The Kizuna Coast

Rei Shimura #11

by Sujata Massey

When an earthquake triggers a tsunami that floods Japan's northeast coast, amateur sleuth Rei Shimura is pushed into her most rugged adventure yet.

It starts with an SOS from Rei's beloved elderly friend, the antiques dealer Mr. Ishida, who's trapped among thousands on the ravaged Tohoku coast. Rei rushes from Hawaii to blacked-out Tokyo, where she discovers Ishida Antiques may have been burglarized and its cuddly watchdog, Hachiko, needs a caregiver.

Rei and Hachiko board a bus full of disaster volunteers headed to the damaged town of Sugihama. Once there, they learn about the disappearance during the tsunami of Mr. Ishida's antiques apprentice, Mayumi, a troubled young woman from a famous lacquer-making family.

Making use of her volunteer friends, as well as her knowledge of Japanese manners and antiques, Rei investigates Mayumi's suspicious disappearance. Complicating the situation is a police force overwhelmed by counting the dead, and a stalker who's set his or her own sights on Rei.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Japan, Crime, Asia, Ebooks, Contemporary

372 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2014

About the author

Sujata Massey is the author of historical and mystery fiction set in Asia. She is best known for the Perveen Mistry series published in the United States by Soho Press and in India by Penguin Random House India. In June, 2021, THE BOMBAY PRINCE, third book in the series, releases in the US/Canada and Australia/New Zealand; it will be published by Penguin India later the same month.

THE WIDOWS OF MALABAR HILL, the first Perveen novel, was named a Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018 and also an Amazon Best Mystery/Thriller of 2018. Additionally, the book won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award, the Agatha Award for Best Historical Mystery and the Mary Higgins Clark Award, all in 2019.

The second Perveen novel, THE SATAPUR MOONSTONE, won the Bruce Alexander Best Historical Mystery Award in 2020.

Sujata's other works include THE SLEEPING DICTIONARY (2013) and eleven Rei Shimura mysteries published from 1997-2014. For more about Sujata's books and a full events schedule, subscribe to her newsletter, http://sujatamassey.com/newsletter

Sujata lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her family and two dogs. In addition to writing, she loves to travel, read, cook, garden and walk.

Reviews

[Larry H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a big fan of Sujata Massey's series of mysteries featuring danger-prone antiques dealer Rei Shimura for quite some time now. In 2008, when I read the 10th book in the series, Shimura Trouble , it certainly sounded as if Massey was finished spinning stories about her heroine, and I was rather upset, so when I found out that Rei had returned to the literary world, I was very excited to spend time with her and her compatriots once again.

When The Kizuna Coast opens, Rei and her new husband, Michael Hendricks, are settling into their lives in Hawaii. But newlywed bliss is short-lived once the couple learns that a powerful earthquake has rocked the northeast coast of Japan, followed by a devastating tsunami that left enormous death and destruction in its wake. Although Rei is relieved to find out that her family members living in Japan are all safe, when she receives a distressed phone call from her mentor and former boss, antiques dealer Mr. Ishida, who has been injured and displaced by the storm, she promises to go to Japan to help him.

Getting to Japan shortly after such a disaster proves challenging (not to mention upsetting to her husband), and once she arrives, in order to get to the city where Mr. Ishida is, she must offer her services as a disaster relief volunteer. But before she arrives in Tohoku, she visits Mr. Ishida's shop, only to discover it may have been burglarized. And when she finally is reunited with him, she finds that while he is concerned about his shop, he is most concerned about the whereabouts of his employee, Mayumi, who unexpectedly met him in Tohoku on the day of the tsunami, but seems to have disappeared.

At first, Rei doubts just how devoted of an employee Mayumi is, but then she starts to uncover more information about the tumultuous life this young girl led. And as she finds herself trying to help find out what happened to Mayumi, and get Mr. Ishida back to his shop, she is also overwhelmed by the destruction, both physical and emotional, that the tsunami caused. To top it off, her worries begin to grow about her husband as well, whose job sends him near the Fukushima nuclear reactor, which was damaged during the storm.

Reading The Kizuna Coast is like being reunited with old friends. Rei's character hasn't changed, although she has gotten a bit more mature at times, but her doggedness and her compassion remain the same. While this book dealt more with her experiences in the tsunami-stricken area, it was still good to see the return Mr. Ishida, as well as her close friend and former roommate, Richard; her aunt, Norie; and her doctor cousin, Tom. The plot is a little predictable but it doesn't matter, because Rei is a warm, fascinating character and Massey does such a great job making you care about her and those with whom Rei is dealing. And as always, there's even some fascinating information about Japanese antiques thrown in for good measure.

If you're a mystery fan, I'd definitely encourage you to pick up a book in Massey's Rei Shimura series. They're fun and compelling, and they've really taught me a great deal about Japanese culture I probably wouldn't have learned otherwise. Plus, you now have 11 books to read in the series, so hopefully if you get hooked, by the time you're done, Massey may write another!

See all of my reviews at http://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blo....

[Penny Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I missed this series so much!

This is one of my favorite mystery series, with a really appealing main character who is half-Japanese and half-American. Sujata Massey masterfully blends art, history, and culture with compelling storylines (devastation of the Japanese tsunami and its after-math) and fascinating characters. Rei pulls us into her life straddling two cultures and gives us touching insights about both. The details about life in Japan--including food, art, cultural differences--bring these books alive. The mystery in this book was satisfactory, but once again it was the characters and the horror of the tsunami event that made me fall in love with this book.

Another winner. Loved it.

Grade: A

[Shomeret · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading The Widows of Malabar Hill, the first in a 1920's India mystery series by Sujata Massey, I discovered that there was this novel from her Rei Shimura mystery series that I hadn't previously noticed. I decided that The Kizuna Coast would be my last read of 2018.

There was so much to like about this book. Most notably, the concept of kizuna. From what is said about it in this book, I would call it a combination of compassion and generosity particularly in an emergency situation. So New Yorkers could be said to have shown kizuna toward each other post 9-11. Kizuna was definitely on display in the context of the earthquake and tsunami that occurred in Japan just before the events of this novel.

Like Rei, I initially disliked Ishida's new apprentice, Mayumi, who died in suspicious circumstances. Mayumi lacked an ethical compass, but she did become more sympathetic as we discovered more about her. She turned out to be a very interesting character.

I couldn't give The Kizuna Coast five stars because the perpetrator became obvious before the big reveal. Nevertheless, I was glad to have read it. I think it's one of the better Rei Shimura novels.

For my complete review see https://shomeretmasked.blogspot.com/2...

[KatRi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this difficult to review: after eleven books, I consider Rei as my dear, comforting friend. This time the themes were a shade darker, but Rei kept me entertained. Perfect summer read for fans!

[Noora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Vaikka olikin ihan mukava lukea Rein kuulumisia pitkästä aikaa, ei tämä kirja mikään maata mullistava lukukokemus ollut. Juoni ei ollut aiempien Shimura-kirjojen veroinen ja Rei itse oli ihan yhtä ärsyttävä kuin ennenkin. Lisäksi Rein olisi pitänyt kyllä päätellä tarinan konna reilusti aiemmin. Ihan jees, mutta ei todellakaan mikään kummoinen kirja.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rei Shimura is back in Japan, just in time for a nuclear meltdown and a tsunami. One of the better books in this series.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I had thought the Rei Shimura series ended several years ago. But the author was inspired by the events of the 2011 tsunami in Japan to revisit the characters. I'm glad she did.

Rei and her husband Michael are living in Hawaii, not long after their marriage. When the earthquake and tsunami strike Japan, Rei is worried about her friends and family there, particularly her elderly mentor, Mr. Ishido, whom she learns was injured and is trapped in one of the worst-hit areas. Rei travels to Japan and joins volunteers to the disaster area to search for Ishidosan and help with the clean-up and rescue efforts. There, she learns her mentor's young employee is missing, along with heirloom lacquer pieces from her family which were worth a small fortune. Of course Rei cannot let a mystery go uninvestigated, and she searches for the girl and missing treasures as she deals with the tragedies large and small of the tsunami.

The story was a worthwhile and enjoyable revisit to what was a very good series. I loved the chance to see Rei and some of her friends and family again. The real draw to the series then and now, though, was the wonderful peek into Japanese culture, and the backdrop of the tsunami made it all the more interesting and poignant.

I understand the author has written some stories set in India. If she weaves insights about local culture and customs in to those as she has with the Rei Shimura series, it will be well worth checking out.

[Richard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes place during an "interesting" period immediately after the Fukushima disaster in Japan, when the protagonist (Rei Shimura) goes there from Hawaii to volunteer and search for her mentor, who has disappeared. His assistant, a young woman, has also disappeared. Mystery ensues, amid a backdrop of utter civil chaos.

Aside from enjoying the protagonist as I always do, I found the book to contain a lot of local color, imparting a good feeling for the extent of the disaster and various personal tragedies of the characters she comes in contact with. Oh... Some of my favorite passages were the painting scene, the haircut scene, and the bathtub scene.

Ms Massey's writing is clear and flows well, as always. I've read the entire Rei Shimura series, of which this is number eleven, and I've enjoyed them all.

After the first nine books were traditionally published, the author apparently went solo for this and the previous volume. This one is self-published -- "Ikat Press" (Baltimore) has no web presence -- so I'd consider it an indy. The formatting and editing are top-notch, aside from a handful of typos.

[Kim Kash · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I enjoy most about all of Sujata Massey's books is the careful explanations they offer of the art, food, and culture of Japan (and India, too, in The Sleeping Dictionary.) Kizuna Coast finds Rei Shimura investigating a suspicious death right in the middle of the overwhelming devastation following Japan's 2011 earthquake and tsunami. It's a clever plot, involving a collection of antique lacquerware and a rebellious blue-haired artist. Fans of Rei Shimura will find themselves in happily familiar territory with Massey's descriptions of the contents of Japanese antique shops and auction houses. That said, the plot feels a little more pared down than in some of Rei's other outings--and I think that's as it should be. The book is full of descriptions of the region hardest hit by the tsunami, and the rescue and cleanup efforts, which were aided by volunteers who showed up by the busload. The mystery is expertly woven through plenty of very real and specific details about what life was like in the aftermath of the disaster. Massey does a great job of unfolding this fictional mystery within an excruciating moment in history.

[Kerrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sujata Massey says

Because of the real framework of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster, this book could probably qualify as a modern historical novel within the Rei mystery series.

As Rei Shimura ventures to the Tohoju coast in search of her mentor Ishida-san as a Helping Hand volunteer vivid description builds of the impact of the tsunami on coastal towns and villages, and of the way the Japanese community works together to rebuild lives. There is an authentic feel to the narrative which told me things about the tsunami that I had no way of knowing: the pervading smell of the rotting fish left behind as the water retreated, the stories of people who survived while those with them were washed away, the after shocks that continued for days, and so on.

Against this background Massey has woven the story of the search for Mayumi who disappeared after the earthquake, and then of Rei's search for justice.

It is always a delight to discover an author and enjoy your first read so much. It is like making a new friend.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sujata Massey's latest in the Rei Shimura series is more somber and stars a more mature heroine. Rei returns to Japan to help the victims of the horrendous earthquake/tsunami aftermath of 2011 when her mentor Mr Ishida calls upon her. His current apprentice Kimura Mayumi is missing and he fears the worst. Rei immediately embarks on a harrowing mission enlisting help from her husband Michael and various Japanese relatives and friends. Ms Massey does a respectful job of describing the devastation, the relief efforts and "kizuna" all while providing another culturally informative mystery. I, for one, am pleased to see the series continue with a more mature Rei. I hope Ms Massey has more Rei adventures planned (along with more new Indian-based books) for her fans. In the meantime, arigato, Ms Massey!

[Katja · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very nice to return to Rei and her adventures! I don't know how but I had actually missed the news that Massey had written one more Rei book, and find out only when the Finnish edition was published this summer.

The book is full of details about Japan and the way of life there which I obviously love. I only wish the mystery hadn't relied so heavily on coincidences. Rei investigated things but didn't do much solving, she just got lucky.

[Salla Erho · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ihan kiva oli tavata pitkästä aikaa Rei Shimura, mutta ehkä muistan ne edelliset dekkarit parempina kuin olivatkaan tai sitten Masseyn olisi vain kannattanut pysyä päätöksessään ja antaa Rein olla. Massey sijoittaa tarinan vuoteen 2011, maanjäristyksen ja tsunamin koettelemaan Japaniin. Hedelmällinen maaperä dekkaritarinalle, mutta se ei vain kulje. Tämä solahtaa kategoriaan ok välipala, joka unohtunee muistista hyvin pian.

[Katheyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Kizuna Coast” is the final installment in the Rei Shimura Mysteries series. This is a book that was not supposed to be written, and – due to the circumstances surrounding the story – is bitter-sweet, please bear with me, I will try to explain. Sujata Massey already finalized Rei Shimura story with the previous “Shimura Trouble”. However, the 2011 tsunami (March 11th) prompted Massey to write an additional story, which deals with the aforementioned tsunami aftermath.

Rei Shimura has finally married Michael Hendricks (her former CIA handler) and set down in Hawai’i. As they learn of the trifecta catastrophe* that has just hit Rei beloved Japan, they feel the need to help and travel to Japan to make their personal contribution. Rei’s relatives in Tokyo are out of harm, but Mr. Ishida, Rei’s former mentor, has called her to tell her that he is injured and displaced by the storm, and thus Rei travels to the Kizuna coast to try to find him and bring him to shelter. This is the start point to relate some of the events following the trifecta. While the story still makes use of Rei’s sleuthing faculties, this is first and foremost intended as Massey’s tribute to Japan in the wake of the catastrophe, a very well constructed story, human and heart-felt. An even as enjoyable as it is, I like many other reader still wish it wouldn’t exist, for that will mean the trifecta have never happened. Kudos to Massey for the respectful reflection on the event.

*On March 11, 2001 an earthquake of magnitude 9.0 originated in the Pacific Ocean affected the northeast coast of Tõhoku and triggering a massive tsunami, that flooded over 200 square miles of coastal land, both event lead to the Fukushima Nuclear Plant disaster.

Sujata Massey’s “Rei Shimura” is a mystery series featuring the eponymous character, an American Japanese woman in her late twenties (at the start of the series) who relocates to Tokyo to reembrace her Japanese roots and start an antiquities business. The books mix classical sleuth mystery, with Japanese cultural observation and biographical bits, into a nice, easy to read and fully enjoyable series. Some mysteries remind the classical clean mysteries of old, while other (especially on the later books) deal with very serious historical events, but in each case the stories remain easy-to-read mysteries with Japanese flavour. While an in-depth study into Japanese culture, should not be expected, the books offer a very credible insight into Japanese everyday life, from the point of view of American foreigner with the added bonus of having a real Japanese heritage, that allows her to blend in and navigate the country with credible ease. Every book in the series can be read as a stand-alone from the mystery point of view, as the arc-story only pertains to Rei Shimura chronological development.

Massey, a London born, who has herself a mixed Indian-German heritage and has expended (due to her own husband work) several year in Japan, excels by interweave her own biographical data with fictional bit into one of the most original and interesting series in the genre. Rei Shimura’s character development and her reflections on the country evolve organically with the experiences in the country. Sujata Massey succeeds in showing the changes in Rei’s personality and reflections to the environment. A must-read for all fans of female slaughtering and/or ‘light’ Japanese culture.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this was a weird experience. I read most of the Rei stories in my teens when she was a good decade older than me and there was some thrill in her adventures. In this book she is the same age as me (though obviously this is set to 2011 and not this year) and I feel like because of that I judged her actions and frankly naive behavior a lot more than earlier. I mean, I should've been able to relate to her better now, right? And yet.

That being said, I found the story itself okay. I remember the news about the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. (I was on a study exchange, the first days of it actually, and some of my classmates were Japanese. It wasn't exactly an uplifting point of conversation.) This book does a decent job describing it all, the aftermath, the destruction, in a way you don't often come across in fiction. There are some too-good-to-believe parts, but I guess there were miracle survivors and all that. But yes, the stories of those who survived and those who didn't, the apathy and helplessness, the kizuna spirit are well very depicted.

However, the actual mystery in this one is rather weak. It's quite easy to figure out what's happened and who most likely did it from the get go, and the motives are all too clearly spelled out too. I admit I don't remember much from the earlier books (man, now I kind of want to do some rereading) so I can't say if the mystery is on par with them. The way things are unravelled is a bit... comical even, at times. If you can overlook the main plotline of this book and focus on what happens on the side, then this is pretty nice.

Some of the characters are awfully stereotypical, but I did like the descriptions of Japan and the culture and while at times it felt some things were explained in painful detail, in general most of those parts of this book worked really well. So, while this wasn't all that great, it was nice to return to something familiar.

[Dustin]

This was a good story. I like the setting. Some of my own works also take place during the 2011 disaster. There are some aspects that do take me out of it such as there being a Tohoku Prefecture. While it’s not unusual for authors to create fictional places, it just seems odd in this case. Tohoku is a region and not a prefecture. The prefectures in question should be Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima. Not sure why the author would purposely create a new prefecture, especially when everything else is real.

Also, the mention of the “Great Eastern Kanto Earthquake” on the first page makes it sound like the author is mistaken about a few things. Kanto is the region with Tokyo. The disaster is called the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami or the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake.

I currently live in Chiba city and the Chiyoda line doesn’t go to Chiba city nor does it take 16 minutes. It’s at least 30 minutes.

These things do not kill the story but they make me stop for a moment. Overall it’s a solid story that had me wondering who was the culprit.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a fan of the Rei Shimira series and didn't notice there was an 11th book until just now! So obviously I had to read it - though I couldn't remember the original books at all anymore.

This was a nice, light, and enjoyable read, I loved the mystery of having several suspects and lots of things going on.

It wasn't very realistic how Rei kept stumbling onto the right answers by accident or how eager she was to solve everything herself, flying to another continent and picking locks. But that's ok, there are lots of illogical books out there with Mary Sue-ish characters.

What I found disturbing, however, was the clumsy dialogue and the large amount of typos, continuity errors and other mistakes. Sentences were missing words or had them double. And so on. Wasn't there an editor?

For example,

-a meeting was made for 7 pm. When it happens, it's 6 pm

-Mr Kimura says something and later Rei says it was the Mrs who said it

-Rei had an omelette and later it had turned into a pizza

-Hanauma Bay was misspelled as Hanama Bay

-there was talk about Audrey Hepburn dying very young, but she was actually over 60 when she died (which is unfortunate and, yes, young if compared to a centenarian, but not what they meant in this context)

I mean, sure, these are little things. But when these small mistakes keep repeating on every other page, it distracts you.

So, how many stars? A tough one. Entertainment: 4 stars. Readability: 3 stars.

Would I read one of Sujata's other books? I'm not convinced.

[Koivula]

The story was not too violent regarding the crime and the plot not too straightforward. Maybe a few convenient coincidences :) but I was glad about them :) Hachiko was lovely!
"Kizuna = the Japanese word for the help people give each other, especially when there's serious trouble"
I was especially interested in the situation after tsunami in Japan. How the hospitals, shops, trains etc worked.
I read this during the start of the corona epidemic. That affected my thoughts, of course. A different tragedy. But there's kizuna already here, too: my mother (89, living alone) has already received a few phone calls from neighbors volunteering to go shopping for her. I'm grateful.

Helmet: 29 (Japaniin liittyvä)
Popsugar: 44 (a book set in Japan, host of the 2020 Olympics)
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[Betty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read all the Rei Shimura mysteries. This one was long overdue.

The rating of 3 is because the series is forever entertaining. The writing superb. It is nice to have familar characters, Aunt Norie, Cousin Tom, Mr Ishida, husband (finally) Michael, Richard and Enrique.

Moving the story to familar territory (Japan) allows the cast of characters to all be involved. Rei is in her comfort zone. I don't want to post any spoilers so I will refrain from comments surrounding the "missing persons". For long time mystery readers the words "too easy & obvious" come to mind. Book 11 the reader should have to work harder.

I suggest new readers start with Book 1 The Salaryman.

[Sanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Kirjan aihe on tietysti äärimmäisen surullinen ja todellinen.
Mutta itse mysteeri on umpitylsä eikä missään vaiheessa lähde kunnolla käyntiin. Asiaa olisi varmasti auttanut, jos olisimme saaneet tutustua kyseessä olevaan nuoreen naiseen (jonka nimeä en muista), niin ehkä olisimme voineet välittää hänestä. Nyt nainen on vain herra Ishidan apulainen, joista meidän pitäisi välittää koska pidämme herra Ishidasta? Ei onnistu. Et voi luoda kiintymystä hahmoon jota et tapaa ollenkaan.
Kirja on aivan liian pitkä ja pitkälle venytetty, ja todella tylsä. Huomaa selvästi että kirjailija ei enää jaksanut keksiä Reille mitään tekemistä, valitettavasti.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although Rei Shimura is living in Hawaii, when an earthquake and tsunami ravage northeast Japan, she makes her way there to help her former mentor, Mr. Ishida. Stretching the suspension of disbelief even further, she even manages to take along his dog Hachiko. The murder mystery plot follows the pattern of “one corpse too many” and seems rather trivial in the context. The author translates the word kizuna roughly as “loving kindness” and the strength of the book lies in her portrayal of the response of those caught in the disaster.

[Gary Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excepting one, I have read the entire Rei Shimura Mystery series. This was the finest of the ten. Set in Japan just after the great tsunami, in the aftermath. The book was written to honor the people of Japan and does so. I deeply enjoyed it and am very sorry it will be the last of the series.

The author has gone on, to reset her stories in India with different characters, instead of Japan which interests me far less. I will be giving a lower priority to reading those. My time in Japan was wonderful, my time in India was not. To each their own choices.

[Lynne · Rating 2 out of 5]

The setting is 2011 Japan after the deadly earthquake and Tsunami in Fukushima. . The main character, Rei, returns to Japan to help her mentor, Yasushi Ishida, find his apprentice, Mayumi, who had disappeared in Fukushima. While the setting showing the results of the two natural disasters was interesting it was shallow. The search and the resulting solution of where Mayumi was and what had happened to her was obvious from almost the beginning of the novel. It was overall a dull read.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps THE Best of the Fine Rei Shimura Mysteries

The Kizuna Coast may be my favorite, and the best written, of Massey’s fine Rei Shimura mysteries. Her writing is especially vivid here. The description of the earthquake and after shocks and people’s reactions ring true to this former Californian. The horrors and joys of life carrying on after a quake and a huge tsunami are clearly portrayed. The characters are great — Especially the energetic and expressive seven year old girl Miki! And of course there’s a murder mystery and some old friends like Ishida-san and Richard make appearances. Highly recommended.

[dick mcneill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Beach Read!

Really enjoyed this series from an author whose current sellers feature India and a female Indian lawyer.

This book takes p!ace in Japan after the 2011 tsunami. Great setting. Has the charm of other titles in the series and the lead character finally seems to be maturing a bit. The "kizumi" of the title comes from a Japanese word that might be translated as "mitzvah."

[Sherry Mackay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh dear. Not good. Nothing really happened for a very long time! Seemed like the author just wanted to include her research even if not relevant. And a really weird scene that I couldn’t follow where the main character ends up in some sleazy gay club with her husband having sex. What the?! Just made no sense at all. Ridiculous in fact! Totally superfluous and just weird. Very stilted dialogue and unrealistic. Not much plot. Just bad writing.

[Susanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this, the final book of the Rei Shimura series, Rei finally resolves her Japan-US identity conflict and recognizes that Hawaii is absolutely where she belongs. Based on real events -- the terrible tsunami that flooded Fukushima and surrounding Japanese countryside, Massey has constructed a masterful tale of deceit, theft, murder, cooperation, and kindness.

A fitting end to the series, although I was sad to see it end.

[Stephanie Tanton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rei travels to the Fukuyama tsunami area to find her mentor who was attending an antiques auction in the area.
She finds that no only is her mentor missing but also his assistant.
This book holds your attention with a good mystery and a better understanding of the suffering the disaster victims faced.

[rubie j smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volunteer at tsunami after nuclear disasyer

This is an interesting description of the aftermath of the horrible devastation, based on the real event. Really San of course had to solve a mystery of missing valuable antiques. Authentic input of the locales and Japanese language makes for some more reason to enjoy this.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series with its mix of culture and mystery. She is an unlikely detective, but seems to end up in these situations where she gradually unravels the mystery, with a bunch of likeable characters and rogues in the mix.