The Concubine's Tattoo

Sano Ichiro #4

by Laura Joh Rowland

A richly crafted novel set in seventeenth-century Japan, Laura Joh Rowland's The Concubine's Tattoo unfolds with all the excitement of a superb murder mystery and a sweeping, sensuous portrait of an exotic land. Sano Ichiro, the Shogun's most honorable investigator, is summoned to the imperial palace to find the murderer of Harume, a young concubine poisoned while applying a lover's tattoo. Sano's new bride, Reiko, insists on helping him with the case. Reiko's samurai blood and warrior's skill alarm her new husband, who expected a docile wife. But Reiko is only the first of many surprises... As subtle as the finest lacquered screen, as powerful as the slash of a sword, The Concubine's Tattoo vividly brings to life a story of murder, jealousy, sexual intrigue, and political storms that keeps us under its spell until the final, shattering scene.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Japan, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Crime

376 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Granddaughter of Chinese and Korean immigrants, Laura Joh Rowland grew up in Michigan and where she graduated with a B.S. in microbiology and a Master of Public Health at the University of Michigan. She currently lives in New Orleans with her husband. She has worked as a chemist, microbiologist, sanitary inspector and quality engineer.

Reviews

[The Girl with the Sagittarius Tattoo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another terrific mystery novel featuring samurai Sano Ichiro. Of all the entries I've read so far - which haven't been in sequence, unfortunately - this one most portrays Edo period Japan as rife with sexual predators, where even an honorable man is barely able to control himself if so much as a breeze blows in his direction.

The Concubine's Tattoo features a highly unusual murder method: poisoned tattoo ink! A substance is mixed in a small pot of ink, resulting in the user experiencing terrifying hallucinations and horrible pain, followed quickly by internal hemorrhaging that leaks from every orifice. The victim dies with bones broken from spasming muscles. Crazy!!

I was never able to narrow down the list of culprits before they were revealed, which is the hallmark of a good mystery to me. I can't wait to get to the next novel, Black Lotus.

[Athena · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't realize this was the 4th in the series but Joh Rowland writes well enough that this is easily read as a stand-alone. It's a basic murder-mystery-with-romance genre set during the Tokugawa shogunate era in Japan.

I enjoyed the historical/cultural setting more than most of the plot or characters, though one major villain of the piece, the hero's nemesis (because heroes must have nemeses apparently) does end up the most interesting of the characters. Joh Rowland did an OK job with the mystery and threw in some compelling hints and red herrings but it was still clear in the first third of the book who'd Done The Fiendish Deed.

Her writing is very readable but she has difficulty writing characters with much depth. Bad guys are bad, good guys are good, seasoned investigators are far too easily overwhelmed by their sex drives, and apparently two-thirds of Old Japan spent most of their time obsessing over getting laid. Meh.

It was good for an "I'm getting sick" read but not compelling enough that I'll pick up any of her other books.

[Tocotin · Rating 3 out of 5]

So. Rowland's books about Sano Ichiro the Edo-era detective are my guilty pleasure, because they are so cheesy it's charming. Reading them is like watching a cheap theatrical production: everything just reeks of cardboard and paint, but the actors are so serious and sweaty that it becomes fun to watch them.

There was not even one character behaving reasonably: neither Sano the shogun's investigator, nor his subordinates, his rival Chamberlain Yanagisawa, Sano's new wife Reiko (!), shogun's mother, her lover, no one. They were all stumbling in the dark. The whole plot was possible because everyone was so stupid: the supposed villain relying on his lover instead of his highly trained spies, the women longing after something to do, as if their daily life wasn't hectic enough, the shogun and his mother allowing hordes of men into the Great Interior of Edo Castle. Well. It was all needed in order for the story to happen.

What I liked about the book was the ability of the author to convey the atmosphere of a place with a few sentences. That's a considerable skill. Also, I liked m/m action (Yanagisawa and his actor lover). Other than that, nothing good can be said about the book, I guess. I don't know if anyone thinks that the historical details in it are accurate, and if someone does, then I can't help. One thing is probably worth mentioning: the poverty of Danzaemon the eta leader. No. Danzaemon is a hereditary name all leaders of the group inherited, and they were VERY rich.

Oh and Oka Basho is not a proper name. It's just a word for an unlicensed prostitute quarter, and Edo had dozens of these.

[Tracy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the main character, the mystery was interesting. However, political machinations, whether historical or current, leave me cold.

The relationship between the detective and his new wife was very unsatisfactory. After two meetings that both ended in slammed doors or screaming, I don't buy it that (in addition to being sexually aroused), the two began to fall in love. Two brief arguments and two days of (arranged) marriage do not a convincing couple make. If the author wanted to pull in the "they hate each other until they realize that they love each other" plotline, she should have picked up a few of the paperback mass-market romance novels. Those formulaic novels have that plotline down to a science.

I didn't see the necessity of all the sex or almost-sex; much of it would not have been missed if the author had just stuck to the character development and untangling the mystery. (Yes, there were places where it was useful to the story and no, I don't complain every time I read sex in a novel.)

And while I'm grousing - pick a language and stick with it. If the story is told in English, then don't throw in Japanese expressions and translate them. Use daimyo and let us figure it out, if you must, but for the love of Mike, stop writing "sumimasen - excuse me". Yes, we're intelligent enough to figure out after the FIRST time that 'sumimasen' might mean 'excuse me'. Or better yet - just write excuse me instead of "translating" it numerous times throughout the book. The word and its translation (again) don't add anything to the story and it's not consistent throughout the book - the characters say 'yes' an awful lot in the book, why isn't it written "Hai - yes"?

The underlying story, adventure and relationship had great potential; unfortunately the occasional satisfying glimmers were dulled by writing that tried to be too clever.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book was really good. I personally really like crime stories, and to read one from the ancient Japan... oh it's Christmas!
The story was awesome, and I've only figured who was the murederer not long before Sano and Hirata, so I was glad! :)
Anyway I've read it wrongly... When I got this book I did not know this was a series and not even the first volume... fortunately I did not have much disadvantage because I did not read the previous volumes.
I really liked the auothor's writing style, also I think she created very unique characters. (even though Chamberlain Yanagisawa is a bad guy, I really like him and his relationship with the No actor Shichisaburo, but...oh well, no spoilers.)
I can't wait to read the following and previous volumes :)

I highly recommend this book :)

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have really liked this series, but I'm wondering if I want to continue reading it because of this book and to a lesser extent the one before it. I really like the cultural details, the plot and the main characters. What I found really downright offensive in this book was sex, which was downright pornographic at times. I skipped a lot of pages trying to escape it. There was homosexual sex, which I escaped when I saw it coming. There was voyeurism which included watching two women together (also pretty much skipped). This was not necessary. Yes, the fact that it happened was important to the story, but it was totally unnecessary to describe it in such detail.

[jaroiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beru to postupně a tento díl se mi zdá zatím nejlepší, i když vlastně všechny jsou trochu zdlouhavější, než bývají moje oblíbené knížky.
Je tu méně dobrodružného boje a honění se někde nazdařbůh, možná trochu víc sexu. Budu se těšit na další příběh a doufám, že se dostane ke slovu zase i Reiko. Tady byla příjemným osvěžením.

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the 4th book in the well-written mystery series featuring Sano, a samuai detective. I especially enjoyed Sano's encounters with his assertive new bride and his growing understanding of the stultifying life of women in the late 1600's in Japan. My rating is based on my personal reaction to the plot which has many incidents of graphic sexual material, which I should have expected in a tale called The Concubine's Tattoo -- it's about "concubinage." But it's also about voyeurism, sexual violence, and depravity. I found it hard to finish.

[Lih Hwan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just spent an excruciating 2 days trying to finish this book.

Basic review: Sano san got married, but a murder occurred at the same time. The murder involved a concubine of the Shogun, which would inevitably pull all of the weight of the internal politics on to Sano San.

Like the previous books, the pacing goes back and forth between characters of importance. We are now introduced to Sano san's new wife and given yet another angle to view Hirata, his retainer. I did enjoy the character development given to Sano San, his wife and Hirata. There were many tensions between the characters, and within themselves, that was built up due to social and cultural conventions of that time.

What got me, structural wise, was the repetitive nature of the book. I don't need pages and pages worth of each individual's regrets or the same regrets being echoed by other characters. I want to know what they will do or not do about it.

But why this is so deserving of a 2 star is the editing work. I am not sure if this occurs in the paperbacks too, but I am absolutely disgusted that the spelling in this book is beyond appalling. A couple of spelling errors is understandable, if they were minor, it's also ok. But spelling errors nearly every other page, making sentences broken because of the spelling errors is beyond comprehension. If it was just a slight misspelling, I can understand it. However, some of the words were completely incomprehensible (what was iiiiè supposed to mean?!?) it completely jarred my reading experience, leading to an anti climatic ending.

Thanks, but please edit properly.

I only completed the book because the premise was interesting and the previous books were good. The spelling ruined what was a good ending for me.

[Schnuckiputzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Laura Joh Rowland's The Concubine Tattoo is a lush, superbly detailed tapestry of 17th century Japan, but the characters spoil the picture for me. Her "detective", Sano, is a deeply flawed character, constantly haunted by fears that he will be dishonored and disgraced. His inner turmoil even threatens to ruin his marriage to his headstrong, independent bride. The graphic sex is over the top, even though Rowland is making the point that flirting and sex are the power tools of the claustrophobic royal court. The plight of the women as simply conveniences to the men and their lack of a voice in their own destinies is clearly brought out.

[Shelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have liked the first 3 of the Sano Ichiro books more than this one. The mystery itself is intriguing, but there is far too much gratuitous, explicit sex in the book for my taste. This was not so much a part of the first three books, but for some reason it is in this one. It was almost enough to keep me from reading the fifth book in the series, but I decided to give the Sano Ichiro books another chance, because there are not many fiction stories set in feudal Japan, and I do like the characters.

[M.J. Fiori · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thinly characterized and written in purple prose. This would not be so bad if the book were not also egregiously homophobic. That places this installment from the San Ichiro detective series (centered around a samurai detective plying his trade in 17th century Edo) too low even for my usual low-flying sortee into Japan-set escapist literature. I will be giving the rest of the series a pass.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the second book of the series that I've read I greatly enjoyed Book 1. In this story Sano is married to an intelligent, educated and daring young woman who challenges the patrinistic views of women
I enjoyed how she and Sano learned to love and appreciate each other through solving this mystery. Parts of the book do read like a harlequin romance which I wish had been left out. Also, I would have enjoyed the book much more if the perverse sex practices of the shogun and his chamberlain and others wouldn't have been so graphic. Yuk.

[Gintautas Ivanickas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toliau keliauju per istorinio detektyvo apie Sano Ichiro seriją. Įtikinama XVII amžiaus Japonija, ne pernelyg įmantriai (bet ir ne primityviai) susukta detektyvinė linija - ko dar norėt?
Sano šioje knygoje dar ir veda. Ir tai nepalengvina jo gyvenimo. Kita vertus, o kam palengvino? Gavo pernelyg savarankišką žmoną, kuri jau nuo pirmos dienos nejuokingai įkišo nosį į vyro tyrimus. Aiškiai dar ne sykį serijoje turėsim detektyvus-sutuoktinius. Kol tai negadina siužeto - tegul.
Keturi iš penkių.

[Matt · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFing this one at 200 pages. My feelings on this book echo what a lot of other people say. I really enjoyed the first three, but man alive. This was not good. I'm not a prude, but I don't want to read extremely graphic sex scenes every 3 chapters. Especially not when it involves children. I understand that this is something that unfortunately exists in our world, both past and present. But I don't want to read about it. I don't even care who the murderer was. If I choose to continue the series, I'll just get it in a flashback.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in 1690 Tokyo. Very good historical mystery. Lots of detail around like especially for women in 1690 Japan. Research is very good on social customs. The mystery was well paced and layed out. You will guess several characters through out. She does a good job of showing different types of characters in attibutes in this book. It is book 4 of the series but start with book 1.

[Heidi Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much beautiful, descriptive writing throughout this violent, sexy, high tension book.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about Japan's history and I am especially fascinated by the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate was established. Incidentally, it officially began on my birthday (as I've read and heard) in 1603 which can't be mere coincidence and readily explains my interest for the era. This detective series is very well written. Laura Joh Rowland intricately weaves the history, the unflinching beliefs of the samurai of Feudal Japan, and the endearing love story between the sosakan-sama (Sano Ichiro) and his young wife Reiko into a most enjoyable read. I was unable to tear myself away from it for long stretches of time and the racing momentum of the unfolding story propelled me forward to its incredible end in two days time, less the hours of sleeping, studying and working. It was fantastic! Thank goodness it is a series and I will not have to bid sayonara to one of my favorite fictional pairs...at least for another eight books.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had never heard of the Sano Ichiro series when I picked up this mystery, but it hooked me immediately. I went back and read the first three (Shinjuu, Bundori and The Way of the Traitor), but this one was the best of them, so I am glad I read it first.

The period details are excellent, as is the author's ability to write the characters as people of their time, not as people with 21st-century thinking transported to the 1600s. Rowland's descriptions are effective, and her characters are complex.

If you enjoy historical mysteries, this is a very good book in a very good series.

[Danielle Morency · Rating 4 out of 5]

During the era of shoguns, samurai, and rising threat of the Western world's influence, a detective struggles to raise his family, keep it safe from intrigues and plots, keep his honor, and perform his duty to a fickle ruler. I love Ms. Rowland's series. The time period is one that most are familiar with, and yet, with each novel, she reveals details that aren't so well known. I've devoured at least ten of her books, and there is nothing so far that will deter me from continuing to do so.

[Sammi 🍑 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it...buuuuut i found a lot of it boring? Or too slow? The first half at least was very slow and really not that interesting in my opinion. The second half became a lot more exciting and interesting as things started to wrap up. In general im figuring out that detective type of stories might not be for me because my biggest problem was that we don’t know who Harume was. Who she was nor how she was as a person therefore i didn’t really care what had happened. 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

[Mirjam · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one errs a bit on the soft-core porn side, but still compelling and fun.

[Dona · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too much graphic content. Too bad because I really like this author.

[Fonch · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING: ⚠️ THIS NOVEL CONTAINS MANY SCENES OF BOTH HETEROSEXUAL AND HOMOSEXUAL SEX.

Ladies and gentlemen I apologize, it has been very busy on my other social networks so it has not been possible to write this review until now. "The Concubine's Tattoo" could be one of my Guilty Pleasure of this year. Without a doubt, the best thing about this novel could be the setting, the construction of the setting and the chosen period.

My followers know my passion for Japan and for the spread of Christianity in the land of the rising sun. This novel is set in 1690, many decades after the Sokaku and, that Christianity after several persecutions initiated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and, culminated by the following shoguns of the Tokugawa family, especially perverse and, abject was the role of Iemitsu as seen in the review of "Masaru" of @michaelcibenko Masaru Michael T. Cibenko suffocating the Shimabura revolt was practically annihilated from Japan even though it subsisted clandestinely and, their only hope was Bastian's prophecy Los jesuitas en el Japón de los samuráis (siglos XVI-XVII) (Argumentos para el s. XXI) Osami Takizawa .

The good thing about this novel is that since it is 54 years after the events that took place, there will be no attacks on Christianity. We are in the time of Iemitsu's successor. The weak, cowardly, mannered and selfish Shogun Tsuneyoshi who is famous for two events, the famous story of the 47 Ronin that occurred under his rule and, during his rule to ingratiate himself with the Gods and erase the sins of his family (which we attest are many), as he was born in the year of the dog , he protected these animals convinced by the Buddhist priest Ryuko (something that is told in this novel). It must be said that this is the fourth novel by detective Ichiro Sano who had recently solved the murder of a Dutch merchant and uncovered a smuggling ring and previously solved the case of the Bundori The Way of the Traitor Bundori Shinju. He earned the Shogun's appreciation by arousing the wrath of his mortal enemy, the chamberlain Yanagisawa (who banished him to Kyushu). The novel begins with his marriage to Reiko who is a real tomboy and, without a doubt, what I liked least about the novel. I think this saga follows the path of Thomas and, Charlotte Pitt https://www.goodreads.com/series/4048... (there will be more reviews of this saga of course) less naturally. The ceremony is interrupted by the death of one of the concubines of Tsuneyoshi's harem. Specifically, Harume. The first thing Ichiro must do is discover the cause of death, which, of course, can only be murder. One of the advantages, or strengths, of this novel is that Laura John Rowland masters the toxicological domain beautifully Poisons in Mystery Literature Drogodependencias en el cine y en la literatura . The way Ito discovers poisoning through the use of rats and vivisection is believable and entirely possible. There is a lot of talk about the backwardness of Western medicine (which is a lie and, above all, there is a lot of fake news from the Middle Ages Fake news y Edad Media , but despite everything, on the eve of the eighteenth century, Japan still does not do vivisections). The only country with which it maintains relations is the Netherlands and is located in a district in Terajima by Kyushu.

Aided by the faithful Hirata who saved him in the previous novel (which I don't know why @salamandraed didn't translate. I started translating from the third because that's when the tomboy of the protagonist's wife Reiko comes out and feminism sells a lot in my country. More than the literary quality or, the arguments and, so it goes) apart from having to solve the case so as not to lose the trust of the Shogun, and avoid falling into the traps of Yanagisawa Ichiro will have to deal with a rebellious wife who wants to participate in the investigations. The situation of women is well described, but more than a woman of the seventeenth century she has described to me a woman suffragette and feminist of the nineteenth or twentieth century. Despite the importance of Reiko, it doesn't fit me into the novel and, in the research, it's with everything that I liked the least. Although that she is a swordswoman is conceivable in a society with female samurai and, Kunoichis. Judge Ueda, on the other hand, is very well done. The suspects of the poisoning are a harem keeper named Kushida who follows the code of Bushido based on family, honor, loyalty to the Lord who also follows Ichiro joining the search for the truth as the good Sosakan Sama that he is. The next suspect will be a vengeful and snobbish concubine related to the imperial family (who has been by far my favorite character in this novel) who since time immemorial have delegated power to the Tokugawa Shoguns. Nominally they serve de facto power, the Tokugawa have the power that will not be regained until the Meiji era (1868), which more than a revolution was a counter-revolution to stop the westernization of Japan and, that fell into the hands of the Gaiyin (foreigners) the concubine is called Ichiteru and, I have enjoyed her very much, she is a real femme fatale who could have appeared in "The Diabolicals"" by Barbey D'Aurevilly Les Diaboliques or, it could have come from the pen of a Dashiell Hammett or, from a Raymond Chandler Dashiell Hammett Raymond Chandler (in this novel all the characters are enormously out). We must remember that Japan is an amoral country that seeks its own enjoyment and pleasure apart from greatly appreciating nature. Ichiteru will star in the scenes of greater erotic voltage, particularly with Hirata, who as the first Yamsha of Dragon Ball https://www.goodreads.com/series/5741... is very manipulable with female witnesses (already seen with the mother of the Shogun Keisho In). Both the first and second encounters are the best part of the novel. Of course, my followers must be warned, if you feel an aversion to sex scenes, I advise you not to read this novel under any circumstances. I don't shy away from this kind of thing, in fact I enjoy it like a pig in a puddle. One thing must also be recognized, and that is that generally (this is not the case because the novel is very well written), but if you put a lot of sex it is to hide the weakness of the plot or of your writing.

The third suspects are a Daimio couple whose husband is a real pervert and his wife, who is also his cousin, encourages her husband's perversions to keep him. The character of the wife has a very tragic history. A bottle of poisoned ink and a diary will be the key clues to the resolution of the plot. What greatly animates the case are the palace intrigues of Yanagisawa who will seek to eliminate the hated Ichiro and put an end to his only competitor for the affection of the Shogun in the Court. The counterweight is the mother of the Shogun Keisho In, a seemingly dim-witted woman, who exerts a control over her son that reminded me of the mother of the president of "Manchurian Candidate" The Manchurian Candidate : she seems to be one of these Hitchcockian mothers Alfred Hitchcock. At the same time she is a cougar who has a relationship with the Buddhist priest Ryuko who seeks to gain power as a vulgar Rasputin, although she is ambitious she uses her power to do good things, do charity work and gain the support of the underprivileged.

But, to me (Ryuko) she seems like a clumsy character and, I don't think I know if the user who has read this novel will agree with me, but an action by Ryuko prevents an even more favorable outcome of the plot. Yanagisawa's plan seems Machiavellian to me, and Sichisaburo is the instrument and the victim (the truth is that I expected much more from Sachisaburo, who had more of a role in these events). I've read in reviews that this is a very Manichean novel. I don't think so, I think that villains have traumas and reasons to act the way they do, and of course it seems unfair to me to label this novel as homophobic as some users have done in their reviews in @goodreads. I believe that this type of sectarianism does not favor coexistence and is false. What is unfair is that ideologies try to control art and lie to us by making us believe that women, non-Caucasian people, or people of a certain sexual or gender or social tendency apart from being victims are good by nature, and it is not true. Evil is not the monopoly of any ethnicity or sex, or sexual tendency or social class (status in this case) and being good or bad does not depend on those things, and the sooner we assume it, the better. Even in the villains I see a noble gesture. There are nuances, I haven't seen the novel so Manichean. I liked the setting and the vindication of the Etas and the possibility of romances between classes in a society that is not like the European one. People in the West don't realize the importance of the benefits of Christianity and the advantages it has for the West. Ask an Eta or a pariah if he would like to have the advantages of an inhabitant of the West with all the counterparts of the most disadvantaged here. The natural law is a great blessing, and it is a pity that we are bent by ideological and cultural issues and by the nihilism we have to insist on destroying all the good that we have. To me, Ichiro seems like a decent man and, who has empathy perhaps, he is a bit misogynistic, rather than worrying about honor he should be more concerned about whether the investigation endangers his wife. When I was in Eternam I was married and, in a quest we had to hunt down a serial killer who killed and my wife was going to be the bait. To prevent this, I offered to act as bait, but at that time D&D https://www.goodreads.com/genres/dung... did not allow cross-dressing. It is an interrogation that prevents Ichiro from falling into his enemy's trap. Which prevents me from giving it a high grade. Besides Reiko, it's just that, thank God the murderer is the one I didn't want him to be. I wouldn't have chosen that murderer, but I'm glad my favorite got away with this crime. The resolution of the case left me cold. Not so the ending of the novel, which is almost perfect. Ichiteru within her malice is adorable, she is almost my crush, I like women either very sinful (in the sixth commandment) or, very holy (I want an Ichiteru in my life). I also liked Midori, this novel has a good chance of taking the place of "Bullet Train" by Kotaro Isaka. At the moment I don't give it the highest grade, but as in the case of "Marta, Marta" by Enrique Álvarez (whose review is already available on Goodreads) I don't rule it out. My grade is (4'5/5).

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

While women have played always played a prominent part of Sano Ichiro's world and mysteries, they take center stage in this volume. The Concubine's Tattoo at last elevates this series to what it is capable of being: an in-depth look at Japanese society for all walks of life. Not only must Sano solve the mystery of the murdered courtesan, he must also grapple with how the world he has taken for granted treats the people it deems less than. It's a compelling novel full of larger-than-life characters who are relatable across time and cultures.

After stalling for two books, Sano finally marries Ueda Reiko, the daughter of the local magistrate. He is looking forward to a quiet home life with a docile wife, but what he gets is someone as brave, as stubborn, and as intelligent as himself. The two clash almost immediately as Reiko is determined to help him solve the murder. However, it's not just chauvinism that prevents Sano from letting Reiko help. He knows how dangerous the work can be, and he's still haunted by the death of one of his assistants from the first book. He won't let that happen to Reiko, but he's unable to fully articulate that fear of his.

Reiko is a wonderful character, if a bit naive, but that's to be expected considered her upbringing. For his part, Sano's newest case opens his eyes to how society affects women. His investigation into Harume's life, her mother's, and those of the other concubines reveals to him how limited their options are, and how some of their talents are utterly wasted by their positions. While I doubt Sano is now a model feminist, his transformation is believable, and the novel does an excellent job of breaking down women's roles, something that is largely ignored. This extends beyond the women's roles to those of the eta, a class of 'undesirable' people who have lurked throughout the novels. Readers finally learn more about them, and we see along with Sano, how samurai society has imprisoned everyone in a rigid hierarchy.

Part of Sano's process to solve the mysteries is to go through the victim's life, and I particularly enjoyed learning about Harume's. There were so many twists. Just when you think you've figured it out, there's conflicting evidence. The characters of the Miyagi clan, Lady Ichiteru, Lady Keisho-In enliven the novel. Even the evil chamberlain Yanagisawa gets a new dimension in this novel that is both heartbreaking and justified. You feel just a tinge of pity for him before watching in horror as he ruins it for himself.

A word of caution: this novel is just as graphic and sexual as the previous two books, particularly since this is dealing with the world of concubines, and sexual politics is the name of the game. There are many scenes of coercion, some assault, sweet unions, and then some out-there stuff. Some folks might be uncomfortable reading these scenes while others might just be plain weirded out. There's definitely a lot to wade through, so keep that in mind.

Even with that warning, I still think this is one of the stronger books in the series thus far. The sex scenes are all about power - who has it, who lacks it, who wants it - and I think they're more purposeful than they have been in the past. Overall, it's a great mystery and a fascinating look at 17th century Japanese society that I have to recommend this book.

[Grimread · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not the greatest book. It's probably the weakest one so far. But I'm just going to point out one issue that stuck with me the most.
Somehow I have a feeling feminists and SJW would tear this book apart, burn it in hell-fire and feed the ashes to the fishes. I'm none of those but I still find Reiko and Sano's relationship and their dynamic very unbalanced in solving their marriage problem. And I don't mean man-woman power struggle, but the way they compromise. On one side Reiko wants to be taken seriously as an independent, capable, intelligent woman that can do more than the society is labelling her for. She tells Sano directly what she expects from him, their married life together and the future. On the other side Sano wants a humble wife to go to after a hard day. So what happens after much slamming of doors? Sano after realising what positions woman have in society and how unjustly they are treated, yields to her every demand (out of love)with a profound confession while Reiko contributes nothing to this compromise of them getting on equal position except offering him a hand that to a reader is supposed to indicate her happiness and love. Immediate sexual attraction and instalove gloss over this unbalance completely. To me it just looks like she managed to manipulate her husband the way she manipulated her father into letting her do anything she wants.

[Gretchen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first three Sano Ichiro books. This fourth novel? I'm not really sure what this was. The new characters, specifically Reiko, did not work for me. Reiko was a spoiled brat. All we were missing was a good foot stomping.

You would like to see a little bit of development from existing characters as you move through a series. There was development. Just not the kind of development one would typically expect. Male characters developed......they developed a lot of erections. At one point, I wasn't sure if I was reading a mystery/thriller or a samurai version of 50 Shades of Grey. This was the kind of book my grandma covered with a cute quilted book cover and then tried to tell us she skipped the smut. She was just reading for the story.

At the end, I was let down by this book as much as Hirata was let down by Lady Ichiteru. Well...he wasn't actually let down and that was part of the problem.

[Sheryl Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say I'm feel very middle of the road on this title. There are common themes that appear in books set in Asia. Palace corruption, quests for power and intrigue are often a part of the story. There is a lot of that in this book. I feel the writing style at times was off putting though with emotions seeming too extreme. There is also a good amount of talk about sex. I don't generally have a problem with that but in this book it felt a little all consuming. As though the characters could be aroused at any moment. :) Just something to be aware of. At the same time, I liked the main character of Sano and enjoyed the mystery. I finished the book and did find myself wanting to get back to it to see who the murderer was.

[Dr Susan Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I cant resist Sano and his adventures, and in this complex plot we also meet his new wife Reiko and see how the didaster of the wedding night unfolds for both of them. Hirata comes into his own andeventually realuses his strengths. The other characters oftheseties liveup to expectations. The murder suspects are eliminated one by one and all ends propitiously forSano.
Yes, there’s a lot of sex and itsays a lot aboutthe Edo cultual milieuthat women and the poorer elements of society dont have a lot ofpower over their own lives. Inthe end though, the telling of the tale needs this aspect of human lives.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

El tatuaje de la concubina es una novela de misterio que trata de la investigación de un asesinato ambientada en el Japón del s. XVII. Es una lectura fácil y entretenida. Las perversiones sexuales retorcidas de los personajes no me han dejado indiferente en ningún momento. Además, personajes tan entrañables como Reiko y Sano hacen que te encariñes fácilmente de ellos.
Muy recomendable. Le doy 4 estrellas porque no ha conseguido sorprenderme como lo han hecho otras lecturas, pero he disfrutado mucho con ella.