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Japantown Mystery #3
Crown City
Two young Japanese American men hired to investigate an art theft discover something much more sinister in turn-of-the-century California—from the Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author of Clark and Division
Pasadena, 1903: Eighteen-year-old Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada staggers off the boat from Yokohama, Japan, ready to reinvent himself after the untimely deaths of his parents. Though battling loneliness and culture shock, Ryui does his best to settle into his work as an antique dealer’s apprentice while adjusting to his new home. From his enigmatic photographer roommate, Jack, to the beautiful seamstress living downstairs, Ryui finds himself surrounded by colorful characters and unbelievable opportunities and is soon utterly swept up in all “Crown City” has to offer.
But tensions are seething under Pasadena’s bustling prosperity. Ryui is the victim of an anti-Japanese attack, and a painting is stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, Pasadena’s most successful Japanese artist, who then hires Ryui and Jack to investigate. It’s not long before their investigations lead them into real danger. Ryui is a naive young man in a foreign country—has he bitten off more than he can chew?
In this fish-out-of-water mystery, studded with cameos by real historical figures, Edgar Award–winner Naomi Hirahara brings to life a fascinating slice of California history.
Pasadena, 1903: Eighteen-year-old Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada staggers off the boat from Yokohama, Japan, ready to reinvent himself after the untimely deaths of his parents. Though battling loneliness and culture shock, Ryui does his best to settle into his work as an antique dealer’s apprentice while adjusting to his new home. From his enigmatic photographer roommate, Jack, to the beautiful seamstress living downstairs, Ryui finds himself surrounded by colorful characters and unbelievable opportunities and is soon utterly swept up in all “Crown City” has to offer.
But tensions are seething under Pasadena’s bustling prosperity. Ryui is the victim of an anti-Japanese attack, and a painting is stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, Pasadena’s most successful Japanese artist, who then hires Ryui and Jack to investigate. It’s not long before their investigations lead them into real danger. Ryui is a naive young man in a foreign country—has he bitten off more than he can chew?
In this fish-out-of-water mystery, studded with cameos by real historical figures, Edgar Award–winner Naomi Hirahara brings to life a fascinating slice of California history.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 17, 2026
About the author
Naomi Hirahara
57 books782 followersNaomi Hirahara is the USA Today-bestselling and award-winning author of multiple mystery series, noir short stories, nonfiction history books and one middle-grade novel. Her Edgar Award-winning Mas Arai series features a Los Angeles gardener and Hiroshima survivor. Her first historical mystery, CLARK AND DIVISION, which follows a Japanese American family from Manzanar to Chicago in 1944, won a Mary Higgins Clark Award in 2022. Her two other series star a young mixed race female LAPD bicycle cop, Ellie Rush, and a Filipina-Japanese American woman in Kaua'i, Lellani Santiago. She also has written a middle-grade book, 1001 CRANES. In 2025, the history book she co-wrote with Geraldine Knatz, TERMINAL ISLAND: LOST COMMUNITIES ON AMERICA'S EDGE, won a California Book Award gold medal. She, her husband and their rat terrier live happily in her birthplace of Pasadena, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
March 15, 2026
2.5 🌟 rounded up
Crown City is a well-crafted historical fiction story set in the early 1900s, following two Japanese American men who find themselves in the middle of an art theft mystery. I think I had misplaced expectations going into this novel. I was expecting something more fast-paced and exciting. I did find it dragged a bit, especially in the first two-thirds, which made my attention wane.
Narration for the audiobook is done by Brian Nishii. I thought he did a good job with this novel, bringing the characters to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Press for the eARC, and to RBmedia for the ALC.
Crown City is a well-crafted historical fiction story set in the early 1900s, following two Japanese American men who find themselves in the middle of an art theft mystery. I think I had misplaced expectations going into this novel. I was expecting something more fast-paced and exciting. I did find it dragged a bit, especially in the first two-thirds, which made my attention wane.
Narration for the audiobook is done by Brian Nishii. I thought he did a good job with this novel, bringing the characters to life.
Thank you to NetGalley and Soho Press for the eARC, and to RBmedia for the ALC.
April 8, 2026
A historical fiction set in turn-of-the-century Pasadena follows a young Japanese craftsman who settles there and navigates the cultural melange of the time, rooming and interacting with others from china, Ireland, other parts of Japan, and wealthy white women interested in the Japanese art scene. He experiences the confusion of being in a new place and culture, how racism showed up between groups.
The story itself didn’t really grab me, and I found the main character flat and naive. But the setting was vivid, bringing the time and place alive.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story itself didn’t really grab me, and I found the main character flat and naive. But the setting was vivid, bringing the time and place alive.
Thanks to NetGalley for an opportunity to read this advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 19, 2026
I’m on the record as both a person who firmly believes that genre is fake, and also that genre is important and you ignore it at your peril. I think this position is logically consistent, and this book is a great illustration of why. This author often ends up grouped with mystery authors, but I think that is doing the author a disservice. I picked this ARC (thank you to NetGalley) up looking for a historical mystery, but, if this book is an historical mystery, it’s 95% historical and only 5% mystery. It has a few mystery elements in it (a stolen painting, a missing person), but, despite the fact that the blurb on the back devotes half the time to talking about the hunt for the missing painting, most of this book is focused on the community and community relations. Unfortunately, that’s not my favorite kind of book to read, so I didn’t enjoy this as much as a reader in the target audience would have.
Even from outside the target audience, I can appreciate the character work and the way the writing evokes a sense of place and time. If you like slice of life historical fiction that is focused on tight knit immigrant communities, I think you’d really dig this book. If you’re a genre mystery reader, who really wants the genre beats and the clues, you’re probably better off giving this one a miss.
Recommended for people who like all those librarian spy novels but want to go a little deeper.
Even from outside the target audience, I can appreciate the character work and the way the writing evokes a sense of place and time. If you like slice of life historical fiction that is focused on tight knit immigrant communities, I think you’d really dig this book. If you’re a genre mystery reader, who really wants the genre beats and the clues, you’re probably better off giving this one a miss.
Recommended for people who like all those librarian spy novels but want to go a little deeper.
March 31, 2026
i got this book as an arc through a goodreads giveaway!!! the book was good but i think i was more interested in how the main character processed japanese discrimination and romanticizing the japanese culture in toxic and exploitive ways more than the actual plot of the book if that makes sense
February 26, 2026
I received an ARC through goodreads giveaways
overall I enjoyed this book though it was a bit slow at times. I really liked the premise. However, I didn't care for the main character that much. I really like some of the secondary characters though.
overall I enjoyed this book though it was a bit slow at times. I really liked the premise. However, I didn't care for the main character that much. I really like some of the secondary characters though.
May 8, 2026
I wish I could say I enjoyed the writing but the style did nothing to keep me entertained. There didn’t seem to be any climax to the story and then, all at once, it was over. I was thrust into the future after only just wrapping up what was supposed to be the whole point of the book. I enjoyed the historical aspects to the story but ultimately, I only finished it because it was a book club read.
February 28, 2026
Edgar-Award winning author Naomi Hirahara has gained quite a reputation detailing historical crime/mystery stories that deeply detail the Japanese experience in America. Her latest effort, CROWN CITY, is set in Pasadena, California, circa 1903 with the eighteen-year-old Japanese orphan named Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada who is reinventing himself as a Japanese art dealer’s apprentice.
The story is sandwiched by two family letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his own family in the U.S. The first letter is from Ryui to his daughter Louisa as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp located in Arizona where he had to spend some time during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the U.S. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost both of his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Now, a teen-aged orphan looking for his next move he gets a rare opportunity to move to the U.S. to work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan as they were running a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena, California. Upon arrival, Ryui --- who will soon adopt the easier to pronounce American nickname of Louie --- finds that Pasadena was nicknamed Crown City and was an up-and-coming area in southern California. His arrival takes place in the Spring of 1903, and he takes up residence nearby his new workplace at the Riley Boarding house, where he shares an apartment with a handful of other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself to be an amateur photographer.
Louie is working as part of a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual Cherry Blossom Dinner hosted by a local artist named Mr. Aoki. Louie works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Louie swears his innocence and was a little distracted by another event that occurred on his way home from this event when a masked individual on a bicycle threw a note at him that read: DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finders fee to Louie and Jack if they are able to locate and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to be one that now makes them Private Investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of this stolen painting. Thankfully, Hirahira provides a List Of Characters at the end of the novel because the amount of individuals and true ‘characters’ is a long one and makes for a fine historical rogues gallery of 1903 Pasadena.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly quickly when Jack and Louie’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, things ramp up from stolen art to murder and Jack and Louie recognize they may be way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Louie, who is just starting what might his first romance with a young Japanese girl named Gigi who is also living at Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off innocently with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the U.S. during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings ‘Louie’s’ adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Authors Notes and Acknowledgements where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters that comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
The story is sandwiched by two family letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his own family in the U.S. The first letter is from Ryui to his daughter Louisa as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp located in Arizona where he had to spend some time during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the U.S. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost both of his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Now, a teen-aged orphan looking for his next move he gets a rare opportunity to move to the U.S. to work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan as they were running a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena, California. Upon arrival, Ryui --- who will soon adopt the easier to pronounce American nickname of Louie --- finds that Pasadena was nicknamed Crown City and was an up-and-coming area in southern California. His arrival takes place in the Spring of 1903, and he takes up residence nearby his new workplace at the Riley Boarding house, where he shares an apartment with a handful of other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself to be an amateur photographer.
Louie is working as part of a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual Cherry Blossom Dinner hosted by a local artist named Mr. Aoki. Louie works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Louie swears his innocence and was a little distracted by another event that occurred on his way home from this event when a masked individual on a bicycle threw a note at him that read: DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finders fee to Louie and Jack if they are able to locate and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to be one that now makes them Private Investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of this stolen painting. Thankfully, Hirahira provides a List Of Characters at the end of the novel because the amount of individuals and true ‘characters’ is a long one and makes for a fine historical rogues gallery of 1903 Pasadena.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly quickly when Jack and Louie’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, things ramp up from stolen art to murder and Jack and Louie recognize they may be way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Louie, who is just starting what might his first romance with a young Japanese girl named Gigi who is also living at Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off innocently with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the U.S. during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings ‘Louie’s’ adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Authors Notes and Acknowledgements where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters that comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
March 2, 2026
4 STARS
Crown City is a thoughtful and atmospheric mystery that blends crime, history, and community with Naomi Hirahara’s trademark care. The setting of Pasadena feels vivid and grounded, and the story unfolds at a steady, absorbing pace. Hirahara excels at layering social context into the mystery without overwhelming the plot, giving the book emotional depth as well as intrigue. Fans of character driven mysteries and readers interested in California history will find a lot to appreciate here.
Thank you to Net Galley for the audio version of this book.
Crown City is a thoughtful and atmospheric mystery that blends crime, history, and community with Naomi Hirahara’s trademark care. The setting of Pasadena feels vivid and grounded, and the story unfolds at a steady, absorbing pace. Hirahara excels at layering social context into the mystery without overwhelming the plot, giving the book emotional depth as well as intrigue. Fans of character driven mysteries and readers interested in California history will find a lot to appreciate here.
Thank you to Net Galley for the audio version of this book.
April 3, 2026
Having enjoyed Naomi Hirahara's first two books in this series, I was thrilled to find
Crown City
available on bookshelves - a chance to see where everything lands. In addition to that fortunate turn, the setting and time period are also favorites of mine - turn of the century in California. My ancestors would have been right in the mix with these characters, many of which were in-real-life citizens of Southern California.
Pasadena is where many of the immigrants from Japan found a place to gather and seek safety in numbers and celebrate their culture in a land that was new, hard and full of possibilities. Along with that were mysteries, where two young men - Ryui and Jack decide they just might have the makings of a decent detective team.
Usually settings and cultural aspects rarely steal the show in mysteries and thrillers I read - but this one had me so enraptured with those aspects, I had to keep re-reading to make sure I was clear on what the mystery track was. . .a refreshingly rare delight in this genre. (And a promise to self looking forward to NH's next offering in this series. . .gotta see what happens next!)
*A sincere thank you to Naomi Hirahara, RBmedia, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #CrownCity #NetGalley 26|52:43b
Pasadena is where many of the immigrants from Japan found a place to gather and seek safety in numbers and celebrate their culture in a land that was new, hard and full of possibilities. Along with that were mysteries, where two young men - Ryui and Jack decide they just might have the makings of a decent detective team.
Usually settings and cultural aspects rarely steal the show in mysteries and thrillers I read - but this one had me so enraptured with those aspects, I had to keep re-reading to make sure I was clear on what the mystery track was. . .a refreshingly rare delight in this genre. (And a promise to self looking forward to NH's next offering in this series. . .gotta see what happens next!)
*A sincere thank you to Naomi Hirahara, RBmedia, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #CrownCity #NetGalley 26|52:43b
May 19, 2026
I tried to like this book, but I didn’t. So hard to get into the story which was bland at best and I really didn’t care how it ended. It was a hard book to finish, but I did. I chose it because the initial ratings were over 4.5; however, they are falling. Maybe as an audio on a long road trip? Nope, leave it on the shelf.
March 25, 2026
Interesting look at Japanese immigrants who settled in Pasadena, California in the 1903. Ryui Wada comes to America in the hope to use his carpentry skills. When one of the community is found dead he searches to find answers.
March 2, 2026
Crown City is marketed as crime fiction and while there is plenty of crime in Naomi Hirara’s book, those looking for classic crime tropes are likely to be disappointed. Instead, Hirahara delivers a fascinating look at the ex-patriate Japanese population in Southern California around the turn of the century. And she weaves her story by drawing on a number of historical characters and events.
The central character of Crown City is Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada. Ryui was trained by his father in Yokohama as a wood worker and in 1903, following his father’s death, agrees to go to America to work for a couple of traders. Ryui ends up in Pasadena living in a boarding house living with Jack, another Japanese man who is fascinated by photography. Ryui, soon dubbed Louie to make it easier for the Americans, soon finds himself caught up in the theft of an art work from famous Japanese artist Toshio Aoki and the mystery of the disappearance of the former occupant of his room.
The Crown City of the title is Pasadena, a place and time which Hirahara brings vividly to life. Many of her characters were historical and many of the places described still exist. As was the fascination at that time with all things Japanese while the Japanese people themselves had to deal with a deep vein of racism and anti-Japanese sentiment. The bring this home further, the story is bookended by letters from a World War 2 internment camp for Japanese citizens.
So long as readers don’t go into Crown City looking for genre crime fiction they will not be disappointed. This is high quality, engaging historical fiction which takes readers deep into a fascinating time and place.
The central character of Crown City is Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada. Ryui was trained by his father in Yokohama as a wood worker and in 1903, following his father’s death, agrees to go to America to work for a couple of traders. Ryui ends up in Pasadena living in a boarding house living with Jack, another Japanese man who is fascinated by photography. Ryui, soon dubbed Louie to make it easier for the Americans, soon finds himself caught up in the theft of an art work from famous Japanese artist Toshio Aoki and the mystery of the disappearance of the former occupant of his room.
The Crown City of the title is Pasadena, a place and time which Hirahara brings vividly to life. Many of her characters were historical and many of the places described still exist. As was the fascination at that time with all things Japanese while the Japanese people themselves had to deal with a deep vein of racism and anti-Japanese sentiment. The bring this home further, the story is bookended by letters from a World War 2 internment camp for Japanese citizens.
So long as readers don’t go into Crown City looking for genre crime fiction they will not be disappointed. This is high quality, engaging historical fiction which takes readers deep into a fascinating time and place.
Want to Read
April 1, 2026 Sữa chua không béo Morinaga – Giải pháp dinh dưỡng nhẹ nhàng và giàu lợi khuẩn cho bé
1. Vai trò của sữa chua trong chế độ dinh dưỡng của bé
2. Sữa chua không béo Morinaga – Hương vị thơm ngon, tiện lợi
3. Thành phần dinh dưỡng hỗ trợ sức khỏe toàn diện
4. Hương vị và trải nghiệm ăn uống của bé
5. Thời điểm sử dụng sữa chua không béo Morinaga
6. Lưu ý khi bổ sung sữa chua cho bé
7. Vì sao sản phẩm được tin dùng
Sữa chua không béo là lựa chọn lý tưởng để bổ sung lợi khuẩn, hỗ trợ tiêu hóa và duy trì cân nặng hợp lý cho bé. Sữa chua không béo Morinaga vị kết hợp giữa hương vị thơm ngon, dễ uống và giá trị dinh dưỡng cao, giúp bé phát triển khỏe mạnh, năng động, đồng thời hình thành thói quen ăn uống lành mạnh từ nhỏ.
1. Vai trò của sữa chua trong chế độ dinh dưỡng của bé
Sữa chua cung cấp protein chất lượng cao, canxi và các vitamin quan trọng cho sự phát triển xương, cơ bắp và trí não. Với bé trong giai đoạn tăng trưởng nhanh, việc bổ sung lợi khuẩn từ sữa chua giúp hỗ trợ tiêu hóa, tăng cường hấp thu dưỡng chất và duy trì sức đề kháng.
Bên cạnh đó, sữa chua không béo giúp kiểm soát năng lượng nạp vào cơ thể, thích hợp với bé cần duy trì vóc dáng cân đối mà vẫn đảm bảo đầy đủ dưỡng chất.
Xem thêm: https://morinagadinhduong.com.vn/san-pham/sua-chua-khong-beo-morinaga-vi/
2. Sữa chua không béo Morinaga – Hương vị thơm ngon, tiện lợi
Sản phẩm được thiết kế đặc biệt dành cho trẻ nhỏ, kết hợp hương vị tự nhiên, dễ uống, phù hợp khẩu vị của bé. Bao bì tiện lợi giúp ba mẹ dễ dàng sử dụng trong các bữa ăn nhẹ hoặc bữa phụ, đặc biệt khi di chuyển, đi học hay đi chơi.
Điểm mạnh của sản phẩm là sự tiện lợi mà vẫn giữ trọn giá trị dinh dưỡng, giúp ba mẹ yên tâm bổ sung lợi khuẩn và dưỡng chất cho bé một cách nhanh gọn, hiệu quả.
3. Thành phần dinh dưỡng hỗ trợ sức khỏe toàn diện
Sữa chua không béo Morinaga cung cấp lợi khuẩn sống, protein, canxi và các vitamin cần thiết cho sự phát triển của bé. Lợi khuẩn giúp cân bằng hệ vi sinh đường ruột, tăng cường tiêu hóa và hấp thu dưỡng chất từ các bữa ăn chính.
Protein và canxi hỗ trợ phát triển xương, răng và cơ bắp, trong khi các vitamin giúp bé duy trì năng lượng, tăng cường sức đề kháng và khả năng tập trung học tập.
Xem thêm: https://baohatinh.vn/sua-chua-uong-zinzin-kids-giai-phap-nang-luong-cho-be-post303715.html
4. Hương vị và trải nghiệm ăn uống của bé
Sữa chua không béo Morinaga có vị nhẹ, thơm tự nhiên và không gây ngán, tạo cảm giác thích thú cho bé khi thưởng thức. Sản phẩm giúp bé dễ dàng hình thành thói quen ăn sữa chua hàng ngày, hỗ trợ tiêu hóa và tăng cường hấp thu dưỡng chất.
Bao bì nhỏ gọn còn giúp bé tự cầm nắm, tạo sự tự lập và hứng thú hơn trong việc ăn uống, đồng thời giảm bớt áp lực cho ba mẹ khi chuẩn bị bữa phụ.
5. Thời điểm sử dụng sữa chua không béo Morinaga
Sản phẩm có thể dùng vào bữa phụ giữa buổi sáng hoặc chiều, hoặc sau bữa chính để hỗ trợ tiêu hóa. Đây cũng là lựa chọn tiện lợi khi mang theo khi đi dã ngoại, đến trường hoặc du lịch.
Sử dụng đúng thời điểm giúp bé tối ưu hấp thu dưỡng chất mà không ảnh hưởng đến bữa chính, đảm bảo phát triển cân đối, khỏe mạnh.
Xem thêm: https://hackmd.io/@morinaganf
6. Lưu ý khi bổ sung sữa chua cho bé
Mặc dù sữa chua không béo Morinaga giàu lợi khuẩn và dưỡng chất, ba mẹ vẫn cần duy trì chế độ ăn cân đối và đa dạng thực phẩm. Sữa chua chỉ là bữa phụ bổ sung, không thay thế bữa chính.
Chọn sản phẩm phù hợp độ tuổi và nhu cầu của bé, theo dõi phản ứng và tư vấn chuyên gia dinh dưỡng nếu cần để đảm bảo hiệu quả và an toàn lâu dài.
7. Vì sao sản phẩm được tin dùng
Sữa chua không béo Morinaga được đánh giá cao nhờ hương vị thơm ngon, giàu dưỡng chất và tiện lợi. Đây là lựa chọn phù hợp cho ba mẹ hiện đại, vừa muốn hỗ trợ tiêu hóa, vừa đảm bảo bé nhận đủ dưỡng chất cần thiết để phát triển toàn diện.
Sử dụng sản phẩm kết hợp chế độ ăn khoa học giúp bé khỏe mạnh, năng động và hình thành thói quen ăn uống lành mạnh từ sớm.
March 23, 2026
I’ve enjoyed all the books in this series, but I would say Hirahara is more of an historian than a mystery writer. There is indeed a mystery in this book, but it’s the time period and setting that are the stars of the show, as is the main character, Ryui Wada, an accomplished carpenter. He’s come to America from Yokohama in 1903 after the death of his father, with a job waiting for him. He’s just 18, speaks little English, and has much to learn. When he discovers Pasadena, the “Crown City,” he is sometimes astonished and sometimes horrified.
His employer lodges him in a rooming house with an assortment of other workers, some of whom are Japanese, some of whom are not. He’s quickly given the nickname “Louie” as no one can pronounce his name. Work is the only place where he feels he has a solid footing – fitting wood joints together makes sense to him, though little else does, including the food and the familiarity of Americans and white immigrants. He is far more reserved.
His roommate is a Japanese photographer, Jack, whose last roommate, Eddie, has vanished. Eddie’s disappearance hangs over the narrative. Louie is quickly assigned to work a fancy party, called the “Cherry Blossom Party” as it celebrates all things Japanese. He’s puzzled by the party but accepts his assignment. On his way home, as he’s taking out the kitchen trash, he’s assaulted by someone on a bicycle wearing a mask, who knocks him over and leaves a note on him that says “Die Jap.” He’s so unsettled he hurries home, forgetting his pay, and doesn’t tell anyone what happened.
The artist who hosted the party, Toshio Aoki, comes to Jack a few days later – one of his paintings has been stolen, and he wants Jack and Louie to try and find it. The two declare themselves detectives and set out on this task, and they are also given the task of trying to find Eddie. The two of them certainly try though they end up in some very unsavory spots and suffer some physical assaults. Midway through their investigation, Eddie’s body turns up.
One of their housemates is also arrested for shooting an arrow at someone during an archery competition (the arrow only takes out the man’s hat), but because the men in the competition are wealthy, the police arrest a likely and available suspect and toss him in jail. The jail is kind of an outdoor hut, and Louise takes to visiting his jailed neighbor and sharing his food. Meanwhile, after an altercation with Jack, Louie leaves the rooming house and takes up residence on a sofa in Aoki’s studio.
This is the main plot. What can’t be conveyed in a short review is the depth of Hirahara’s depiction on 1903 Pasadena, how the Japanese workers fit into the city, and the irony of their culture being celebrated while the workers themselves suffer hateful prejudice. She also sketches in different cultural touchstones and future icons – a certain Mr. Vroman (founder of the famous Vroman’s Bookstore) is a collector of netsuke, for example. I had my phone out to look up some of the landmarks Hirahara describes and the influence of Japanese culture on the architecture of the west is obvious to see.
I also grew fond of Ryui, who comes to life on the page. He’s not just a poor immigrant with no family or connections, he’s also a skilled carpenter, a man looking for love, a man trying to figure out how western relationships function, and someone who is looking for the path of his life. This is certainly an identity story, but it’s the story of the early identity of Pasadena just as much as it is Ryui’s story. Hirahara is a deft storyteller, and she frames her narrative with letters from Ryui’s children to one another. This is a bittersweet race through Ryui’s life and a loving look at the city of Pasadena.
His employer lodges him in a rooming house with an assortment of other workers, some of whom are Japanese, some of whom are not. He’s quickly given the nickname “Louie” as no one can pronounce his name. Work is the only place where he feels he has a solid footing – fitting wood joints together makes sense to him, though little else does, including the food and the familiarity of Americans and white immigrants. He is far more reserved.
His roommate is a Japanese photographer, Jack, whose last roommate, Eddie, has vanished. Eddie’s disappearance hangs over the narrative. Louie is quickly assigned to work a fancy party, called the “Cherry Blossom Party” as it celebrates all things Japanese. He’s puzzled by the party but accepts his assignment. On his way home, as he’s taking out the kitchen trash, he’s assaulted by someone on a bicycle wearing a mask, who knocks him over and leaves a note on him that says “Die Jap.” He’s so unsettled he hurries home, forgetting his pay, and doesn’t tell anyone what happened.
The artist who hosted the party, Toshio Aoki, comes to Jack a few days later – one of his paintings has been stolen, and he wants Jack and Louie to try and find it. The two declare themselves detectives and set out on this task, and they are also given the task of trying to find Eddie. The two of them certainly try though they end up in some very unsavory spots and suffer some physical assaults. Midway through their investigation, Eddie’s body turns up.
One of their housemates is also arrested for shooting an arrow at someone during an archery competition (the arrow only takes out the man’s hat), but because the men in the competition are wealthy, the police arrest a likely and available suspect and toss him in jail. The jail is kind of an outdoor hut, and Louise takes to visiting his jailed neighbor and sharing his food. Meanwhile, after an altercation with Jack, Louie leaves the rooming house and takes up residence on a sofa in Aoki’s studio.
This is the main plot. What can’t be conveyed in a short review is the depth of Hirahara’s depiction on 1903 Pasadena, how the Japanese workers fit into the city, and the irony of their culture being celebrated while the workers themselves suffer hateful prejudice. She also sketches in different cultural touchstones and future icons – a certain Mr. Vroman (founder of the famous Vroman’s Bookstore) is a collector of netsuke, for example. I had my phone out to look up some of the landmarks Hirahara describes and the influence of Japanese culture on the architecture of the west is obvious to see.
I also grew fond of Ryui, who comes to life on the page. He’s not just a poor immigrant with no family or connections, he’s also a skilled carpenter, a man looking for love, a man trying to figure out how western relationships function, and someone who is looking for the path of his life. This is certainly an identity story, but it’s the story of the early identity of Pasadena just as much as it is Ryui’s story. Hirahara is a deft storyteller, and she frames her narrative with letters from Ryui’s children to one another. This is a bittersweet race through Ryui’s life and a loving look at the city of Pasadena.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I've seen this described as a fish-out-of-water story, and it definitely is that. In Main character Ryunosuke "Ryui" Wada, a carpenter by training, loses his mother to tuberculosis, then some time later his father in a temple construction accident.
In 1903, No longer tied to his home in Yokohama, Japan, he decides to seek a life elsewhere, and ends up in California, specifically Pasedena, which is known as "Crown City". He's overwhelmed by the differences: noises, smells, attitudes, and clothes, and he's very lonely. He moves into a boarding house full of colourful characters, and ends up sharing a room with Jack, a photographer who is originally also from Japan. Jack is a bit standoffish, speaks his mind about the American love for knock-off or simplified Japanese art, and Ryui cannot figure the man out, though he does admit that Jack is a skilled photographer. Ryui also is quite taken with another Japanese American resident, the beautiful seamstress Josephine Carter, who has dreams of becoming an actor.
Ryui finds work as an art dealer's apprentice, and one night when helping out at a event, is attacked by someone angry about Japanese settling in Pasadena. A painting is also stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, a successful Japanese artist whose work Jack denigrates, as he feels it is a dumbed down version of the beautiful work created by other Japanese painters.
Nevertheless, Jack appoints himself and Ryui as sleuths, and says they should find the painting.
The two began asking questions of a variety of people, and eventually the painting is found and other problems solved. Along the way Ryui meets several real life figures, has his heart broken, travels around the city, encounters prejudice, but also finds friendship, and sees a future for himself in Crown City.
I enjoyed this, even though this was less of a mystery than a novel about a young man finding his footing in a new place. Author Naomi Hirahara provides lots of great historical details, giving me a real feel for both the high and low parts of the city and for its rough-and-tumble feel, compared to the relative calm of Ryui's native Yokohama.
This also did not quite conform to the style of a mystery, even though there were things Ryui needed to discover to help others, and himself. I liked the opening and closing letters to the story, which tie to the first "Japantown mystery" story:
-An old Ryui in Gila Falls concentration camp writing to Louise, his daughter and roommate to Rose Ito in Chicago in "Clark and Division" about the value of patiently creating a work of art.
-Richard, Ryui's son, is writing to Louise before leaving Gila Falls and heading back to Pasadena. He references a piece of wood Ryui polished before his death, and that reminds the reader of the precious burled piece of wood Ryui brought from his homeland.
I enjoyed this look at early Pasadena, and the complexity and diversity of its population, and how Ryui found a home there.
I listened to this novel, and am familiar with Brian Nishii's work from a number of other audiobooks. He does a nice job of voicing eighteen-year-old Ryui, and all the others. His Ryui comes off as believably naïve, hopeful, and confused, while I also enjoyed his portrayal of Jack, with this character's snobbishness, irritation but also irreverence coming through nicely.
I hope Hirahara writes more Japantown stories, as there is so much of interest to explore of the history of Japanese Americans settling in America.
Thank you to Netgalley and to RBmedia for this ARC in exchange for my review.
In 1903, No longer tied to his home in Yokohama, Japan, he decides to seek a life elsewhere, and ends up in California, specifically Pasedena, which is known as "Crown City". He's overwhelmed by the differences: noises, smells, attitudes, and clothes, and he's very lonely. He moves into a boarding house full of colourful characters, and ends up sharing a room with Jack, a photographer who is originally also from Japan. Jack is a bit standoffish, speaks his mind about the American love for knock-off or simplified Japanese art, and Ryui cannot figure the man out, though he does admit that Jack is a skilled photographer. Ryui also is quite taken with another Japanese American resident, the beautiful seamstress Josephine Carter, who has dreams of becoming an actor.
Ryui finds work as an art dealer's apprentice, and one night when helping out at a event, is attacked by someone angry about Japanese settling in Pasadena. A painting is also stolen from the studio of Toshio Aoki, a successful Japanese artist whose work Jack denigrates, as he feels it is a dumbed down version of the beautiful work created by other Japanese painters.
Nevertheless, Jack appoints himself and Ryui as sleuths, and says they should find the painting.
The two began asking questions of a variety of people, and eventually the painting is found and other problems solved. Along the way Ryui meets several real life figures, has his heart broken, travels around the city, encounters prejudice, but also finds friendship, and sees a future for himself in Crown City.
I enjoyed this, even though this was less of a mystery than a novel about a young man finding his footing in a new place. Author Naomi Hirahara provides lots of great historical details, giving me a real feel for both the high and low parts of the city and for its rough-and-tumble feel, compared to the relative calm of Ryui's native Yokohama.
This also did not quite conform to the style of a mystery, even though there were things Ryui needed to discover to help others, and himself. I liked the opening and closing letters to the story, which tie to the first "Japantown mystery" story:
-An old Ryui in Gila Falls concentration camp writing to Louise, his daughter and roommate to Rose Ito in Chicago in "Clark and Division" about the value of patiently creating a work of art.
-Richard, Ryui's son, is writing to Louise before leaving Gila Falls and heading back to Pasadena. He references a piece of wood Ryui polished before his death, and that reminds the reader of the precious burled piece of wood Ryui brought from his homeland.
I enjoyed this look at early Pasadena, and the complexity and diversity of its population, and how Ryui found a home there.
I listened to this novel, and am familiar with Brian Nishii's work from a number of other audiobooks. He does a nice job of voicing eighteen-year-old Ryui, and all the others. His Ryui comes off as believably naïve, hopeful, and confused, while I also enjoyed his portrayal of Jack, with this character's snobbishness, irritation but also irreverence coming through nicely.
I hope Hirahara writes more Japantown stories, as there is so much of interest to explore of the history of Japanese Americans settling in America.
Thank you to Netgalley and to RBmedia for this ARC in exchange for my review.
March 2, 2026
Edgar Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara has earned quite a reputation for producing stories that detail the Japanese experience in America. In her latest effort, CROWN CITY, which is set in Pasadena, California, in 1903, 18-year-old Japanese orphan Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada is ready to reinvent himself as a Japanese art dealer’s apprentice.
The novel is sandwiched by two letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his family in the US. The first is from Ryui to his daughter, Louise, as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the US. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Ryui is given a rare opportunity to move to the US and work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan. They run a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena. Upon arrival, Ryui learns that Pasadena --- nicknamed the “Crown City” --- is an up-and-coming area in southern California. He takes up residence near his new workplace at the Riley House, where he shares an apartment with other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself an amateur photographer.
Ryui is involved in a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual cherry blossom dinner hosted by local artist Toshio Aoki. He works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Ryui swears his innocence and is a bit distracted by an incident that occurs on his way home when a masked individual on a bicycle throws a note at him that reads DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finder’s fee to Ryui and Jack if they locate it and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to mean that they are now private investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of the missing artwork.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly fairly quickly when Ryui and Jack’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, they recognize that they may be in way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Ryui, who is just starting what might be his first romance with a Japanese girl who is also living at the Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off unassumingly with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the US during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings Ryui’s adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements, where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters who comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The novel is sandwiched by two letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his family in the US. The first is from Ryui to his daughter, Louise, as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the US. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Ryui is given a rare opportunity to move to the US and work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan. They run a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena. Upon arrival, Ryui learns that Pasadena --- nicknamed the “Crown City” --- is an up-and-coming area in southern California. He takes up residence near his new workplace at the Riley House, where he shares an apartment with other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself an amateur photographer.
Ryui is involved in a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual cherry blossom dinner hosted by local artist Toshio Aoki. He works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Ryui swears his innocence and is a bit distracted by an incident that occurs on his way home when a masked individual on a bicycle throws a note at him that reads DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finder’s fee to Ryui and Jack if they locate it and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to mean that they are now private investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of the missing artwork.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly fairly quickly when Ryui and Jack’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, they recognize that they may be in way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Ryui, who is just starting what might be his first romance with a Japanese girl who is also living at the Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off unassumingly with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the US during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings Ryui’s adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements, where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters who comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
March 2, 2026
Edgar Award-winning author Naomi Hirahara has earned quite a reputation for producing stories that detail the Japanese experience in America. In her latest effort, CROWN CITY, which is set in Pasadena, California, in 1903, 18-year-old Japanese orphan Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada is ready to reinvent himself as a Japanese art dealer’s apprentice.
The novel is sandwiched by two letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his family in the US. The first is from Ryui to his daughter, Louise, as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the US. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Ryui is given a rare opportunity to move to the US and work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan. They run a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena. Upon arrival, Ryui learns that Pasadena --- nicknamed the “Crown City” --- is an up-and-coming area in southern California. He takes up residence near his new workplace at the Riley House, where he shares an apartment with other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself an amateur photographer.
Ryui is involved in a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual cherry blossom dinner hosted by local artist Toshio Aoki. He works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Ryui swears his innocence and is a bit distracted by an incident that occurs on his way home when a masked individual on a bicycle throws a note at him that reads DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finder’s fee to Ryui and Jack if they locate it and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to mean that they are now private investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of the missing artwork.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly fairly quickly when Ryui and Jack’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, they recognize that they may be in way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Ryui, who is just starting what might be his first romance with a Japanese girl who is also living at the Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off unassumingly with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the US during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings Ryui’s adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements, where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters who comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
The novel is sandwiched by two letters, sent in 1943 and 1945, which eloquently sum up Ryui and the life he made for his family in the US. The first is from Ryui to his daughter, Louise, as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp in Arizona during WWII. This leads us to the story of his life and how he managed to get from Japan to the US. Born in Yokohama in 1885 to loving parents, Ryui learned the carpentry and woodworking trade from his father. Regrettably, he lost his parents in succession --- his mother from illness and his father due to a tragic workplace accident.
Ryui is given a rare opportunity to move to the US and work for two Australian brothers who did business with his father in Japan. They run a Japanese antiquities warehouse and shop in Pasadena. Upon arrival, Ryui learns that Pasadena --- nicknamed the “Crown City” --- is an up-and-coming area in southern California. He takes up residence near his new workplace at the Riley House, where he shares an apartment with other Japanese-born new Americans. His roommate is a somewhat irascible sort named Jack who fancies himself an amateur photographer.
Ryui is involved in a project to create a wood-based cherry blossom tree for the annual cherry blossom dinner hosted by local artist Toshio Aoki. He works the event as a server and is present when Mr. Aoki announces that one of his prized paintings has disappeared. Ryui swears his innocence and is a bit distracted by an incident that occurs on his way home when a masked individual on a bicycle throws a note at him that reads DIE JAP.
Mr. Aoki will stop at nothing to get his painting back and offers a finder’s fee to Ryui and Jack if they locate it and return it to him. Jack takes this offer to mean that they are now private investigators, and they spend much of their time outside of their respective jobs on the track of the missing artwork.
What begins as an innocent pseudo-PI job turns deadly fairly quickly when Ryui and Jack’s search leads in the direction of Jack’s previous roommate, an unsavory sort named Eddie Morita. When Eddie’s body is discovered, they recognize that they may be in way over their heads. It could not have come at a worse time for Ryui, who is just starting what might be his first romance with a Japanese girl who is also living at the Riley House.
CROWN CITY starts off unassumingly with plenty of well-depicted historical context and deep immersion into the Japanese expatriate experience in the US during the turn of the century. The letter that finishes the novel is cathartic and brings Ryui’s adventure in his new country full circle. I was particularly impressed by the Author’s Notes and Acknowledgements, where Hirahara outlines both the real and fictional characters who comprise her story.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
March 27, 2026
A Study in Turn-of-the-Century American Dream Realities
I was fortunate to listen to Naomi Hirahara's newest in audiobook format, beautifully and captivatingly narrated by Brian Nishii. I think the audio added a lot of depth to this novel and probably made me finish it much faster than I would otherwise have.
Crown City starts with a letter from 1943, sent from a Japanese internment camp in the US. In it, the author tells a story his father, a Japenese-born master carpenter, told him while suffering from a fever. The story of a young man from Yokohama who came to California after the death of his parents to start over in Pasadena, also known as Crown City. The racism he faced and experienced first hand and the mysterious goings on he and his roommate Jack were drafted in to solve..
The book contains period-typical racist language that might offend some readers. This does serve to paint a picture that feels historically accurate and brings to life the Pasadena as it might have been in 1903.
Hirahara has the gift of vivid descriptions and internal monologue that really suck the reader into the world her characters inhabit. Yokohama, the West Coast and the small boarding house much of this novel takes place in feel so real that I sometimes felt the rays of the California sun on my skin. The cast of characters is very diverse and I feel that in her representation, Naomi Hirahara is both respectful of the cultures and aware of the underlying racial tensions as she lets them clash and interact throughout the story.
My only criticism is that the opening and closing of the novel, the frame as it were, is not a bigger part of it. The internment of Japanese people during the second world war is something people don't talk about enough and I feel that she had a real opportunity here to make it more than a passing comment and feature.
I especially appreciate how she manages to make the story of one person represent that of an entire generation, many of which the reader meets as other characters in the story. The issues of exoticism, anti-Asian racism and classist divides are addressed not with a sledgehammer but through the eyes of a person suffering under their boot. Meanwhile, the topic of identity is so tenderly discussed that it doesn't even feel like a theme and more of a heartache that unites the characters, be it Irish, Native or Asian.
If you are looking for a gripping mystery, the pace and immersive nature of this novel might not work for you. As a scene from a time many think to have long passed it works beautifully.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!
I was fortunate to listen to Naomi Hirahara's newest in audiobook format, beautifully and captivatingly narrated by Brian Nishii. I think the audio added a lot of depth to this novel and probably made me finish it much faster than I would otherwise have.
Crown City starts with a letter from 1943, sent from a Japanese internment camp in the US. In it, the author tells a story his father, a Japenese-born master carpenter, told him while suffering from a fever. The story of a young man from Yokohama who came to California after the death of his parents to start over in Pasadena, also known as Crown City. The racism he faced and experienced first hand and the mysterious goings on he and his roommate Jack were drafted in to solve..
The book contains period-typical racist language that might offend some readers. This does serve to paint a picture that feels historically accurate and brings to life the Pasadena as it might have been in 1903.
Hirahara has the gift of vivid descriptions and internal monologue that really suck the reader into the world her characters inhabit. Yokohama, the West Coast and the small boarding house much of this novel takes place in feel so real that I sometimes felt the rays of the California sun on my skin. The cast of characters is very diverse and I feel that in her representation, Naomi Hirahara is both respectful of the cultures and aware of the underlying racial tensions as she lets them clash and interact throughout the story.
My only criticism is that the opening and closing of the novel, the frame as it were, is not a bigger part of it. The internment of Japanese people during the second world war is something people don't talk about enough and I feel that she had a real opportunity here to make it more than a passing comment and feature.
I especially appreciate how she manages to make the story of one person represent that of an entire generation, many of which the reader meets as other characters in the story. The issues of exoticism, anti-Asian racism and classist divides are addressed not with a sledgehammer but through the eyes of a person suffering under their boot. Meanwhile, the topic of identity is so tenderly discussed that it doesn't even feel like a theme and more of a heartache that unites the characters, be it Irish, Native or Asian.
If you are looking for a gripping mystery, the pace and immersive nature of this novel might not work for you. As a scene from a time many think to have long passed it works beautifully.
Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook ARC!
February 26, 2026
I rarely struggle with ratings, but this one is hard for me to define. Set in the early 20th century, the book follows a young man through his journey from Japan to San Fransisco and how he evolves as he creates a new life in the US.
First off, I want to address the expectations versus reality. I picked up this book because it was touted as a murder mystery with elements of historical fiction. I found that the plot was mostly historical fiction with a few elements of mystery. I enjoyed both genres, but think I would have enjoyed it more if my expectations had been set from the jump. I found myself waiting for the mystery to start and looking for the classic motifs and rhythm of the genre, but the book ended and I was still left wanting. Had I gone into it expecting a rich tapestry of historical fiction set in 1903 San Fransisco, I would have been sated.
The book itself has beautiful imagery and does a solid job transporting the reader into a different time and place. Hirahara does not shy away from the hardships, sometimes grotesque, that the characters encountered, and we went through the journey of self-discovery right along with Ryui.
This was aided along by the narrator, Brian Nishii. Nishii added dimension and flow to the book and I enjoyed his interpretation of the characters. Sometimes, the female characters blurred together some, but overall, his voice and pronunciation of the text added to the story.
A few drawbacks that I found were the pacing and the ending. There were times where the text felt repetitive or tedious. I wanted to finish the story, but I wasn't gripped into picking it back up. Perhaps that was because I found it hard to identify with the main character or I wasn't fulfilled by the mystery that I was expecting. In addition, I found the ending to be abrupt and had to listen to it a few times to make sure that I didn't accidentally skip ahead or miss something
Overall, it is a unique read to explore the time period and examine the experience of Japanese immigrants at the turn of the century. If historical fiction is your jam and you aren't expecting a cozy mystery, this book could be for you.
Thank you to the author and to #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
First off, I want to address the expectations versus reality. I picked up this book because it was touted as a murder mystery with elements of historical fiction. I found that the plot was mostly historical fiction with a few elements of mystery. I enjoyed both genres, but think I would have enjoyed it more if my expectations had been set from the jump. I found myself waiting for the mystery to start and looking for the classic motifs and rhythm of the genre, but the book ended and I was still left wanting. Had I gone into it expecting a rich tapestry of historical fiction set in 1903 San Fransisco, I would have been sated.
The book itself has beautiful imagery and does a solid job transporting the reader into a different time and place. Hirahara does not shy away from the hardships, sometimes grotesque, that the characters encountered, and we went through the journey of self-discovery right along with Ryui.
This was aided along by the narrator, Brian Nishii. Nishii added dimension and flow to the book and I enjoyed his interpretation of the characters. Sometimes, the female characters blurred together some, but overall, his voice and pronunciation of the text added to the story.
A few drawbacks that I found were the pacing and the ending. There were times where the text felt repetitive or tedious. I wanted to finish the story, but I wasn't gripped into picking it back up. Perhaps that was because I found it hard to identify with the main character or I wasn't fulfilled by the mystery that I was expecting. In addition, I found the ending to be abrupt and had to listen to it a few times to make sure that I didn't accidentally skip ahead or miss something
Overall, it is a unique read to explore the time period and examine the experience of Japanese immigrants at the turn of the century. If historical fiction is your jam and you aren't expecting a cozy mystery, this book could be for you.
Thank you to the author and to #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 27, 2026
While part of the author's Japantown Mysteries, the novel is less a mystery than a coming of age story.
Eighteen year-old Ryunosuke Wada, an apprentice carpenter, has lost his mother to illness, and his father and mentor in a tragic accident. Acquainted with two Australian brothers through his father, he accepts their offer of a job in America, specifically Pasadena, California, where the men have two businesses.
What follows is a look into the life of Asian immigrants at the end of the 19th and start of the 20th century. The historical setting - time, place, cultural. political - and the characters, fictional and real - work together to bring the story to life. Young Wada is an engaging if befuddled young man through whose eyes and words the story unfolds.
Immigrants come to America for all manner of reasons, some like Ryunosuke out of necessity, others lured by the legend of the country as the land of opportunity. All are looking to begin, to rebuild, or to reinvent their lives. Some are lucky enough to work in their chosen professions, others must take on any labor they can find. The fortunate ones find welcome, but many face suspicion, hate, and violence in a place they struggle to understand.
Ryunosuke is lucky enough to have a position that uses his skills and where he can witness the appeal Japanese art and artifacts have for the wealthy citizens of Pasadena. He's also struck by how he is at times expected to be seen performing certain menial functions and at others considered invisible. He is confused over the popularity of Japanese art and the manner in which the immigrants are mistreated. The author presents the conundrum of 'America' this concept presents as a cognitive dissonance in the appreciation and collection of Asian art works and the disrespect and hate heaped on entire ethnic groups.
Sandwiched between two letters, one from Wada to his daughter from the prison camp in Arizona, and a second after his death to his daughter from Wada's son, is a story of a young man developing a strength of character that will sustain him in the new life he's chosen.
Eighteen year-old Ryunosuke Wada, an apprentice carpenter, has lost his mother to illness, and his father and mentor in a tragic accident. Acquainted with two Australian brothers through his father, he accepts their offer of a job in America, specifically Pasadena, California, where the men have two businesses.
What follows is a look into the life of Asian immigrants at the end of the 19th and start of the 20th century. The historical setting - time, place, cultural. political - and the characters, fictional and real - work together to bring the story to life. Young Wada is an engaging if befuddled young man through whose eyes and words the story unfolds.
Immigrants come to America for all manner of reasons, some like Ryunosuke out of necessity, others lured by the legend of the country as the land of opportunity. All are looking to begin, to rebuild, or to reinvent their lives. Some are lucky enough to work in their chosen professions, others must take on any labor they can find. The fortunate ones find welcome, but many face suspicion, hate, and violence in a place they struggle to understand.
Ryunosuke is lucky enough to have a position that uses his skills and where he can witness the appeal Japanese art and artifacts have for the wealthy citizens of Pasadena. He's also struck by how he is at times expected to be seen performing certain menial functions and at others considered invisible. He is confused over the popularity of Japanese art and the manner in which the immigrants are mistreated. The author presents the conundrum of 'America' this concept presents as a cognitive dissonance in the appreciation and collection of Asian art works and the disrespect and hate heaped on entire ethnic groups.
Sandwiched between two letters, one from Wada to his daughter from the prison camp in Arizona, and a second after his death to his daughter from Wada's son, is a story of a young man developing a strength of character that will sustain him in the new life he's chosen.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I went into Crown City by Naomi Hirahara as a fan of historical fiction, and I wasn’t disappointed. The novel takes its time, weaving in rich historical details that bring 1930s Los Angeles to life. The setting feels almost like a character in itself, with the culture, politics, and atmosphere of the time period blending seamlessly into the narrative.
As someone who loves historical fiction, the slow buildup to the mystery wasn’t an issue for me. I appreciated the focus on character development and setting before the mystery really begins to unfold. By the time the plot picks up, I was already invested in the world and the characters, so the gradual pacing felt natural.
That being said, I did wish the mystery element had been a bit more tightly woven throughout. While the eventual unraveling of the mystery was satisfying, there were moments where I felt like the story lost momentum as it took a while to get to the heart of things. But once the action started, it was engaging and kept me hooked until the end.
The narrator was fantastic, bringing the story to life with a clear, expressive voice that suited the tone of the book perfectly. The pacing of the narration complemented the book’s gradual buildup, and the way the narrator handled the more suspenseful moments really helped elevate the tension. It was a great listening experience that added an extra layer to my enjoyment.
Overall, Crown City is an atmospheric, well-researched historical mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and don’t mind a slow burn, this one’s definitely worth reading/listening to!
Thank you Naomi Hirahara, RBmedia | Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
As someone who loves historical fiction, the slow buildup to the mystery wasn’t an issue for me. I appreciated the focus on character development and setting before the mystery really begins to unfold. By the time the plot picks up, I was already invested in the world and the characters, so the gradual pacing felt natural.
That being said, I did wish the mystery element had been a bit more tightly woven throughout. While the eventual unraveling of the mystery was satisfying, there were moments where I felt like the story lost momentum as it took a while to get to the heart of things. But once the action started, it was engaging and kept me hooked until the end.
The narrator was fantastic, bringing the story to life with a clear, expressive voice that suited the tone of the book perfectly. The pacing of the narration complemented the book’s gradual buildup, and the way the narrator handled the more suspenseful moments really helped elevate the tension. It was a great listening experience that added an extra layer to my enjoyment.
Overall, Crown City is an atmospheric, well-researched historical mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. If you’re a fan of historical fiction and don’t mind a slow burn, this one’s definitely worth reading/listening to!
Thank you Naomi Hirahara, RBmedia | Recorded Books, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2026
Writing: 5/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 3.5/5
It’s 1903 and 18-year old Ryunosuke Wada — a novice carpenter — has made his way from Yokohama, Japan to Pasadena, CA alone after the sudden death of his Master Carpenter father. While there, a number of mysteries come his way — a missing painting, a dead body, a possible attempted murder, some anti-Japanese threats — that he tackles with his older Japanese roommate, “Jack.” These are resolved successfully and in a satisfyingly complex way, but for me the novel is really the story of the very observant and continually reflective “Ryui” as he becomes both an adult and an “American.”
The author’s prose is precise, contemplative, and acutely descriptive, exploring cultural practices and clashes, historical settings, and routine practices of living and working at the time. The lovingly detailed rendering of the Master Carpenter’s process for hand crafting beautiful objects and buildings, spanning architectural thought to wood selection to the final transformations was beautifully done — drawing me in despite my initial lack of interest in the subject. The characters had depth and conflicts were clarified from multiple perspectives. I felt as though I gained some real understanding of the time and place in which the story occurred.
I listened to the audio book and thought the narrator did an excellent job of imbuing the story with a relatable voice. This is a new author for me and she is going right onto my list. Crown City is “book 3” of the “Japantown Mysteries.” I have no idea how this volume fits into the first two, but if they are written with the same level of character and cultural insight, I’ll be happy to find out!
It’s 1903 and 18-year old Ryunosuke Wada — a novice carpenter — has made his way from Yokohama, Japan to Pasadena, CA alone after the sudden death of his Master Carpenter father. While there, a number of mysteries come his way — a missing painting, a dead body, a possible attempted murder, some anti-Japanese threats — that he tackles with his older Japanese roommate, “Jack.” These are resolved successfully and in a satisfyingly complex way, but for me the novel is really the story of the very observant and continually reflective “Ryui” as he becomes both an adult and an “American.”
The author’s prose is precise, contemplative, and acutely descriptive, exploring cultural practices and clashes, historical settings, and routine practices of living and working at the time. The lovingly detailed rendering of the Master Carpenter’s process for hand crafting beautiful objects and buildings, spanning architectural thought to wood selection to the final transformations was beautifully done — drawing me in despite my initial lack of interest in the subject. The characters had depth and conflicts were clarified from multiple perspectives. I felt as though I gained some real understanding of the time and place in which the story occurred.
I listened to the audio book and thought the narrator did an excellent job of imbuing the story with a relatable voice. This is a new author for me and she is going right onto my list. Crown City is “book 3” of the “Japantown Mysteries.” I have no idea how this volume fits into the first two, but if they are written with the same level of character and cultural insight, I’ll be happy to find out!
March 18, 2026
Crown City
by Naomi Hirahara
Thank you to Soho Press for the ARC.
Crown City is less a traditional mystery and more a piece of immersive historical fiction with a mystery woven through it. Naomi Hirahara places the reader in early 1900s Pasadena and takes her time building a world shaped by immigration, opportunity, and very real prejudice. The setting is detailed and lived in, and that ends up being the strongest part of the book.
Ryui is an interesting lens into that world. As a recent arrival from Japan, his perspective carries both curiosity and vulnerability, especially as he tries to find his footing in a place that does not fully welcome him. The cultural tension and moments of discrimination feel grounded and important, adding weight beyond the central plot.
The mystery itself takes a back seat for much of the story. There is an art theft and a growing sense of danger, but the pacing is slow and focused more on community, relationships, and daily life than on investigation. Readers expecting a tightly plotted mystery may find it drags, especially in the first half.
That said, the character work and atmosphere are strong enough to carry it, particularly if you go in expecting a historical novel first and a mystery second. When the plot does begin to come together, it is engaging, just not as central as the premise might suggest.
A thoughtful and well researched story that prioritizes setting and character over suspense.
3.5 stars.
by Naomi Hirahara
Thank you to Soho Press for the ARC.
Crown City is less a traditional mystery and more a piece of immersive historical fiction with a mystery woven through it. Naomi Hirahara places the reader in early 1900s Pasadena and takes her time building a world shaped by immigration, opportunity, and very real prejudice. The setting is detailed and lived in, and that ends up being the strongest part of the book.
Ryui is an interesting lens into that world. As a recent arrival from Japan, his perspective carries both curiosity and vulnerability, especially as he tries to find his footing in a place that does not fully welcome him. The cultural tension and moments of discrimination feel grounded and important, adding weight beyond the central plot.
The mystery itself takes a back seat for much of the story. There is an art theft and a growing sense of danger, but the pacing is slow and focused more on community, relationships, and daily life than on investigation. Readers expecting a tightly plotted mystery may find it drags, especially in the first half.
That said, the character work and atmosphere are strong enough to carry it, particularly if you go in expecting a historical novel first and a mystery second. When the plot does begin to come together, it is engaging, just not as central as the premise might suggest.
A thoughtful and well researched story that prioritizes setting and character over suspense.
3.5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This story is about a young Japanese man who travels to Pasadena for work after his father's death and ends up in the middle of solving a mystery of a stolen painting. The blurb and preface of this book promises a thrilling mystery, however, this is not what the book delivered. I'm very disappointed to say that I did not find what I was expecting from this book. I gave this book 1.5 stars. I was hoping for an adventurous historical mystery but the story severely lacked the mystery and adventure elements. It took around a 100 pages for the mystery part to start unfolding and even then I felt as though the characters themselves weren't interested as such in solving it. They had no interest or connection to any part of it and it seemed very one-dimensional. The character depths and their relationship dynamics with the other characters were represented as very shallow and unimportant. There was no chemistry between any of the characters and the only feelings I got from the main character towards Gigi was that he expected her to be a "prim and proper" woman who he could marry. I think this book would better qualify as a literary historical fiction rather than a mystery. That being said, I did like the historical element of this book. It was well written and researched. It was an easy read and I think it would most likely be more suitable for someone who has just started reading and wants to explore new genres.
May 18, 2026
I went a little outside my usual reading genres with this one, and while that did mean I picked it up and put it down quite a bit, I still found it to be a worthwhile and ultimately rewarding read.
The audiobook narration (solo narration by Brian Nishii) was excellent, especially considering the variety of accents required throughout the story. The novel had an almost biographical feel at times—not in a dry way, but in a way that made the world and characters feel authentic and lived in. For much of the book, it feels like a pleasant meandering walk in which half its purpose is simply to enjoy the scenery. The central mystery takes quite a while to fully emerge, but once it does begin coming together, the final stretch became especially compelling for me. I liked the main character, Ryui, as well—his naivety could be frustrating at times, but it also felt believable, and even occasionally charmingly funny.
I really appreciated the glimpse into the cultural tensions of the early 1900s in America (Pasadena, California) through the eyes of a Japanese immigrant. It was often difficult to read because of the racism, violence, and discrimination depicted, but those moments also felt important to the story being told, and I know while this story is fiction, the history it depicted is not.
Overall, this was a thoughtful historical fiction novel that took its time getting where it was going, but left me glad I stayed with it.
The audiobook narration (solo narration by Brian Nishii) was excellent, especially considering the variety of accents required throughout the story. The novel had an almost biographical feel at times—not in a dry way, but in a way that made the world and characters feel authentic and lived in. For much of the book, it feels like a pleasant meandering walk in which half its purpose is simply to enjoy the scenery. The central mystery takes quite a while to fully emerge, but once it does begin coming together, the final stretch became especially compelling for me. I liked the main character, Ryui, as well—his naivety could be frustrating at times, but it also felt believable, and even occasionally charmingly funny.
I really appreciated the glimpse into the cultural tensions of the early 1900s in America (Pasadena, California) through the eyes of a Japanese immigrant. It was often difficult to read because of the racism, violence, and discrimination depicted, but those moments also felt important to the story being told, and I know while this story is fiction, the history it depicted is not.
Overall, this was a thoughtful historical fiction novel that took its time getting where it was going, but left me glad I stayed with it.
February 27, 2026
Crown City by Naomi Hirahara had strong historical fiction elements that I really enjoyed. The portions of the story that highlighted Japanese culture and customs were fascinating, and I appreciated the thoughtful contrasts between cultures. One line that genuinely made me giggle was, “Both locations, however, featured rocking chairs in their lounge areas. Why did Americans have to move even when sitting down?” It was such a sharp and subtle observation.
The mystery component, however, felt questionable to me. I kept wondering when it was actually going to begin, and I think if I had gone in expecting purely historical fiction without the mystery angle, I may have enjoyed it more.
The first few minutes of the audiobook also took me out of the story a bit, as “Yokohama” was repeated several times in a way that felt unnecessary. It made me wish some sentences had been tightened or restructured. While this became less noticeable as the book progressed, every time I heard “Yokohama,” I was mentally brought back to the beginning.
I also struggled with the main character’s repeated declarations of being in love, which felt somewhat disingenuous to me. That said, Brian Nishii was an excellent narrator and brought warmth and nuance to the performance.
Overall, I appreciated the cultural depth and historical elements, even if the mystery and romance aspects did not fully work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The mystery component, however, felt questionable to me. I kept wondering when it was actually going to begin, and I think if I had gone in expecting purely historical fiction without the mystery angle, I may have enjoyed it more.
The first few minutes of the audiobook also took me out of the story a bit, as “Yokohama” was repeated several times in a way that felt unnecessary. It made me wish some sentences had been tightened or restructured. While this became less noticeable as the book progressed, every time I heard “Yokohama,” I was mentally brought back to the beginning.
I also struggled with the main character’s repeated declarations of being in love, which felt somewhat disingenuous to me. That said, Brian Nishii was an excellent narrator and brought warmth and nuance to the performance.
Overall, I appreciated the cultural depth and historical elements, even if the mystery and romance aspects did not fully work for me.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
May 11, 2026
This is the third book in the A Japan Mystery series by Naomi Hirahara. Ryunosuke "Ryui" Wada is an eighteen-year old traveling from Yokohama, Japan to Pasadena, California in 1903 for a new start after his parents pass away. Pasadena is nicknamed "Crown City" reflecting beauty and elegance symbolizing Pasadena's status as a cultural and artistic hub. Ryui works for two Australian brothers who did business with Ryui's father in Japan running an antiquities warehouse in Pasadena. Ryui is nicknamed "Louie" which is easier to pronounce than Ryui. Louie lives at the Riley Boarding house sharing an apartment with Jack an amateur photographer. Louie becomes a victim of an anti-Japanese attack where a painting from local artist Toshio Aoki is stolen. Mr. Aoki offers a reward to Louie and Jack to find and return his artwork to him. As Louie and Jack try to locate the stolen art, they discover the dead body of Eddie Morita who previously resided at Riley Boarding house. Louie meets Gigi a young Japanese girl at the Riley House and start a romance. Years later, Louie writes a letter to his daughter Louisa as he describes his time at a Japanese internment camp in Arizona and his life in Pasadena. This Historical mystery thriller delivered a gripping and thoroughly satisfying reading experience.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4 out of 5
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
This book is a prequel to the author's 'Chicago' mysteries as it tells the story of Louise's father when he first comes from Japan to California. 'Ryui', 18, is a recent orphan who fortuitously encounters the Marsh brothers (who have an Asian curio shop in Pasadena) and they hire him and arrange for him to journey to the US.
Ryui's story, from living in a boarding house with odd and bad quality food, to getting used to working in a non-Japanese environment and culture if well told. His POV as someone from a country with a long history and culture encountering the American west at the turn of the 20th century is well portrayed too. There's loads of detail about Pasadena and its environs, events, prejudices and (historical) people in 1903, and a minor art theft mystery as well.
For me, this was a technically excellent read, but I didn't connect with the characters much - possibly this is the author's intent to demonstrate the protagonist's alienation.
The author excels at research, and fans of realistic historical fiction should find this book worthwhile. This is (so far) a standalone book, although readers of Hirahara's Chicago mysteries will recognize characters in the prologue/epilogue.
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
This book is a prequel to the author's 'Chicago' mysteries as it tells the story of Louise's father when he first comes from Japan to California. 'Ryui', 18, is a recent orphan who fortuitously encounters the Marsh brothers (who have an Asian curio shop in Pasadena) and they hire him and arrange for him to journey to the US.
Ryui's story, from living in a boarding house with odd and bad quality food, to getting used to working in a non-Japanese environment and culture if well told. His POV as someone from a country with a long history and culture encountering the American west at the turn of the 20th century is well portrayed too. There's loads of detail about Pasadena and its environs, events, prejudices and (historical) people in 1903, and a minor art theft mystery as well.
For me, this was a technically excellent read, but I didn't connect with the characters much - possibly this is the author's intent to demonstrate the protagonist's alienation.
The author excels at research, and fans of realistic historical fiction should find this book worthwhile. This is (so far) a standalone book, although readers of Hirahara's Chicago mysteries will recognize characters in the prologue/epilogue.
February 24, 2026
This was an immersive look at early 1900s Pasadena through the lens of a newly arrived Japanese immigrant navigating grief, culture shock, and prejudice. The anti-Japanese tensions simmering beneath Pasadena’s polished exterior gave the story real weight.
I really enjoyed the historical details. The descriptions of the art world, the boarding houses, the citrus-scented streets, and the social hierarchies of the time are beautifully rendered. The atmosphere feels textured and lived-in, and the cameos from real historical figures add an extra layer of authenticity. I loved how vividly the author brought this era to life.
The mystery itself was intriguing, especially as a simple art theft unfolds into something more dangerous. That said, I did find the plot a little hard to follow at times. There were moments when I had to slow down and reorient myself to the threads of the investigation. Even so, the strength of the historical setting and the main character's emotional journey kept me invested.
Overall, this is a richly detailed historical mystery with a unique and important perspective. It’s a thoughtful blend of coming-of-age story and detective tale, and while the mystery wasn’t always easy to track, the world-building and character work made it well worth the read.
I really enjoyed the historical details. The descriptions of the art world, the boarding houses, the citrus-scented streets, and the social hierarchies of the time are beautifully rendered. The atmosphere feels textured and lived-in, and the cameos from real historical figures add an extra layer of authenticity. I loved how vividly the author brought this era to life.
The mystery itself was intriguing, especially as a simple art theft unfolds into something more dangerous. That said, I did find the plot a little hard to follow at times. There were moments when I had to slow down and reorient myself to the threads of the investigation. Even so, the strength of the historical setting and the main character's emotional journey kept me invested.
Overall, this is a richly detailed historical mystery with a unique and important perspective. It’s a thoughtful blend of coming-of-age story and detective tale, and while the mystery wasn’t always easy to track, the world-building and character work made it well worth the read.
Read
January 6, 2026Crown City is a richly atmospheric historical mystery that brings turn of the century Pasadena vividly to life while exploring themes of identity, prejudice, and survival in a changing America. Naomi Hirahara crafts a compelling narrative that blends coming of age tenderness with mounting suspense, anchoring the story in a meticulously researched historical setting.
Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada is an engaging and sympathetic protagonist, capturing the vulnerability of a young immigrant navigating grief, ambition, and cultural dislocation. As the investigation unfolds, the novel skillfully exposes the racial tensions simmering beneath Pasadena’s polished exterior, lending emotional weight and urgency to the mystery at its core.
What truly distinguishes Crown City is its balance of human intimacy and historical scope. The inclusion of real figures from California’s past enriches the narrative without overwhelming it, while the friendship between Ryui and Jack adds warmth and depth to an increasingly dangerous pursuit of truth. The result is a story that is both absorbing and quietly powerful, offering insight as well as intrigue.
Ryunosuke “Ryui” Wada is an engaging and sympathetic protagonist, capturing the vulnerability of a young immigrant navigating grief, ambition, and cultural dislocation. As the investigation unfolds, the novel skillfully exposes the racial tensions simmering beneath Pasadena’s polished exterior, lending emotional weight and urgency to the mystery at its core.
What truly distinguishes Crown City is its balance of human intimacy and historical scope. The inclusion of real figures from California’s past enriches the narrative without overwhelming it, while the friendship between Ryui and Jack adds warmth and depth to an increasingly dangerous pursuit of truth. The result is a story that is both absorbing and quietly powerful, offering insight as well as intrigue.
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