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Tokyo MPD Mysteries #3

Violets and Violence

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The Violet Killer—as nicknamed by the media because of the violets discovered alongside his victims—returns to Tōkyō’s streets.

For homicide detective Hayashi Teruo, this case marks a haunting return to the scene of his first investigation as a rookie detective and his biggest failure. Not only did the murderer slip through his fingers, but nearly claimed the life of Teruo’s close friend and fellow detective, Megumi.

Meanwhile, Miyazaki Shinji is caught in a web of workplace tension with a hostile colleague who is determined to expose Shinji and Teruo’s intimate relationship. Faced with the possibility of jeopardizing both their love and careers, Shinji makes a decision that drives a wedge between him and Teruo.

As the looming threat of termination hangs over their heads, Teruo makes a shocking discovery about his family. The reason behind the true origins of his unusual healing powers comes to light, connecting Teruo and Shinji in the most unexpected way.

***Violets And Violence is a high heat gay detective romance with a paranormal twist. It's Book 3 in the series and features a happy ending. The book contains profanity and sexually explicit scenes meant for mature audiences only. This series is meant to be read in order, so if you haven't read books 1 and 2, this one won't make much sense.***

310 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 10, 2024

28 people are currently reading
86 people want to read

About the author

M. Kato

6 books90 followers
I’m an author of MM Romance set in Japan. I love blending spicy romance with other genres, such as paranormal and mystery. If you enjoy a mix of genres and very steamy scenes, you’re in the right place!

Keep in touch:

Newsletter signup for news, recs & freebies ➜ https://tinyurl.com/3wdedy9e

Instagram ➜ https://bit.ly/3uLQo1K


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5 stars
106 (56%)
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64 (34%)
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18 (9%)
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Profile Image for Kati *☆・゚.
1,294 reviews689 followers
November 4, 2024
4.25**** stars


“Teruo, you need to talk to your parents. If not for yourself, then for me.” He narrowed his eyes. “If you don’t, I’ll withhold sex until you do.”

“Not gonna happen,” Teruo said, full of confidence. “You like my blowjobs too much.”
“Dammit,” Shinji whispered, tapping his fingers against his knee.



It took me a few days to get back in the mood to follow Shinji and Teruo around once more, doing their investigations, strengthening their relationship, facing challenges and solving mysteries at work and in their private life.

It was once again a great mystery that Teruo back to one of decade-old cold cases with a serial killer striking once again. And besides the murder victims’ ghosts (and Keiko) floating around, there didn’t seem to be much supernatural stuff going on like in the previous books which I personally found disappointing.


Anyway. It was still a great addition with an engaging murder mystery and I’m thankful that we finally got an answer to the other mystery captivating the reader since book one— namely Teruo’s not only unusual but impossible healing abilities he suddenly possessed.

Can’t wait for the author to release the last one. I’m curious how their work situation is playing out now that they’ve been outed—not only as a couple but as gay too.


***********
Tokyo MPD Mysteries

Book 1 - The Red Collar - 4.5 stars
Book 2 - No Souls On The River - 4.25 stars
Book 3 - Violets and Violence - 4.25 stars
Book 4 - A Taste of Poison - release tbd
Profile Image for PaperMoon.
1,836 reviews85 followers
March 14, 2024
Another worthy book in this series - expertly blending the paranormal and procedural aspects. Coming late in the day, revelations of some aspects of both MCs familial histories provide some explanation as to why Teruo's life spirit has that distinct connection with Shinji's spiritual powers. 4.5 stars.
Profile Image for Kristin Cooper.
2 reviews
February 11, 2024
I continue to love this series, not just for the worldbuilding and steamy elements but for how the author is handling the overarching plot and maintaining control of the threads. Toward the end Megumi brings up a point that had honestly been bothering me too — I was prepared to let it slide for suspension of disbelief but I’m much happier it’s getting addressed. And probably laying the groundwork for some 3D chess lol. I do LOVE that despite being MM, the author manages to make the female characters real stars in the external plot, and the ones I like most keep sticking around! The interpersonal conflicts keep getting more interesting with each book as more tertiary characters get fleshed out. (Nakajima’s bakumatsu years are the forthcoming series spinoff, yeah?) And with each book there are new nuggets about the supernatural world that don’t feel unfairly withheld, which is pretty impressive for me as both a reader and writer. It’s such a feel-good read for me that I’m a little sad there’s only one more book in the series, but I’ll keep coming back to this author for more.

I received an advance copy of this book and am leaving a review with my honest opinions.
Profile Image for Leigh Gaskill.
837 reviews31 followers
February 11, 2024
Shinji and Teruo are GOALS

I love this series so much and I cannot say enough how under appreciated this series is! Teruo has his work cut out for him in this one, having to chase down his first unsolved case as a detective when the killer resurfaces. Even knowing at the end who it was M. Kato still threw a gross little curve ball in there for us to read. Dude is seriously messed up.

The workplace drama is finally resolved…or is it? I think we will have to see with the next book how that pans out.

The explanation into Teruo’s soul issues, I wonder how M. Kato is going to resolve this especially as they are on a time crunch. It’s all so exciting! Now I am back to waiting for the next book!

I sincerely hope that M. Kato expands on this world with side characters or even new ones (did someone say Katsuya? I’m a sucker for a kitsune!)
Profile Image for Claudia.
3,024 reviews109 followers
May 14, 2024
This is the third book in this series and a worthy book in this series.

The mystery was well done. I especially enjoyed the mix between contemporary and paranormal mystery.

The setting in Tokyo and in the Japanese culture is well done, and it brings an interesting aspect to the story, as behaviour varies from what we in Europe or the USA know.

Teruo is definitely my favourite character in this series, and I love that we get to know his background. It helps to understand his motivation and behaviour.
In the last book, I had some troubles with Shinji or, better said, with his attitude. That was not the case here. I think he is growing on me.

Megumi is a strong female character who brings a bit balance in a male dominated world.

In my opinion, it is necessary to read them in order. Otherwise, it is difficult to understand their dynamic and developments

I am looking forward to the next book, although I am a bit sad that it will be the last book.
Profile Image for Alastair H .
221 reviews7 followers
February 12, 2024
Once again I am here to yell about this series. These books are so so so so so good, I promise. We have ghosts, serial killers, grumpy/sunshine, workplace romance - the list goes on. Keiko and Megumi are great characters and I loved seeing more of them in this book! Shinji and Teruo are once again lovely together and so loyal. They respect each other and have good communication which is amazing, no miscommunication here folks, this relationship has 2 grown ass adults 😂

The police case in this one was pretty dark, Teruo and Shinji chase a serial killer through the pages while dealing with workplace drama and meddling ghosts. There are a lot of side plots but they're all interesting and fun and we still manage to get lots of cozy Teruo/Shinji time.

I am so in love with these books. They truly are some of the best PNR police romances I've read. I'm obsessed with them.
Profile Image for Megz.
266 reviews
February 12, 2024
Another amazing continuation in the series!

I ADORE this series! I love their relationship and how organic and real it feels. I also love the mystery and trying to figure out who the killer is. It’s also really awesome learning more about the family secrets.
CANNOT WAIT FOR THE FINAL INSTALMENT!
Profile Image for Kimberly Morehouse.
634 reviews29 followers
February 17, 2024
I adore this series

I love this series and the characters so much. I only hate that I have to wait for the next book! They quickly became a favorite couple and I am rooting for their HEA so hard! Love the mystery, and supernatural elements as well.
Profile Image for audrey.
225 reviews1 follower
December 19, 2025
Another great entry in the series.

The worldbuilding was much smoother than in book two. The story of Teruo and Shinji's connection was very bittersweet. I wonder if his mother's life will inspire Shinji to go rogue-ever since book one he's chafed at the unfairness of the supernatural laws.

I liked the expansion of Megumi and Teruo's relationship. She was the sister he never had the chance to emotionally connect with due to parental and societal interference. I liked also how the author never shied away from demonstrating that everyone is negatively influenced by their pride whether that's related to their gender and/or professional life. Teruo's inability to protect or indifference towards Megumi when they were rookies contributed to the pressure she gave into to act as bait. Or Teruo despite trying his hardest still showing favoritism towards Shinji emotionally in a way he'd denied his other officers, for a good reason, but as a superior officer - it was technically unethical too. Or even between Teruo and Natsu, their dinner scene was written perfectly and precisely. Usually scenes like this, writers tend to soften the anger of the woman-so that she ends up compromising her own desires-but that wasn't the case here and I was grateful for it. Natsu pushed Teruo so hard that he became vulnerable with her in an unexpected way- she'd eliminated all of the advantages Teruo had over her - and he was (finally) begging for a real sibling bond.

Take Furuya, for example, he wasn't homophobic but his obedience to the office hierarchy gave him the excuse he needed to be prejudice towards Shinji anyway. Similar to Ogata, who is definitely homophobic, but is sly enough to pretend to be inoffensive while allowing discrimination to fester under his watch anyway-an expert at washing his hands of responsibility for his authoritarian attitude.



Nakajima and Keiko were stand out characters! And I was shocked but pleasantly surprised by Ueda's fate.

I look forward to the fourth and final book!
Profile Image for Geetha Krishnan.
Author 63 books52 followers
March 11, 2024
The third book of the Tokyo MPD mysteries, this one has Teruo dealing with his past when a killer he failed to catch ten years ago surfaces again.

Ten years ago, a serial killer called the Violet Killer had targeted working women with small children and left a bunch of violets on their bodies. Despite the brutal way they were murdered, the police could find few clues. Megumi who was working homicide back then was used to bait the killer and barely escaped with her life. Teruo chased the killer but couldn't catch him.

Now, a body has appeared bearing the violets and the MO of the killer. Teruo and Megumi has both to deal with the past while Shinji is trying to deal with a co worker Furuya who is making veiled insinuations about his relationship with Teruo.

Teruo has to find the truth about his healing powers which means talking to his estranged family. With the pressure of knowing that the soul ward can only last for a few more months, and under pressure to catch the killer and to talk to his parents, he is one step away from breaking.

I love how Teruo and Shinji support each other here. They are the perfect couple who put each other and their needs above societal and work expectations. Though the mystery is solved regarding Teruo's healing powers and the killer is caught, the road ahead has still more bumps as their relationship has been outed and supernaturals are taking over the MPD.

I'm eagerly looking forward to reading the final book of this series when it releases!
Profile Image for ShelfLife.
555 reviews
March 22, 2024
Love Shinji and Teruo!

I loved getting back into Shinji and Teruo's world. I enjoyed the mystery/crime of this installment and also getting more insight into Teruo's abilities. Book 4 will be the last and I'm excited to see how things resolve.

This is a plot-driven book, but with romance and heat mixed in. The pacing is done well, and I love that Keiko and Megumi are still strong side characters. I hope to see them in action again in the next book.

Shinji and Teruo are strong together and are dedicated, but they still have to fight through some turbulent waters to get closer to their HEA. Teruo doesn't always make the best choices, but he can acknowledge that, and I love him more because of his ability and willingness to admit he can be wrong and show that vulnerability to Shinji. I love some good, old-fashioned communication in a relationship!

So, why not 5 stars? There are still way too many errors. The writing style is great, as well as punctuation and sentence structure for the most part. What's abundant are missing and wrong words and not adding possession ('s) when needed. So, not words being misspelled, but rather like they've been auto corrected and the computer chose wrong. Using spell check isn't enough. These are simple errors that a second or third proof would catch.

Overall, I really liked this book and would recommend it for those wanting to continue the series.
Profile Image for Bluebelle-the-Inquisitive (Catherine).
1,189 reviews34 followers
February 12, 2024

Full Review to Come

It's 1am im usually in bed by 11 does that answer the question as to how much this had me hooked? I couldn't stop reading til I found out if all my suspicions were right.

Thisis probably a 4.5 ⭐️ book for me. There was a little bit of predictably in the clues. What could have been a bit of a shock in the endgame wasn't. Or do I just watch too many crime TV shows? But I liked the interplay between the supernatural and human elements this time there is a different balance, the crime is all human but there is a very serious supernatural issue Terou and Shinji are dealing with. I will say Megumi goes through the ringer in this one, poor girl. I thought it was absolutely worth the wait. Fans of the series will probably like this one too. But please before you read check the warnings. These ate accessible though the look inside feature or download sample option.

Read for POPSUGAR Reading Challenge 2024. Filling prompt #21 "A book that came out in a year that ends with '24'" 2️⃣4️⃣
Kinda self-explanatory for this one. Violets and Violence was released in 2024. I've chosen to use this because I need to promote it. I adore these characters and this lore so much

Profile Image for Lisa.
1,493 reviews5 followers
March 7, 2024
I greatly enjoyed another visit to the TMPD and its paranormal activities. This book brings a new mystery with a serial killer who has reemerged after a decade of inactivity. Teruo immediately recognized the MO when he comes across a murder crime scene and sees violets placed on the corpse. His partner in police work and also his live-in romantic lover, Shinji, accompanies him to the scene. Although he doesn't spot the ghost of the victim right away, Shinji can use his supernatural powers to help solve murders. This one is going to be a challenge.

This story has several ghosts who try to help solve the mystery. Also, there is disruption as a colleague is hinting that he knows of the relationship between Teruo and Shinji, threatening to out them. Family tensions get in the way. On the plus side, Teruo and Shinji enjoy a passionate relationship and are falling even more deeply in love. As the mystery unravels, tensions build and danger looms. This book ends on a HFN with the mystery solved, but some bigger story arcs will continue related to the future of the TMPD and the paranormal bonds between Teruo and Shinji that were formed long ago. I look forward to the final book in the series.
Profile Image for Luz Rivas.
503 reviews28 followers
March 28, 2024
😳😳😳 I didn't expect that backstory that connects Shinji and Teruo. It will be interesting to see what Kazuya does to help them.

I can't wait for the next book!

It would also be great if there were more books with other characters in this same universe later on, starting with Kazuya 😍😍😍😍

There's something that wasn't entirely clear to me. Ueda... What happened to him? In the previous book, Shinji mentions that he was convicted, but does not say what the sentence was. But in this one it says he's dead? 🤔 So is he dead? Or did they just sealed his powers and deposed him?
131 reviews
April 29, 2024
Soooo Good!!

Why this series doesn’t have more of a following is beyond me. I’ve read all 3 books and every one is so enjoyable. I can honestly say the only thing I don’t like is that the next one will be the last!
Characters were engaging from beginning to end, plot keeps you interested and relationship was wonderful.
Both mc’s work as homicide detectives. Teruo is the Chief and Shinji’s superior officer. Shinji is also a Shinigami (Grim Reaper).
2,797 reviews14 followers
February 16, 2024
I probably can't say anything that hasn't been said by previous reviewers. I agree with them all--love this book and the series. Cannot wait for the next one. I hope there is more than one more book--there are so many stories that could be told. Recommend reading.
123 reviews
March 26, 2024
Yay!! So excited to see this series continue. A great story with a great sense of time and place, and the main plot is really cool too. Such an underrated writer, wish more people can discover this gem. Can't wait for book 4!!
Profile Image for A.L. Thornton.
Author 11 books
April 21, 2024
Good sequel

Having read all three of the books I found this had the most grammatical errors and incorrect words. Characters still remained well developed and story was engaging. Highly recommend.
Profile Image for Amra.
338 reviews
April 13, 2025
love

I absolutely love this series, and I’m so excited to see what happens next!! Shinji is so beautiful and Teruo is absolutely perfect for him!
Profile Image for Kristy.
94 reviews
November 17, 2025
I hate to say it but I got a little bored part way through this one! 🫣 It was probably more of a “me” problem than anything else because this book was still very good overall.

I love all of the characters - Shinji and Teruo are just such a good couple. While they are an absolute comforting joy to read about, I almost feel like I lost a little interest because they are so solid and adorable - I would have liked a tad more conflict or just relationship hurtles to navigate. The mystery was good! …but not quite as intriguing as the first two books. It all came together without the usual twists and turns.

Overall, this book was good but a bit weaker than the others in the series. While I do feel myself a little less excited to continue on since there isn’t much left to explore as far as the relationship dynamics go, I’ll probably still give the next one a read when it comes out!
Profile Image for Richard Hoelzel.
2 reviews
August 31, 2025
love love love

These stories are so wonderful and moving. The relationship is something that goes through so many ups and downs but the are always staying strong.
Profile Image for Meli.
179 reviews1 follower
January 27, 2025
When I read the third book it was evident we would learn more about Teruo’s past. It was also obvious that it would be a whirlwind as Keiko was back as ghost detective. The killer in this one was also the most brutal out of all of the books. He preyed on mothers and brutally beat them to death. There was also how Teruo was getting more effected with being able to heal Shinji that it was also made a focus point. We do get some answers but are still left with how to help Teruo. Overall it was a great third book that actually had a comical scene that took away some of the gruesomeness of the murders even for a little while. Not sure if a fourth book is in the works but I imagine so as Teruo is still being effected with his healing abilities that are involuntary.
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