
What I liked about this extraordinary mystery/thriller was the originality of the uber-evil group responsible for a massacre in San Francisco's Japan-town. An American detective/antique dealer with a Japanese background and connection is asked by the SFPD to help find the motive and those responsible for the massacre resulting in a fast paced, complex thriller. This is debut novel in a series that firmly establishes Barry Lancet as a major factor in the genre. I recommend it highly.
May 21, 2016
I'm not sure where this book lost me. It might have been when the suggestion that a mole might be in Brodie's little group came up and then nobody bothered to investigate it. Then, at the end, Brodie is shocked that there was indeed an infiltrator (and it is so obvious who it is, but that's another issue).
Either way, I chugged through, and by the end, I was wishing I hadn't bothered. Cliches abound (the entire bad guy group is one enormous cliche). The dialogue is somewhat clunky (does any grown man actually say to another adult's suggestion, "Let's not and say we did?"). Brodie's daughter may be a six-year old girl, but she certainly doesn't talk like one. Brodie's narration attempts self-deprecation but only succeeds in making it look like he thinks a awful lot of himself and his abilities. The Japanese-to-English translations in conversations seem like they're used just for the author to show off. And the way Brodie peps himself up to face the bad guys is to say that "everyone has their own Japantown to face," which I'm pretty sure is an idea that is not just hokey but is also cribbed from the motivational speech at the end of "The Three Amigos."
I can't count the amount of times my husband (who lived in Japan for ten years - not as many as Lancet, obviously, but still more than my paltry three years) rolled his eyes when I talked to him about this book. I know I rolled mine at least three times. There's nothing really new here, but that's not what makes it bad. It's not a very thrilling novel, and I find it impossible to muster up any interest in the "highly insular and still-active secret ninja clan" trope. Especially when it's written as awkwardly as this.
My husband summed it up thusly: "Sounds like a comic book." And yes, that's exactly how it feels. It does not feel like serious fiction. There's not much mystery, there's not much "thriller," and the story never really gripped me. I think I'll be skipping Lancet's next installment.
Either way, I chugged through, and by the end, I was wishing I hadn't bothered. Cliches abound (the entire bad guy group is one enormous cliche). The dialogue is somewhat clunky (does any grown man actually say to another adult's suggestion, "Let's not and say we did?"). Brodie's daughter may be a six-year old girl, but she certainly doesn't talk like one. Brodie's narration attempts self-deprecation but only succeeds in making it look like he thinks a awful lot of himself and his abilities. The Japanese-to-English translations in conversations seem like they're used just for the author to show off. And the way Brodie peps himself up to face the bad guys is to say that "everyone has their own Japantown to face," which I'm pretty sure is an idea that is not just hokey but is also cribbed from the motivational speech at the end of "The Three Amigos."
I can't count the amount of times my husband (who lived in Japan for ten years - not as many as Lancet, obviously, but still more than my paltry three years) rolled his eyes when I talked to him about this book. I know I rolled mine at least three times. There's nothing really new here, but that's not what makes it bad. It's not a very thrilling novel, and I find it impossible to muster up any interest in the "highly insular and still-active secret ninja clan" trope. Especially when it's written as awkwardly as this.
My husband summed it up thusly: "Sounds like a comic book." And yes, that's exactly how it feels. It does not feel like serious fiction. There's not much mystery, there's not much "thriller," and the story never really gripped me. I think I'll be skipping Lancet's next installment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2014
This book had all the elements to make a fantastic thriller and somewhere near the last 1/3, it lost it. Outstanding setup: five members of a family shot professionally in Japantown with no connection to anything at all; no witnesses, no evidence. Brodie, a widower with a young daughter, is called in to discuss kanji found at the scene. He is a Japanese art aficionado and half owner of a PI firm in Tokyo, a company he inherited from his father. We're introduced to the major characters (including the dark side invisible players) in a beautifully paced, artful outline. So much promise! Then the author loses it. Formula reveals, predictable events, usual suspect roundups of too-familiar characterizations, and a rolling number of monologues from previously taciturn types which smacks loudly of writing inexperience. A few of these I cannot believe the editors didn't insist be handled a different way. Expeditionary forces become expositionary forces. Once this began, the suspension of belief in the set-up is gone. I got tied up in prose. "I fanned left." Not sure if one person can fan, but there we are. And one chapter begins with "Just then a..." which my 5th grade teacher would have redlined out. Lancet has talent, he has the credentials to do a cross-world thriller, and I expect his writing skills will improve now that the debut novel is on the shelf. I read on the flap this is the first in a Jim Brodie series. I hope the editors get engaged before book two is out.
December 4, 2013
Before getting into the actual review, let me say that I was privileged to win an advance proof copy of Japantown from goodreads. Thank you, goodreads!
Barry Lancet’s Japantown is outstandingly entertaining reading! As a person with a lifelong fascination with Japan and a love for high-action stories, I had been looking forward with great anticipation to reading Japantown. I knew of the author’s many years’ residence and work experience in Japan, and the book had been billed as a gripping thriller. So my expectations were set pretty high. I was not disappointed! When I put the book down each night, I could hardly wait to pick it up again the next.
We readers constantly search for something fresh in the genres we love—a new angle, a surprising twist, some fresh seasoning. Lancet capably delivers. Japanese culture is at the same time subtle and complex, dramatic and refined, intense and self-controlled. What a pleasure to read an author who so skillfully weaves into his story the excitement, color, and sophistication of such an exotic culture! Yet he doesn’t overdo it. Just the right amount of wasabi.
The reader who has little familiarity with Japanese culture will certainly still feel right at home with the novel. The story starts and ends in the U.S. The protagonist and many of the key characters are Americans. And the book's style--while richly and thoroughly infused with captivating Japanese elements--is comfortably American. (And I mean that in a good sense.)
Jim Brodie is a very likable protagonist. He draws on a wealth of experience to work his way through the plot’s complications. He’s an endearing dad with a lovable daughter. Meanwhile, he has to contend with haunting and potentially crippling factors from his past—the loss of loved ones, memories of a father whose standards he’s never quite sure he can measure up to.
I loved the supporting cast—Noda comes to mind, especially. The antagonists? Well, figuring out who's a bad guy and who isn't--that's part of the great fun of the book. And part of what makes the novel so unsettling at times is knowing that, in the story as in real life, some of the criminal elements are well ensconced in places where we just don't want them to be.
Japantown proves that a great story can be written with power and emotion, yet without pointless profanity or gratuitous gore. Yes, the crimes are painted with sufficient, genuine realism and detail. The fight scenes pack plenty of adrenaline-inducing punch. Characters become angry, furious, enraged, broken, vulnerable, and tender—and the reader feels the full impact of it all. Yet Lancet delivers the full intensity of the story with a refreshing mastery of miyabi (the Japanese cultural virtue that rejects that which is needlessly vulgar).
My only criticism of the book has to do with the resolution of the crisis. Without giving away anything about the outcome, I simply felt that the conflict was stretched out just a few pages longer than it optimally should have been. But that’s an opinion that each reader will need to come to on their own.
All-in-all, what an enjoyable read! Thanks and congratulations to Barry Lancet!
Japantown: A ThrillerBarry Lancet
Barry Lancet’s Japantown is outstandingly entertaining reading! As a person with a lifelong fascination with Japan and a love for high-action stories, I had been looking forward with great anticipation to reading Japantown. I knew of the author’s many years’ residence and work experience in Japan, and the book had been billed as a gripping thriller. So my expectations were set pretty high. I was not disappointed! When I put the book down each night, I could hardly wait to pick it up again the next.
We readers constantly search for something fresh in the genres we love—a new angle, a surprising twist, some fresh seasoning. Lancet capably delivers. Japanese culture is at the same time subtle and complex, dramatic and refined, intense and self-controlled. What a pleasure to read an author who so skillfully weaves into his story the excitement, color, and sophistication of such an exotic culture! Yet he doesn’t overdo it. Just the right amount of wasabi.
The reader who has little familiarity with Japanese culture will certainly still feel right at home with the novel. The story starts and ends in the U.S. The protagonist and many of the key characters are Americans. And the book's style--while richly and thoroughly infused with captivating Japanese elements--is comfortably American. (And I mean that in a good sense.)
Jim Brodie is a very likable protagonist. He draws on a wealth of experience to work his way through the plot’s complications. He’s an endearing dad with a lovable daughter. Meanwhile, he has to contend with haunting and potentially crippling factors from his past—the loss of loved ones, memories of a father whose standards he’s never quite sure he can measure up to.
I loved the supporting cast—Noda comes to mind, especially. The antagonists? Well, figuring out who's a bad guy and who isn't--that's part of the great fun of the book. And part of what makes the novel so unsettling at times is knowing that, in the story as in real life, some of the criminal elements are well ensconced in places where we just don't want them to be.
Japantown proves that a great story can be written with power and emotion, yet without pointless profanity or gratuitous gore. Yes, the crimes are painted with sufficient, genuine realism and detail. The fight scenes pack plenty of adrenaline-inducing punch. Characters become angry, furious, enraged, broken, vulnerable, and tender—and the reader feels the full impact of it all. Yet Lancet delivers the full intensity of the story with a refreshing mastery of miyabi (the Japanese cultural virtue that rejects that which is needlessly vulgar).
My only criticism of the book has to do with the resolution of the crisis. Without giving away anything about the outcome, I simply felt that the conflict was stretched out just a few pages longer than it optimally should have been. But that’s an opinion that each reader will need to come to on their own.
All-in-all, what an enjoyable read! Thanks and congratulations to Barry Lancet!
Japantown: A ThrillerBarry Lancet
October 7, 2013
“Japantown” by Barry Lancet, published by Simon & Schuster.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – September 03, 2013
Jim Brodie runs a Japanese antique store in San Francisco; his father also left him a Security Firm in Tokyo. Brodie is called to a brutal family murder in the Japantown part of San Francisco. The reason he was brought in on the case was a slip of paper found at the murder scene. The slip of paper had a Kanji symbol on it that matched the one found when his wife was killed. Kanji are Chinese characters used in the modern Japanese writing system. The family was gunned down and there are absolutely no clues for the police to work on.
Brodie begins to search out the meaning of the Kanji and those responsible for it. This takes him to Tokyo where he discovers an ancient Japanese clan called Soga. This was a powerful clan in early Japanese history. It seems as if this clan has reinvented itself in modern history and has become a formidable, although clandestine, part of Japanese politics and industry. While in Tokyo Brodie discovers a town that is totally controlled by the clan and barely gets a way with his life when he enters the town for some answers. Brodie returns to the United States with more questions and answers and finds that he has become a pawn in the workings of the Soga. His life is further complicated when his 9 year old daughter is kidnapped and used against him for their purposes. Making matters worse the Soga seems to know every action he takes leading to the belief that a traitor is in his organization.
This is an excellent read especially for those interested in Japanese history, culture, and mores. It is a very good read for those who are looking for a mystery that is involved and not your typical murder mystery.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – September 03, 2013
Jim Brodie runs a Japanese antique store in San Francisco; his father also left him a Security Firm in Tokyo. Brodie is called to a brutal family murder in the Japantown part of San Francisco. The reason he was brought in on the case was a slip of paper found at the murder scene. The slip of paper had a Kanji symbol on it that matched the one found when his wife was killed. Kanji are Chinese characters used in the modern Japanese writing system. The family was gunned down and there are absolutely no clues for the police to work on.
Brodie begins to search out the meaning of the Kanji and those responsible for it. This takes him to Tokyo where he discovers an ancient Japanese clan called Soga. This was a powerful clan in early Japanese history. It seems as if this clan has reinvented itself in modern history and has become a formidable, although clandestine, part of Japanese politics and industry. While in Tokyo Brodie discovers a town that is totally controlled by the clan and barely gets a way with his life when he enters the town for some answers. Brodie returns to the United States with more questions and answers and finds that he has become a pawn in the workings of the Soga. His life is further complicated when his 9 year old daughter is kidnapped and used against him for their purposes. Making matters worse the Soga seems to know every action he takes leading to the belief that a traitor is in his organization.
This is an excellent read especially for those interested in Japanese history, culture, and mores. It is a very good read for those who are looking for a mystery that is involved and not your typical murder mystery.
July 8, 2019
Jim Brodie, a San Francisco dealer in art objects and a man with deep roots in Japan, becomes entangled in the investigation of the murder of an entire family of Japanese in San Francisco. There is some real intricacy and excitement in this story, but there is also an awful lot of over-the-top, clichéd "unstoppable secret society" ninja-type stuff that smacks more of 1980s potboiler action movies than real life. I read a lot of crime novels set in Japan and I approached this one with hope. It was not remotely a distressing experience, but I spent far too much time in the course of reading saying, "So what?" to myself. There are characters who are world-class experts at various activities who happen to be whiling away their time in inconsequential work until they just happen to have answers the protagonist desperately needs, and there are absolutely, indubitably trustworthy characters who turn out to be rats just because someone had to be the rat. It was a nice time-passer of a novel, but nothing more. I won't be returning for others in the series, of which this is the first.
December 20, 2017
A novel that seems slightly out of time, as if it should have been written during the late 80s, when everyone was scared of Japan Inc., before 20 years of recession and depression.
Japanese antique dealer/Pi Jim Brodie is minding his own business, trying to raise his daughter, when he is called in to consult at a crime scene. He spots a kanji exactly like one present at the death of his wife.
He tries to trace and translate the kanji, and finds an ancient ninja cult that has assets all over the world.
Pretty good stuff, really, although the ninja cult seems to become a lot less lethal at the end of the book.
Japanese antique dealer/Pi Jim Brodie is minding his own business, trying to raise his daughter, when he is called in to consult at a crime scene. He spots a kanji exactly like one present at the death of his wife.
He tries to trace and translate the kanji, and finds an ancient ninja cult that has assets all over the world.
Pretty good stuff, really, although the ninja cult seems to become a lot less lethal at the end of the book.
November 24, 2013
Well, another big decision to abandon a book. I don't know what's going on with me - are my tastes changing? Perhaps it's my interest level....I can't tell. I greatly enjoyed the beginning of this book, but now it's dragging. I don't even care why everything is happening. I'm getting confused about all the people - lots and lots of Japanese names and aliases, waaaaay to hard to remember who's who. Lots of random killing by people who apparently love to kill and have been trained to do it well for centuries. Nope. Gonna go on. Sorry, Mr. Lancet.
December 19, 2018
Deserves every star, what an epic tale of racing against time to get a shadowy organization, a story that spans the west and the east, highly recomend it to anyone who enjoy the mix of east and west, a high triller chase against time to catch a killer.
June 3, 2013
I have to admit, this is a slightly difficult review to write. Why? Because when it came down to myself, my own personal preferences, I didn’t really get into this book. It’s not exactly my type of thriller. That said, I will say that for the most part this is a rather slick little read with a few tricks in its bag. Fans of slow atmospheric thrillers will undoubtedly love this read, which takes place over a period of just over a week's time in the book.
Part of what did impress me as far as this book goes was that despite being the main character, Brodie isn't really much of a major cog in the events here. His movements do spur some of the plot points into action, but as far as catalysts go he's sort of just someone that goes where the tides take him rather than dictating how things go. If anything, he’s buffeted around by the forces around him, helpless to go wherever the tides take him. He’s very much a pawn in a larger game and this point gets hammered in with each passing day that Brodie is out and about looking for clues.
Now one of the things that both helped and harmed the book at times was the attention to detail given to everything and the wide cast of characters. Lancet gives lavish detail to various people, places, and things, especially when the book's plot shifts over to Japan. This sometimes works in the book's favor. For example, the large cast of characters helps show how deep the proverbial rabbit hole goes in this novel. However at the same time mentioning some events and people just to show a point, never to really mention them again also sometimes works against Japantown. It's a lot of information to take in and it occasionally feels a little superfluous. I couldn't help but feel that sometimes the book could have been a little more streamlined in places. Sometimes some of the information just felt a little incomplete because there was just so much going on at one time, making me feel like this was the second book in a series rather than a debut novel. Lancet is a little too overly ambitious at times for the book's benefit.
Now all criticism aside, I have to say that I was still pretty impressed by Japantown. While this isn't a perfect debut novel, it's still a decent one by someone I think has a lot of potential to gain a sizable following. I'll be honest when I say that I probably won't read his next book, but that's more due to a personal preference than any failing on his part. I will say that I'd absolutely recommend his writing to anyone who wants something along the lines of say, The Interpreter (the film, I mean). I'd say that my enjoyment level for this book was about 3 to 3 1/2 stars, but given that I'm fully aware that this is outside of my normal reading level, I'm rounding this up to four stars. I may not have been completely sold on this book, but I have absolutely no doubt that this book will gain Lancet a pretty solid fan following, which will only grow as he becomes more and more familiar with writing full length novels.
(ARC provided through Amazon Vine)
Part of what did impress me as far as this book goes was that despite being the main character, Brodie isn't really much of a major cog in the events here. His movements do spur some of the plot points into action, but as far as catalysts go he's sort of just someone that goes where the tides take him rather than dictating how things go. If anything, he’s buffeted around by the forces around him, helpless to go wherever the tides take him. He’s very much a pawn in a larger game and this point gets hammered in with each passing day that Brodie is out and about looking for clues.
Now one of the things that both helped and harmed the book at times was the attention to detail given to everything and the wide cast of characters. Lancet gives lavish detail to various people, places, and things, especially when the book's plot shifts over to Japan. This sometimes works in the book's favor. For example, the large cast of characters helps show how deep the proverbial rabbit hole goes in this novel. However at the same time mentioning some events and people just to show a point, never to really mention them again also sometimes works against Japantown. It's a lot of information to take in and it occasionally feels a little superfluous. I couldn't help but feel that sometimes the book could have been a little more streamlined in places. Sometimes some of the information just felt a little incomplete because there was just so much going on at one time, making me feel like this was the second book in a series rather than a debut novel. Lancet is a little too overly ambitious at times for the book's benefit.
Now all criticism aside, I have to say that I was still pretty impressed by Japantown. While this isn't a perfect debut novel, it's still a decent one by someone I think has a lot of potential to gain a sizable following. I'll be honest when I say that I probably won't read his next book, but that's more due to a personal preference than any failing on his part. I will say that I'd absolutely recommend his writing to anyone who wants something along the lines of say, The Interpreter (the film, I mean). I'd say that my enjoyment level for this book was about 3 to 3 1/2 stars, but given that I'm fully aware that this is outside of my normal reading level, I'm rounding this up to four stars. I may not have been completely sold on this book, but I have absolutely no doubt that this book will gain Lancet a pretty solid fan following, which will only grow as he becomes more and more familiar with writing full length novels.
(ARC provided through Amazon Vine)
February 2, 2015
Different protagonist than what I am used to reading. Daniel Silva has his main character, Allon, who does double duty as assassin and art restorer. Lancet has created his character doing double duty as a private investigator and antiques dealer.
Because Lancet spent considerable amount of time in Japan himself, he is very comfortable when writing about history and culture. Always nice to read a novel that also gives me a little bit of an education.
On the downside, Lancet made Jim Brodie a single father of a six year old girl. It's not much of a stretch to see where the bad guys are going with this information. Pretty predictable.
Because Lancet spent considerable amount of time in Japan himself, he is very comfortable when writing about history and culture. Always nice to read a novel that also gives me a little bit of an education.
On the downside, Lancet made Jim Brodie a single father of a six year old girl. It's not much of a stretch to see where the bad guys are going with this information. Pretty predictable.
June 6, 2017
To me, the title suggested the story was set in a much earlier era but the plot and characters are very modern day. The first chapter sets the tone for non-stop action and never let's up.
Mr. Lancet writes about what he knows since taking up residence in Japan. What he hasn't experienced, he obviously did in depth research to present a believable story. This is not to suggest there is no need for suspension of disbelief. But the story is a well written adventure worth the reader's time and in return offers fast paced entertainment.
One must also weigh the benefits of putting an end to a criminal element against the detriment of involving the protagonist's young child in the ultimate solution. The author's approach to the climactic scenes seems to justify the means.
Mr. Lancet writes about what he knows since taking up residence in Japan. What he hasn't experienced, he obviously did in depth research to present a believable story. This is not to suggest there is no need for suspension of disbelief. But the story is a well written adventure worth the reader's time and in return offers fast paced entertainment.
One must also weigh the benefits of putting an end to a criminal element against the detriment of involving the protagonist's young child in the ultimate solution. The author's approach to the climactic scenes seems to justify the means.
April 1, 2024
Japantown (Jim Brodie #1) by Barry Lancet was a fun read, but that ending was kind of ridiculous. I did appreciate that the Japanese language and culture gets worked into the story decently though. I doubt I'll continue this mystery thriller series.
March 19, 2014
Japantown
By Barry Lancet
Simon & Schuster
September, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4516-9169-6
Hardcover, 398 pp., $25.00
Reviewed by Gloria Feit
The eponymous area of San Francisco is comprises six square blocks and the scene, early in this new novel by Barry Lancet, of a horrendous murder of three adults and three children. (Ultimately one learns that the second man was in fact the bodyguard of the woman, who is the daughter of a wealthy and powerful Japanese mogul.) There are “no fingerprints, no trace evidence, no witnesses” and no clues except for a blood-drenched slip of paper bearing an unreadable kanji, a unique Japanese character.
Jim Brodie, formerly LAPD, is now a 32-year-old private detective who is a 6’ 1”, 190-lb. Caucasian with black hair and blue eyes, had lived for the first 17 years of his life in Japan, where he has his office; he also has a shop in San Francisco where he repairs and sells art and antiques, primarily Oriental. (He says of himself that he is “refined on the one hand, brutish on the other,” and wonders if he can “make the leap from things people created to things they destroyed.”) He is called in as a consultant by the SFPD to assist in the investigation, and is staggered by the enormity of the crime. Brodie is a fascinating protagonist, intent in finding the perpetrators, but equally dedicated to protecting his six-year-old daughter, all the more so after having lost his Japanese wife in a lethal fire which had destroyed their home. The ensuing events put Brodie, his daughter, and all those around him and involved in the chase in great danger as it soon becomes evident that they are looking for a serial killer (or killers).
The novel is obviously very well-researched, beyond the author’s own apparent knowledge of Japanese culture, history and martial arts. The plot draws the reader in. I have to admit that in the early pages I thought some of the dialogue a bit overwrought, but that reaction dissipated as I read further. The book is action-filled and suspenseful and surprises, as Brodie digs deeper into a twisting plot whose tentacles reach through parts of Asia, Europe, and the US to find the killers, of whom the description “ruthless” doesn’t even come close. A thriller in every sense of the word, the novel is recommended.
By Barry Lancet
Simon & Schuster
September, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4516-9169-6
Hardcover, 398 pp., $25.00
Reviewed by Gloria Feit
The eponymous area of San Francisco is comprises six square blocks and the scene, early in this new novel by Barry Lancet, of a horrendous murder of three adults and three children. (Ultimately one learns that the second man was in fact the bodyguard of the woman, who is the daughter of a wealthy and powerful Japanese mogul.) There are “no fingerprints, no trace evidence, no witnesses” and no clues except for a blood-drenched slip of paper bearing an unreadable kanji, a unique Japanese character.
Jim Brodie, formerly LAPD, is now a 32-year-old private detective who is a 6’ 1”, 190-lb. Caucasian with black hair and blue eyes, had lived for the first 17 years of his life in Japan, where he has his office; he also has a shop in San Francisco where he repairs and sells art and antiques, primarily Oriental. (He says of himself that he is “refined on the one hand, brutish on the other,” and wonders if he can “make the leap from things people created to things they destroyed.”) He is called in as a consultant by the SFPD to assist in the investigation, and is staggered by the enormity of the crime. Brodie is a fascinating protagonist, intent in finding the perpetrators, but equally dedicated to protecting his six-year-old daughter, all the more so after having lost his Japanese wife in a lethal fire which had destroyed their home. The ensuing events put Brodie, his daughter, and all those around him and involved in the chase in great danger as it soon becomes evident that they are looking for a serial killer (or killers).
The novel is obviously very well-researched, beyond the author’s own apparent knowledge of Japanese culture, history and martial arts. The plot draws the reader in. I have to admit that in the early pages I thought some of the dialogue a bit overwrought, but that reaction dissipated as I read further. The book is action-filled and suspenseful and surprises, as Brodie digs deeper into a twisting plot whose tentacles reach through parts of Asia, Europe, and the US to find the killers, of whom the description “ruthless” doesn’t even come close. A thriller in every sense of the word, the novel is recommended.
April 6, 2017
It takes a special kind of chutzpah to label your debut novel as the first in a series. On the cover, yet. You’ve got to know you’re good, and your publisher has to agree. Fortunately, this one did.
Japantown marks the introduction of a remarkable new thriller hero, Jim Brodie. A San Franciscan, an expert both in martial arts and in the art and antiquities of the Far East, bilingual Japanese-speaker, and half owner of a high-profile private detective agency in Tokyo, Jim Brodie is one of those invincible, larger-than-life figures you encounter from time to time in novels of this sort. Japantown is a cut above the rest — informed by the author’s 30-year residence in Japan and his command of the language, flawlessly structured and plotted, with blood-curdling suspense that builds to a crescendo. Above all, author Barry Lancet successfully conveys the utter foreignness of Japanese culture to American sensibilities. As is so often the case in contemporary thrillers, the growing number of corpses challenges credulity, but you can’t have everything. Still, I’ve already bought Tokyo Kill, the second novel in this series.
The novel opens with the suspiciously precise execution of a Japanese family of four in San Francisco’s Japantown. The police lieutenant in charge of the case calls in Brodie as a consultant, having turned to him in the past on cases with a Japanese connection and become a close friend over the years. Brodie divides his time between running an art-and-antiques shop in San Francisco and checking in on the detective agency in Tokyo he inherited from his father, so he brings a unique combination of skills to assist the police. In short order, Brodie effectively becomes the chief investigator on the grisly Japantown murder.
As the action heats up — quickly, of course! — we are introduced in stages to Brodie’s back-story (a six-year-old daughter, a dead wife) and to the fabric of Japanese society at its highest levels. You’ll meet a maverick billionaire businessman there, a 300-year-old cult of assassins, and one of the country’s legendary king-makers. If nothing else, Japantown is a chilling portrait of politics in Tokyo. If Lancet is right, it’s even worse than you thought.
Japantown marks the introduction of a remarkable new thriller hero, Jim Brodie. A San Franciscan, an expert both in martial arts and in the art and antiquities of the Far East, bilingual Japanese-speaker, and half owner of a high-profile private detective agency in Tokyo, Jim Brodie is one of those invincible, larger-than-life figures you encounter from time to time in novels of this sort. Japantown is a cut above the rest — informed by the author’s 30-year residence in Japan and his command of the language, flawlessly structured and plotted, with blood-curdling suspense that builds to a crescendo. Above all, author Barry Lancet successfully conveys the utter foreignness of Japanese culture to American sensibilities. As is so often the case in contemporary thrillers, the growing number of corpses challenges credulity, but you can’t have everything. Still, I’ve already bought Tokyo Kill, the second novel in this series.
The novel opens with the suspiciously precise execution of a Japanese family of four in San Francisco’s Japantown. The police lieutenant in charge of the case calls in Brodie as a consultant, having turned to him in the past on cases with a Japanese connection and become a close friend over the years. Brodie divides his time between running an art-and-antiques shop in San Francisco and checking in on the detective agency in Tokyo he inherited from his father, so he brings a unique combination of skills to assist the police. In short order, Brodie effectively becomes the chief investigator on the grisly Japantown murder.
As the action heats up — quickly, of course! — we are introduced in stages to Brodie’s back-story (a six-year-old daughter, a dead wife) and to the fabric of Japanese society at its highest levels. You’ll meet a maverick billionaire businessman there, a 300-year-old cult of assassins, and one of the country’s legendary king-makers. If nothing else, Japantown is a chilling portrait of politics in Tokyo. If Lancet is right, it’s even worse than you thought.
August 26, 2013
This is one of those times when I wish I could give more than 5 stars. I absolutely loved this book: it had everything I love best in a mystery/thriller. Although I know you really can't get to know a culture through a work of fiction, I felt like the author, Barry Lancet did an absolutely superb job at giving us a fascinating view of Japanese art and society. I really appreciated all the attention to detail and context--he showed a real gift for creating an ambiance and pulling you into the intricacies of another culture.
The main character is a San Francisco antique dealer, Jim Brodie, who also is part owner of a private investigation firm in Tokyo. He straddles the two worlds of Japan and the U.S. and gets caught up in a terrible tragedy where an entire Japanese family is gunned down in San Francisco's Japantown. The SFPD ask for his assistance in resolving the murders by tracking down the meaning of a Japanese character printed on a piece of paper and left at the scene. The problem is, Brodie has seen that character before, at the scene of his wife's death in a horrific fire four years ago.
Brodie sets out to help the police and learn if his wife's death was more than just an accident. What is unravels in a huge tangle of deceit and crime that stretches back centuries to a small village to Japan.
Brodie is such a warm, compelling character and a truly wonderful father. I loved how he is portrayed with his daughter, Jenny, and it is terrifying when the little girl is dragged into the web of murder.
I have to tell you, this guy knows how to create wonderful characters and spin a tale. I was so tense towards the middle/end that I could hardly stand the tension. The book was a thriller in every sense of the word and you desperately want the characters to not only survive, but to win.
I won't give anything away, but I have to say I can't wait for the next book.
The main character is a San Francisco antique dealer, Jim Brodie, who also is part owner of a private investigation firm in Tokyo. He straddles the two worlds of Japan and the U.S. and gets caught up in a terrible tragedy where an entire Japanese family is gunned down in San Francisco's Japantown. The SFPD ask for his assistance in resolving the murders by tracking down the meaning of a Japanese character printed on a piece of paper and left at the scene. The problem is, Brodie has seen that character before, at the scene of his wife's death in a horrific fire four years ago.
Brodie sets out to help the police and learn if his wife's death was more than just an accident. What is unravels in a huge tangle of deceit and crime that stretches back centuries to a small village to Japan.
Brodie is such a warm, compelling character and a truly wonderful father. I loved how he is portrayed with his daughter, Jenny, and it is terrifying when the little girl is dragged into the web of murder.
I have to tell you, this guy knows how to create wonderful characters and spin a tale. I was so tense towards the middle/end that I could hardly stand the tension. The book was a thriller in every sense of the word and you desperately want the characters to not only survive, but to win.
I won't give anything away, but I have to say I can't wait for the next book.
December 4, 2013
Exotic, accurate, surprising details of the noir side of Japan. Pretty mystifying for the first half, but by page 207 as our hero, Jim Brodie asks "Why?" right along with us, revelations begin and we bounce along, scared and eager, as the bad guys get badder and badder and the good guys are challenged in new and unexpected ways..
Masterful job of briefly and clearly explaining facets of Japanese culture beyond sushi and kimono. Aside for a fondness for purple-tinged prose, the writing is crisp and often startlingly fresh. There is likely something for everyone, but for me, the most delicious part was watching the IT white hatters go after and demolish tghe black hatters and their attacks via things I'd never heard of. Really cool hacking going on!
The section describing "the Japanese stall," the decision to move very slowly in a monumental crisis in order to save face, after the Great Hanshin Earthquake (6.8 magnitude, 6,500 dead) is totally true. I was there, in the very center of Kobe--house gone, lived on 2nd floor of school for weeks. All that is described here happened all around me--and is happening again post-Fukushima nuclear crisis.
This book is so very on target in every category, Japan, mystery, thriller, good writing!
To re-read for sure!!
Masterful job of briefly and clearly explaining facets of Japanese culture beyond sushi and kimono. Aside for a fondness for purple-tinged prose, the writing is crisp and often startlingly fresh. There is likely something for everyone, but for me, the most delicious part was watching the IT white hatters go after and demolish tghe black hatters and their attacks via things I'd never heard of. Really cool hacking going on!
The section describing "the Japanese stall," the decision to move very slowly in a monumental crisis in order to save face, after the Great Hanshin Earthquake (6.8 magnitude, 6,500 dead) is totally true. I was there, in the very center of Kobe--house gone, lived on 2nd floor of school for weeks. All that is described here happened all around me--and is happening again post-Fukushima nuclear crisis.
This book is so very on target in every category, Japan, mystery, thriller, good writing!
To re-read for sure!!
May 18, 2013
**I received an ARC of this book through a giveaway**
I would give the first half of this book 3.5 stars and the second half 5 stars. The beginning was rather slow and seemed to take me forever to get through. There were many characters that got introduced and then disappeared for almost the rest of the book. Some made an appearance again and others were only referred to briefly again at the end. The second half of the book held all the action and slowly pieced together all the information that was given at the beginning. I believe it would have read more smoothly if some of the information was brought together so it made more sense to the reader sooner. My favorite character in the book was the daughter, which was a bit of a let down considering she was not the main character. Throughout the book, much of the dialogue was written in a "he said, she said" fashion where it literally stated "he said" this and "she said" that and was a bit distracting. Overall, I did like the book but feel a few simple changes would have made it much more enjoyable.
I would give the first half of this book 3.5 stars and the second half 5 stars. The beginning was rather slow and seemed to take me forever to get through. There were many characters that got introduced and then disappeared for almost the rest of the book. Some made an appearance again and others were only referred to briefly again at the end. The second half of the book held all the action and slowly pieced together all the information that was given at the beginning. I believe it would have read more smoothly if some of the information was brought together so it made more sense to the reader sooner. My favorite character in the book was the daughter, which was a bit of a let down considering she was not the main character. Throughout the book, much of the dialogue was written in a "he said, she said" fashion where it literally stated "he said" this and "she said" that and was a bit distracting. Overall, I did like the book but feel a few simple changes would have made it much more enjoyable.
September 24, 2013
I was lucky enough to be selected in the Goodreads' First Read program! I started reading this book right away after I received my copy from Goodreads. The title alone is enough to excite me. This book is one word, amazing. The action scene plays inside my head like I'm watching an action movie in front of me due to the excessive details of the book (which I like). I can't help but smile every time Brodie answers questions with his cool tone. There is not much mystery because I think the summary is kind of give it away of who the attackers are. However, one again, the action is too awesome that it makes me jump at some points. I love the character Noda, he is grumpy but is so lovable in my opinion. Most of the characters are fully developed and you can see things their ways after a while.
Barry had done a great job in this book. His details about Japan and the Japanese is fantastic and that I learned a lot about the Japanese culture after reading this book.
Thank you!
Barry had done a great job in this book. His details about Japan and the Japanese is fantastic and that I learned a lot about the Japanese culture after reading this book.
Thank you!
January 25, 2017
* I received a free copy of the book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review *
I had never heard of this author or the book but the idea of an antiques dealer who specialises in Japanese antiquities and who also owns a 50% stake in a Private Investigation firm based in Japan was something that somehow set off a little bell in my head saying 'this could be interesting'.
It goes well beyond interesting though and the protagonist Brodie got my attention because during the book he knows that he's out of his depth and he's floundering just to keep his head above water.
He's not an ex soldier or an ex spy he's just a martial arts enthusiast that likes to dip his toe into private investigation work now and again to keep him and his daughter financially secure.
I'd recommend people give this a try the writing is spot on and the characters are worth the time, it's a series I'll be following from now on.
I had never heard of this author or the book but the idea of an antiques dealer who specialises in Japanese antiquities and who also owns a 50% stake in a Private Investigation firm based in Japan was something that somehow set off a little bell in my head saying 'this could be interesting'.
It goes well beyond interesting though and the protagonist Brodie got my attention because during the book he knows that he's out of his depth and he's floundering just to keep his head above water.
He's not an ex soldier or an ex spy he's just a martial arts enthusiast that likes to dip his toe into private investigation work now and again to keep him and his daughter financially secure.
I'd recommend people give this a try the writing is spot on and the characters are worth the time, it's a series I'll be following from now on.
September 16, 2013
With a protagonist who's an art dealer as well as an investigator, JAPANTOWN has a winning formula of suspense, tight plotting, and a series of riveting confrontations that will keep you turning pages. Lancet's Jim Brodie is a unique character who navigates from East to West, always finding danger.
My one quibble is the abrupt shift from 1st to 3rd person as the narrative unfolds. A story this ambitious requires some additional points of view so I understand its use but I'm hoping the next installment in the series will keep us strictly in Brodie's compelling POV.
My one quibble is the abrupt shift from 1st to 3rd person as the narrative unfolds. A story this ambitious requires some additional points of view so I understand its use but I'm hoping the next installment in the series will keep us strictly in Brodie's compelling POV.
October 18, 2020
Fun book! I enjoyed this mystery/thriller, set in San Francisco and Japan.
The private eye, an American who grew up in Japan, had a nice combination of street smarts and Japanese high culture knowledge. The author, an American who has worked in Japan for years, got only a couple of things wrong about Japanese culture/history, pretty good for a popular thriller.
The biggest problem was the ridiculous ending. Set in a forested area that was the evil multi-national company's hideout, four times in a row a leading bad guy stepped out from behind trees with the drop on the PI, then monologued for several minutes about their evil plan, then got outsmarted by the PI and dispatched. Four times! Each one had a chance to kill the PI, but instead they monologued and ended up getting killed! It is Lancet's first novel, I hope he learned not to use such silly techniques in later books.
And the secret ninja village stuff was pretty silly.
Still, like I said, lots of fun thriller aspects. His descriptions of the hand-to-hand fighting was good.
The private eye, an American who grew up in Japan, had a nice combination of street smarts and Japanese high culture knowledge. The author, an American who has worked in Japan for years, got only a couple of things wrong about Japanese culture/history, pretty good for a popular thriller.
The biggest problem was the ridiculous ending. Set in a forested area that was the evil multi-national company's hideout, four times in a row a leading bad guy stepped out from behind trees with the drop on the PI, then monologued for several minutes about their evil plan, then got outsmarted by the PI and dispatched. Four times! Each one had a chance to kill the PI, but instead they monologued and ended up getting killed! It is Lancet's first novel, I hope he learned not to use such silly techniques in later books.
And the secret ninja village stuff was pretty silly.
Still, like I said, lots of fun thriller aspects. His descriptions of the hand-to-hand fighting was good.
September 4, 2021
Barry Lancet creates a memorable and likable character in Jim Brodie, badass Asian Art dealer/Private Eye. A strength of Japantown is that the plot hinges on macro geo-politics as well as individual personalities. We are in the hands of an expert on Japan, not just it's history but everyday life rendered by a shrewd observer. With a foot in each nation, Japan and the U.S., we get an unusually clear picture of what motivates people on the level where the money is so big that violence becomes inevitable.
This is the first in a series; Lancet is already a good story teller and a meticulous researcher, essential attributes, but there is room for him to hone his craft further. The personality that comes through suggests that this is a writer with the discipline and desire to to just that.
This is the first in a series; Lancet is already a good story teller and a meticulous researcher, essential attributes, but there is room for him to hone his craft further. The personality that comes through suggests that this is a writer with the discipline and desire to to just that.
September 28, 2020
Early novel by author Barry Lancet in his Jim Brodie series, JAPANTOWN, introduces his character and explains his backstory. The writing and dialog are a bit awkward; it felt very much like a first draft. The plus side is that it did seem as though the protagonist was actually telling the story, the downside was that he became annoying; his voice was not one that I enjoyed over time. Private eye first person accounts typically depend on the character downplaying their skills, that was not the case here. Brodie overstates his abilities too often to make the genre work well. I received my copy from the publisher through NetGalley.
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