The Deafening Silence

The Yakuza Path #4

by Amy Tasukada

An unproven alliance. A broken promise. A mafia boss must shed blood to secure peace…

Nao Murata is on the verge of brokering peace between his syndicate and the Mafufugumi mob. To seal the deal, he’ll need to pick up Russian prostitutes to appease his newest ally. When the exchange goes sour, both sides draw blades and Nao has no choice but to care for a blood-soaked enemy. If the man doesn’t make it through the night, Nao and his crew will pay with their lives.

Outnumbered and stranded in enemy territory, Nao is forced to fight his way out before the Mafufugumi Godfather takes the deal off the table. As his wounded enemy’s heartbeat slows, Nao must act fast or condemn his syndicate to a brutal war.

The Yakuza Path: The Deafening Silence is the third book in a series of Japanese mafia thrillers. If you like twisty action, authentic settings, and a touch of gay romance, then you’ll love Amy Tasukada’s pulse-pounding series.

Buy The Deafening Silence to immerse yourself in a bloody mafia tale today!

Genres: Romance, Mystery, LGBT, M M Romance

Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2018

About the author

International best-selling author Amy Tasukada writes thrilling times of crime, love, and gore. Readers who crave diverse characters, unique settings, and edge-of-your-seat action will devour her Yakuza Path series. Readers who seek less blood and more love will swoon over the Yakuza Path Romance and Would it Be Okay to Love You? Series. Amy is an atheist, queer author who enjoys drinking tea, Japanese street fashion and visual kei music. Her calico cat, O’Hara, is never far from her side. Amy lives in North Texas, but is always planning her next trip to Japan. Amy is also sought-after speaker for her lectures on author newsletters, writing LGBT+ characters, and cultural proficiency, diversity, and inclusion.

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Reviews

[Becca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn this series gets better every book. Deep in the heart of the Kyoto mafia, the Yakuza, you go into the deals, the fights, and the all around shadiness of each side and they try to dominate everyone else. But of course, knowing Murata, his background, his story and what it took for him to get shoved where he is, you have to root for him.

This story, good grief. Aki has become so close to me. I adore him. I've Nao from the beginning, but when Aki came into play, he just took over. Aki tries so hard to be everything to Nao as his secretary and as a member of the family. It's hard when his feelings get in the way. He is so into Nao, but as much as Nao as into him, and no Aki don't know for sure, Nao is scared. Anyone who has ever meant anything has been killed. He makes a line in the book that says it all.  Kyoto kills everything for him. But Aki works so hard. He does all he can do, so when something doesn't go right, he feels it down to his bones that he has failed. But this time, it's not his fault.

From the time they get to where, they're supposed to be for this alliance meeting, everything is going wrong. And the coincidences are stacking up. Things that are making Nao very uncomfortable. But as much as all this unsettles him, technically he still answers to Miko as the godfather. He's just filling in while she's in jail. Which isn't settling right either. Because they don't listen to him. He's just a kid to them. But his and Aki’s instincts are right and something is up. And they dig to find out what. Nao tries to keep himself in check but he's had enough and blood will run. He will show why his name is feared among many.

Damn I love him lol. He is so badass. Everyone underestimates him at every turn. He's a little guy, he's young, he's just filling in for Miko. For all this everyone thinks he's incompetent. Lol. I feel for them when they find out how wrong. And Aki is becoming a little badass himself. Nao set him up for lessons in the ring and shooting and such. Before he couldn't defend himself well. Now he's getting much better.

This book turns into a bloodbath and I love it. It's full of tension, action, and finally Nao is paying a bit more attention to Aki. Although at one point I wanted to smack Nao for how he treated him from being jealous. It was a low blow. But it turns out alright. But war is now coming and Nao is done. And I can't wait to see the next book.



http://lovebytesreviews.com

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Deafening Silence is the fourth book in The Yakuza Path series by Amy Tasukada. I have really enjoyed this series. It's full of action, suspense, and mystery — lots of twists and turns. I also love the authentic settings and just a touch of romance that is in this series. I can't wait to see what happens next in the series. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[LivreLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! In no way was I expecting anything that happened in here and that just made everything so much better!
Maaaan, just so good, I can’t wait for the next book. I swear every book in this series is just the best.
Ok, now that I’m done gushing I guess I should attempt to coherently explain why it’s so good so here we go:
1) the characters are all so unique in thoughts, tone, reaction, and overall look in the book
2) the action of the book is beautifully paced and surprising in the best way
3) the overall premise of a yakuza gay romance is rare and perfectly written
4) the ending leaves you satisfied and still wanting more

(P.S. that last line sounds dirty but it suits the book so it’s staying)
So there you go, that’s ‘bout the best review I can make of this book in the spur of the moment.
Love,
This reader!

[Amy Tasukada]

hi everyone. I record a little update each Monday when I wrote The Deafening Silence. This is kind of like the "behind the scenes" that you'd get with DVDs. So since it has a few spoilers I'd recommend go ahead and read the book and if you want a little extra about the process listen to the videos.

Thank you all! You are awesome and I wouldn't be here without you~

>>>CLICK HERE<<< to listen to the playlist

[Maryann Kafka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nao Murata is the youngest Godfather for the Kyoto Matsukawa Syndicate. His love is the city of Kyoto and he believes in the old ways of Japan. Not all goes well within the Matsukawa as Nao has learned there are some not to be trusted. To make the Matsukawa stronger against the Korean Mafia he’s learned there are deals to make. A meeting has been set up to meet with Sapporo Mafufugumi in Hokkaida and Nao is very uncomfortable leaving his true place in Kyoto. He’s not alone on this trip, he’s accompanied by his bodyguards, Jun and Kohta and his newly appointed secretary Aki Hisona.
Aki’s dedication to Nao runs deep. He’s willing do anything to please Nao. He’s learned the expertise of making tea for Nao and handles all calls as Nao has no use for cell phones. He’s loyal and trustworthy but there’s hidden feelings between Nao and Aki that they both struggle to fight.
Taking this alliance meeting in a place that has anti-yakuza laws trouble brews fast. Betrayal of a bodyguard, the Mafufugumi dealing with the Russians and deceit effects both Aki and Nao and puts them in danger. And there are other very ugly issues that are discovered by both Nao and Aki and there’s no stopping the rage that’s to come. No matter what feelings Aki and Nao have they have to join forces and face danger head-on.

The Yakuza Path by Amy Tasukada is one of my top series to look forward too. It shows a young man taking over the syndicate and not by choice. His love lies with his country of Kyoto and to carry on old tradition. Even though he’s a skilled and dangerous yakuza, his talent and knowledge lies in various tea’s. It’s no holds barred when it comes to betrayal, and war between various mafia’s. The violence is very gritty and gory and in this case the abuses that are revealed may not be for everyone but I couldn’t see this series existing without it.
The relationship between Aki and Nao is a conflict with loyalty and jealousy, mixed with a forbidden sense of love and superstition. All these mixed emotions also lead to misunderstandings where mistakes are made but they find reason that keeps their connection alive.
The characters all bring a sense of suspense and danger in the well paced action novel and there’s definitely shock factor involved.
I highly recommend the entire series: Blood Stained Tea, Better Than Suicide and One Thousand Cranes. There’s more to come soon with a fifth book: Flowers of Flesh and Blood. The title alone peaks my interest, can’t wait!

[Nica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the series. I hadn't read the first three books yet but I had not trouble keeping up with the story line, since the characters are presented clearly and consistently throughout, I was never confused. Nao is the very young leader of his yakuza group, and as such, is placed in a vulnerable position of maintaining and creating new alliances with other groups, especially since his territory is being threatened by the Korean mafia. Aki, his secretary, is not-so-secretly in love with Nao, and is devoted to his every command. The young godfather is especially stressed, when he is forced to leave his beloved Kyoto to establish a new alliance with the Mafufugumi group, and is accompanied by Aki and his bodyguard Kohta and another high ranking member, Jun, who is there to assist communication. It all goes badly from the very beginning as Jun gets arrested and Nao is forced to face humiliation and double crossings and heartache. The story is very clearly written, the characters are interesting, and Aki is especially appealing, with his devotion to his godfather and his eternal hope of gaining Nao's love. Aki also has to face his demons, his insecurity over his appearance due to his vitiligo and his ever present fear of failing Nao all come into play during the book and he has opportunity to evolve past his fears. Nao, on the other hand, continues to struggle with his guilt over his dead lover, and his attraction to Aki, his insecurity over leading the group and his fear that his beloved city will be violated while he is away. The only time Nao isn't insecure is when he dealing bloody justice, and let's his killing demon out. I did feel the story drag a little, but it was a very interesting look into the criminal underworld. It made me want to read the first three book and get a better understanding of Nao and Aki.

[Shari Sakurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this novel for free in exchange for an honest review*

When Nao leaves Kyoto to do a deal that will hopefully bring peace between his syndicate and the Mafufugumi, a last minute change in terms jeopardises everything. Now he and his companions are trapped with the enemy and if the wounded man does not make it through the night then there will further bloodshed.

This series just keeps getting better and better. In The Deafening Silence we get to switch between Nao and Aki’s POV which gives so much insight into how they feel about each other and the rapidly escalating situation. Nao’s position as godfather is not secure by any means and Aki does whatever he can to support him. In this novel you really see how Aki is developing his skills as well as how unwavering his loyalty to Nao is. Despite there being another potential love interest for him, he cannot shake his feelings for his boss. Nao is still battling his own feelings for Aki and at one moment his jealousy gets the better of him. They make it up, but it is another opportunity missed between them to say how they really feel.

As with the other instalments of the series there is plenty of action and you never know where the next fight is coming from or who will survive. The twists and turns are a part of what I love most about this series, together with the developing relationship between the two leads of course!

The Deafening Silence did not disappoint, and I cannot wait to read Book 5!

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Review

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

For the full review visit https://wp.me/p220KL-fuU on 12/12

From that review: "Since my first introduction to Nao Murata in the bloody and absolutely brilliant first story in this series, Blood Stained Tea, I'm almost confounded by my deep emotional involvement in the welfare of someone who is admittedly a murderous psychopath, one who's barely contained rages have seen him want to spill the blood of dozens, often by his bare hands or any implement nearby.

But this is Japan, centuries old with ancient traditions and a culture to match. All built with such subtle nuances and  layers that can shield or hide behind.  Just as its many characters  demonstrate with their personalities.  Tasukada clearly loves and understands Japan in all it's natural and historic beauty to the gritty darkness of the Yakuza underworld.  It has all  figured in greatly in this series as both the foundation, setting, and emotional framework for it's characters.  Kyoto, Nao's personal passion can stand in as another character all its own."

For all our reviews, check out http://scatteredthoughtsandroguewords...

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book four in a series, so if you haven’t read the previous novels, start with them! In this installment, there’s a lot happening: the plot has so many twists and turns that it can be a bit dizzying to catalog them all (and I’m not even going to try in this review: let’s leave it at, all the things, and it’s easy to get caught up in.) There’s action, mystery, and the constant feeling that everything is poised on the knife edge of *something.* Against this backdrop, the complexity of the dynamic between Nao and Aki really shines. This whole series is full of subtleties and layers, and this book is no exception. Well worth checking out.

*I received an ARC of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew! This series just gets more intense, probably because in this one we got a tiny glimpse of a way to some peace between the warring groups. That one bit of hope goes up in smoke, however. We get all the details in this one about the negotiations, plots and machinations and more of the tentative, developing relationship between Nao and Aki. These two are treading in life-threatening waters and both of them are completely aware of the consequences if secrets aren't kept. The next book is going to be something else as plot threads from this one come to fruition. Unlike some series which lose steam as they go on and the writer seems to run out of ideas and enthusiasm, Tasukada keeps every one of these at the same high level.

[PaperMoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

One thing this series cannot be accused of is that of being dull or listless; the action does not shy away from violence and betrayal (this is the Yakuza after all). The gang culture, group norms and traditions, bonds of loyalty and retributive actions continue to be fascinating. However, the long long drawn out suppressed attraction between acting boss Nao and his personal assistant (Aki) is getting a little wearying though - need a little momentum here folks. Nao's attitude/perspective (sometimes Aki as well) also comes across as decidedly insular and dismissive when it comes to culture, food etc of other Japanese cities or even races; I don't remember this being as annoyingly obvious in previous books - all adding to the fact that I didn't enjoy this installment as much.

[Jason Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This series is amazing. And I am so depressed that the next book in the series isn't out yet. This series is so amazing!

[Rajnish Kumar]

I want to read only.

[Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

this series keeps on improving. best yet

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read The Yakuza Path series from the beginning and this does not dis appoint. The story is intricately woven but easy to follow. Our hero Nao must protect his syndicate against a rival mob part of the Korean Mafia, and everything he holds dear is about to fall apart.
5*

[zenzeromante · Rating 3 out of 5]

Light spoilers ahead, but nothing concerning the actual plot.

So what happened is, I had some problems with the first book of the series, but the quasi-cliffhanger at the end left me wanting to see how the story could go on from there. The second book I liked a lot better, and I think that Aki's novella may be my favorite book out of all four. I did like this book too, but it also felt like the main story was put on hold. I mean, the core points are there (the relationships between the cities, the blooming of the Korean-Japanese mob war, Nao and his subordinates), but it does not actually advance the story we're more interested in, so this felt like a long excursus from the main topic, which added to Aki's novella (although extremely interesting and important for Aki's character development, it too had nothing to do with the main plot) makes it to two books that haven't exactly told us anything new about what is going on in Kyoto with the Korean mob.

All in all, I actually enjoyed the book itself – Aki and Kohta's banters are funny, and Nao going feral is always nice in a weirdly twisted way. I like how all the character named in these books actually have a subplot and their own character development (or lack of, but they still change and transform during the story, which makes them seem dynamic and interesting).
Still, I'd love to read more about the actual mob war. These digressions are nice because they show us the depths of the characters' reasonings and feelings, but at the same time the main plot is too big to be left alone for so long, and as a reader I was a bit disappointed because there wasn't much advancement in that department.