Azabu Getaway

Detective Hiroshi #5

by Michael Pronko

Money isn't everything. It's the deadly thing.

After the murder of a high-flying executive in one of Tokyo's wealth management firms, Detective Hiroshi finds himself investigating the financial schemes that secure the money of Tokyo's elite investors. His forensic accounting gets sidetracked, though, by a second murder and the abduction of two girls from the home of a hotshot wealth manager.

The abducted girls are the daughters of an international couple who seemed to have it all—a large apartment in the high-end Azabu district, top schools for the children, and a life of happy affluence. Their life falls apart and they are swept up in threats and pursuits for reasons they cannot fathom.

Tracking the money and tracking the two daughters leads Hiroshi into Tokyo's murky financial past and outside Japan's borders as he discovers how overseas investments and tax shelters are really managed.

Hiroshi works with Sakaguchi and Takamatsu and others on the homicide team, including an assertive new detective, as they confront greed and violence in one of the wealthiest cities in the world.

Azabu Getaway is the fifth novel in the award-winning Detective Hiroshi series.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime

330 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2022

About the author

Michael Pronko is an award-winning, Tokyo-based writer of murder, memoir and music. His writings on Tokyo life and his taut character-driven mysteries have won critics’ awards and five-star reviews. Kirkus Reviews called his second novel, The Moving Blade, “An elegant balance of Japanese customs with American-style hard-boiled procedural” and selected it for their Best Books of 2018.

Michael also runs the website, Jazz in Japan, about the vibrant jazz scene in Tokyo and Yokohama. He has written regular columns about Japanese culture, art, jazz, society and politics for Newsweek Japan, The Japan Times, Artscape Japan, Jazznin, and ST Shukan. He has also appeared on NHK and Nippon Television.

A philosophy major, Michael traveled for years, ducking in and out of graduate schools, before finishing his PhD on Charles Dickens and film, and settling in Tokyo as a professor of American Literature at Meiji Gakuin University. He teaches contemporary American novels, film adaptations, music and art.

Reviews

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of suspense, “Azabu Getaway” is the detective novel, mystery readers crave!

Read full review in the 2023 February issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book from AXP in exchange for an honest review.

An American man returns to Tokyo to abduct his daughters from his estranged wife. Meanwhile, the CEO of a shady finance company is murdered.

Detective Hiroshi and company get on the case, finding that the cases are connected, and various yakuza factions are involved.

Hiroshi's girlfriend is giving a speech at a wedding that Hiroshi simply must attend, he finds his thoughts are headed in that direction himself.

The section on the American and his wife are actually somewhat lacking. The police investigation is what makes this novel.

[Eric Madeen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as I found myself bordering on burnout and giving up on Japan after 30 years here what with its cigar-store Indian stoicism and one-way flows of energy here comes Michael Pronko’s new novel Azabu Getaway, breathing life into my jaded vision, refreshing it with characters who actually try, try to connect as transcribed in snappy patter and gemmy prose. The fifth in the multi-award winning Hiroshi Series, it rocks on several fronts; foremost it delivers bigly on two key points of good noir detective fiction: writing (it crackles) and plotting (it sizzles).
Working the numbers side of investigating and how to follow them when they don’t add up, Hiroshi is an empath detective whose stomach churns at murder scenes and vibes mostly as just enough of a Beta to be likeable to the majority of today’s readers.
It's a murder mystery set in motion from the get-go when one Patrick Walsh goes to reclaim his young daughters from an estranged marriage teetering on divorce. In Japan, Pronko affirms, custody almost always goes to the mother, especially in mixed marriages where the mother is Japanese, hence the kidnap.
Nine Dragons is the shady investment firm where a murder of its manager occurs and the plot points unwind in multiple directions with Pronko giving us a front-seat view of the high-energy metropolis, from such arcana as host bars, filthy rich locales including Azabu of its title, to finally its Disneyland.
Figuring into the plot are former sokaiya, those corporate annual-meeting disrupters and fraudsters so prevalent in the Bubble Era, with the dirtiest companies, we’re told, being the fastest to pay them off.
What I found most dazzling about the book was its investigative edge, how it unspooled where much of the savings in all those near-zero interest earning post office retirement accounts and sundry may be going. We learn how the western state of Wyoming with its loose laws allows any LLC to have complete control of a trust through an agent so as to bring in the moola for washing and investing. Anyone can be an agent. “No way in for us, and lots of ways out for them.” “Precisely. They call it Offshore Wyoming USA. Nice marketing, don’t you think? … It’s the Wild West.” Nice dialogue.
The laundering is slathered with layers of wrapping as deduced by Hiroshi in this exchange: “It feels very Japanese … wrapping something valuable inside layers inside layers, like a gift or kimono.” We’re educated on SARS (Suspicious Activity Reports) and EMIs (Electronic Money Institutions) which are E-money companies described as a step around regular banks and crypto and thus detection.
Patrick’s daughters are a primary focus as he shuffles them around Tokyo to evade the heat and hoodlums. It was in some of those daughterly sections I, as curmudgeon, found myself switching to skimmer mode. All in all, however, Azabu Getaway is a must-read for Tokyoites and anyone with even the remotest interest in fine noir detective fiction … and agents who smell a movie.

[E.B. Roshan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: Azebu is an affluent neighborhood in Tokyo, where one of the protagonists, Patrick, lives with his family. I open with this tidbit because the many Japanese names may make "getting into" this story a little more difficult for readers who, like me, almost completely unfamiliar with the language and culture of Japan. However, it's a sign of the author's skill as a storyteller that before long, most of the names that were just sounds at the beginning have coalesced, taken form, if you will, and become vividly-imagined people and places. I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the story, and feel like I know quite a bit more about life in Tokyo, both expat and local, than I did when I began.

Hiroshi is one of those rare detectives (rare in fiction, at least) who would genuinely rather be behind his computer, analyzing data, in the race to catch financial criminals than out of the street, racing (literally) to catch them. He's better at choosing the right kind of gift envelope to put money in than identifying a handgun, and better at downing more-than-mortal amounts of coffee and espresso than either of those things. I'm picky about my detectives, but I liked Hiroshi. He's an efficient person. Methodical. His relationship with his long-time girlfriend, Ayana, added an important playful and affectionate side to his character.

The other protagonist was Patrick, an American businessman married to a Japanese woman and the father of two daughters. The story opens in his POV, but not such a close POV that we aren't first mystified, then intrigued, then alarmed at what he's up to. This gradual "trickle" of information in non-omniscient POV stories is sometimes frustrating, but in Azebu Getaway, it worked well. While Patrick's actions seemed quite precipitate, I never fully lost sympathy with him because he was clearly driven by a deep love for his family and desire for them to be safe. And who knows? Maybe he did what he did because it was the only way it could safely be done...I'm still not entirely convinced of that, but I've also never had the Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) after me.

Before long, Patrick and Hiroshi's paths cross, and they realize that what seems like a series of unconnected crimes all lead back to one source, and the chances of everyone coming out alive and unhurt seem slim indeed...

All in all, Azebu Getaway gets a fair three stars.

I received a complimentary copy of Azebu Getaway for the purpose of sharing a fair and honest review.

[Nicki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great instalment in the Detective Hiroshi series.
This one mostly follows Patrick, an American man who is separated from his Japanese wife, Miyuki. Patrick has returned to Japan to kidnap his two young daughters and return to America with them. Not going to lie, I didn’t have a very high opinion of Patrick at this point. Thankfully there was a little more to it than that (not going onto spoiler territory), though I still wasn’t crazy about certain things he had done to get the divorce instigated in the first place. I guess no one said a good character had to be likeable! I did think his relationship with the girls was well written. I can find scenes with children very cloying in novels, but I didn’t mind reading about Kiri and Jenna at all, they were very sweet. The chapters of the three of them on the run were quite gripping and interesting.
In addition, there are thugs, money laundering, murder, hosts, and the usual wonderful descriptions of Japan that Michael Pronko writes so well.
This is quite light reading for the genre. It’s not overly difficult to follow despite all the characters and I did find some of the characters quite funny too in how they were described (Miyuki’s bitter old mother, for example).
Definitely worth checking out.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Azabu Getaway is the fifth book in the Detective Hiroshima series. This was actually the first book I’ve read by Michael Pronko, so I can’t compare it to any of his other books.

I enjoyed following Detective Hiroshi in his professional and personal life. He works with a good group of detectives with interesting backgrounds as well. Following them was the best part of the book. There were definitely some well-done unexpected turns of events as well.

There is a bit of financial jargon which I expect not everyone can follow, but I don’t think it got in the way of the actual story. I just never found myself truly invested in the characters (other than the detectives) and what was happening to them. Whenever there was a chase, the description felt somewhat confusing and I just wanted it to end.

I never found myself so interested in the story that I couldn’t put it down. After awhile I could tell what was going to happen and I was ready to finish the book.

Since I received a free copy of this book from Edelweiss in return for an honest review, I feel badly for not liking it very much. Maybe another one of his books would be better for me.

[Rosalba Mancuso · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when you must investigate an awful crime during a pandemic time?
With Azabu Getaway, the new mystery novel by Michael Pronko, the main character, Japanese detective Hiroshi Shimizu deals with a double homicide occurred just in our current pandemic time.
Like the previous detective Hiroshi mystery novels, this new story is set in Tokyo, where the author teaches American Literature. What makes this novel remarkable, original and intriguing is the fact that nobody mentions the name of the pandemic virus, but only the tools people have been using for over two years to protect themselves from the contagion. And here is the Japanese life described in the novel moves through sanitizers and face masks, even amid the crime scene, where you find three victims: the powerful head CEO of a likewise powerful financial company (with ties with Japan, China and the United States), a grandmother and the guy who looked after her two little granddaughters.
The CEO and the woman die, while the boy ends up bruised and hospitalized.
What is the link among these seemingly mismatched crimes? This is the question which keeps you glued to the story, from the first to the last page. The pace is fast, with compelling dialogues and a scenery placed in Azabu, the residential district of Tokyo, where anonymous investors move big amounts of money overseas, on behalf of influential and wealthy customers. There, money is the life blood of people and things, but through a fictional tale, readers are also transported to the middle of the Japanese culture and tradition, obtaining an overview about its most innovative and common customs, amid cryptocurrency, anime and manga, and a pervasive porn industry, which has Japan as its main center of power. Indeed, there are not only the restaurants where you can eat sushi and tofu, in the novel, but also the private life of Japanese families, where marriage and divorces are becoming international by now, such as the one between American Patrick and Japanese Miyuki.
These two characters – he is a financial advisor who escapes with his little girls, she is a bank account manager and mother of the two abducted daughters – give you a large glimpse about how wealthy people consider and perceive their feelings in this world spoiled by personal interests and secretive personalities. The story runs on the frail line of human ambiguity, where appearance never coincides with the real intentions. Nobody seems to be sincere and authentic, in this story, but, above all, nobody trusts nobody. The suspect invades people like a virus, making the investigation of detective Hiroshi and his team more and more intriguing. Betrayal is always around the corner, and an apparent innocence could veil a fault. Although the pandemic background, in fact, the story, with its captivating twists and brilliant insights, chases a sort of normality, where you don’t fear the virus anymore, but the loss of your own wellness, here meant as your financial condition or money possession.
For those who inhabit this world, it is still money which is worth saving and protecting, not your health or life. In the murky financial zones of Tokyo, money is, in fact, the absolute evil, the main cause of crimes and tragedies. Readers, hence, along with detective Hiroshi Shimizu, will have to unravel a world of liars and murders, trying to save the true value which really matters: the love for your own family and for this new gripping mystery novel.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Azabu Getaway is the highly anticipated fifth novel in the award-winning Detective Hiroshi Series of mysteries set in the exotic metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. Just like all the other previously released books in this excellent series, Azabu Getaway is exquisitely written by the esteemed professor, multiple award-winning author and Tokyo resident for over 20 years, Michael Pronko.

In Azabu Getaway we find forensic accountant, detective Hiroshi Shimizu, and his colleagues, Sakaguchi and Takamatsu collaborating with others on the homicide squad, including an assertive new detective, in order to investigate the brutal death of a high executive in one of Tokyo’s wealth management firms. But when the children of a well to do international couple are kidnapped by an unknown individual, Hiroshi and his friends must scramble to find answers as some pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place, and hopefully recover the kids before it’s too late.

What follows is a high stakes race against the clock filled with action, murder, mysteries, dark secrets, money laundering, shady investments, tax fraud and of course, a thorough investigation.

As always, the writing is excellent, the characters feel like part of the family for me now and it is always a great pleasure and privilege to spend time in their presence. What I love the most about these stories is the attention to detail that Mr. Pronko shows at every step. From the lifelike protagonists, to the well thought out plot and to the locations, descriptions and respect with which he treats the Japanese people, their culture and their way of life, the Detective Hiroshi novels are flawlessly written and exquisitely performed.

Speaking of performance, renowned narrator, talented actor and award-winning voiceover artist Peter Berkrot returns to the detective Hiroshi series for a fifth time now and drawing from his experience of over 40 years in the entertainment industry, Peter brings all the characters, locations and events to life in his unique way.

He reads in a calm, quiet voice, infuses the narration with just the right amount of emotion and switches seamlessly between voices and accents, successfully accentuating the flowing writing style with a flawless narration.

Peter manages each time to bring something magical to the audio production. I think that he is the best suited voice for this extremely entertaining series and I hope to see him return for even more great mysteries set in Tokyo.

After listening to Azabu Getaway I am now truly convinced that the Detective Hiroshi is my favorite mystery crime series set in Tokyo and that it is getting better and better with every new installment!

I think I was the first reviewer to compare Michael Pronko’s Detective Hiroshi with the iconic Harry Bosch series written by Michael Connelly and I reconfirm my impression once again. Aside from the first name, these two terrific authors have in common some of the most intriguing, compelling and down to earth characters in fiction literature.

If you like police procedurals and want to discover new characters to love, a new and exotic location, plus some unique stories, make sure you pick up Azabu Getaway and all other books in this series!

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Detective Hiroshi Series:
Sources: AuthorsXP dot com or ARCs from author. All the books are a bit wordy but still worth reading.

The Last Train, #1 - Interesting. Immersing. Intense. A good blend of Eastern and Western cultures with well written story lines, a gamut of characters, ranging from likeable to deviant. The vigilante is a hero in my opinion and accomplished more than simple revenge. The detective did the right thing, twice, in the end. 5*

The Moving Blade, #2 - Interesting and immersing with a bit of American - Japanese history. The hierarchy of crime amongst Asians is interesting. 4*

Tokyo Traffic, #3 - Still interesting and immersing with a good pace and interesting story lines. What is good about these books is that the past novels are not brought into the present novels. 4*

Tokyo Zangyo, #4 - Interesting reading about the Japanese work culture, which I knew about for decades but Mr. Pronko describes parts that are unknown, either through the changes of time or just hidden from outsiders. The blending of English and Japanese is one of the best translation methods I have read. 4*

Azabu Getaway, #5 - Interesting and intriguing story lines with likeable characters blended with the Japanese language and culture. Detective Hiroshi and his fellow police officers, again, fight against the dark side of Japanese life, its criminal activities. 4*
The Detective Hiroshi Series end.

Memoirs on Tokyo Life: Source: ARCs from author.

Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life, #1 - Read this after the Hiroshi series so the writing style varies. Interesting snippets into Toyko and her people and their culture seen through the author's eyes. 4*

Tokyo’s Mystery Deepens: Essays on Tokyo, #2 - Interesting short stories. 4*

Motions and Moments: More Essays on Tokyo, #3 - I am saturated with Japan, her people and her culture. The sites, the sights and the complexities of Tokyo should not be read continuously but savored with one or two bits at a time. I promised the author to finish in a week all his books not understanding the world I was immersing myself in, it was too much, but still very interesting, and I am not ignorant about Japanese history and culture, although, not current. It was like my two week vacation in Utah and Colorado. By the time I arrived near Four Corners, I had enough of the beauty of those two States that I was not interested in seeing that ditch known as The Grand Canyon and turned left instead of right. 4*
Memoirs on Tokyo Life end.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Detective Hiroshi has never been more entertaining in this electrifying crime thriller featuring some truly ingenious financial crimes.

When American wealth manager Patrick Walsh returns to his Tokyo apartment and keys in his passcode, he’s surprised to find that it still works. For those unfamiliar with Tokyo, Azabu is known as one of Tokyo’s most expensive residential districts. When Walsh’s ex-wife Miyuki arrives home from work later that evening, she’ll find their two young daughters and cats missing, her babysitter tied up, and her mother dead.

Meanwhile, across town, a murder victim is found at Nine Dragons Wealth Management, the office where Walsh once worked. Enter Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, who is called to both crime scenes.

One reason author Michael Pronko’s Detective Hiroshi series is so enjoyable is because his hero’s eccentricities seem to grow more pronounced – and entertaining – with each successive book. As Hiroshi’s professional clout has grown, the fifth installment finds that he has also grown increasingly self-aware of his own quirks and personal preferences. Hiroshi actually hates crime scenes, greatly preferring his work as a forensic accountant (“numbers didn’t bleed”). As such, Hiroshi averts his eyes at both scenes, preferring to get a limited amount of gruesome detail secondhand. And as the only team member who both understands English or Excel, he conducts interviews as a precursor to what he does so well – solving crimes by following the money.

The book’s title refers to Azabu, one of Tokyo’s most expensive residential districts. Even as Hiroshi rolls his eyes at the prospect of spending his time on “cat abduction,” Pronko’s plot is filled with truly ingenious corporate financial schemes.

Pronko, an American expat and professor at Meiji Gakuin University, delivers unprecedented insight into the unique challenges faced by foreigners in Japan to great effect. It’s no surprise that Miyuki’s father was against her marrying an American, but Pronko also drops plenty of cultural bombshells, such as in the matter of custody disputes in interracial marriages (“the husband, especially if he’s a foreigner, is always wrong”). Perhaps most intriguing are the activities and motivations of a so-called “reunion group” for foreigners in custody battles.

Along the way, Pronko continues to progress Hiroshi’s professional and personal life in ways that longtime fans will adore.

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Azabu Getaway” is an astounding whodunit by Michael Pronko and the fifth installment in the Detective Hiroshi series.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu swings into action to investigate a series of murders that occur in Tokyo, one, the death of an accomplished executive in one of the fastest-growing wealth management firms in Tokyo, and another murder that is followed by the kidnapping of two girls of an affluent overseas couple. His experience and skill are put to test when he unearths seedy schemes of overseas investments and tax evasion. This is as he navigates the murky waters of avarice, violence, and treachery in the most popular city in Japan where the bold merge with tradition and order evens the chaos.

As questions of reckoning draw nearer to those of truth and justice, the two halves of the novel, past and present, begin to strike glimmers. Once Hiroshi begins his forensic accounting, the rapid action begins, the dialogue pithy and engaging as the story moves at an even pace, making readers feel nicely plugged into the thawing power force of an intertwined world. The characters too are memorable and worth rooting for, and the plot is just intricate enough to be attention-holding without being staggering.

The author has written a riveting ode that is rhapsodic and rattling, with sentences that feel like carved magma: honed and polished. His ability to present readers with red herrings along the chapters, along with possible culprits, ultimately sets off the inner sleuth in them. Voyeuristic in all the right ways, long with its remarkable prose, this volume oozes twisted adventure, mystery, and thrill. Further, the author has created a plausible story with the lifestyle, traditions, and culture of the megacity resulting in a satisfying whodunit that goes down smooth yet packages a knock.

“Azabu Getaway” by Michael Pronko is unquestionably a five-star novel and, by all accounts, an affable lush. I am disposed to agree that all whodunits should end as gratifyingly. It is quite entertaining and written with incredible agility and insight. Altogether, this literary feat presents a perfect blending of murder mysteries that fans of detective stories will find most satisfying!

[Book Reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ripped away from the typical cases he could solve from the safety of his computers, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is forced into a case with layers of secrets and dark histories. Along with fellow detectives Takamatsu and Ishii, they hurry to track down Patrick Walsh, who broke into his soon-to-be ex-wife’s home and whisked away their two daughters. But the plot thickens when Joseph Leung, CEO of the Nine Dragons, is found murdered in his office. Our brave group of detectives must solve the mystery of his murder and the abduction and how they are connected. But can they solve this complicated mystery before it’s too late?

Azabu Getaway by Michael Pronko is a murder mystery that takes place from different perspectives of the characters. We mainly follow Hiroshi Shimizu and Patrick Walsh and their different journeys in this captivating plot. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters, Detective Hiroshi is an enjoyable reluctant hero, and Patrick is a caring father you can’t help rooting for. However, it is worth noting that the other detectives, Takamatsu and Ishii, won my heart completely. Takamatsu is a character I grew fond of because of his laid-back, sometimes snarky attitude and humor, which complemented rookie Detective Ishii’s easy-going attitude, and her tenacity and intelligence. Truly, all the characters were interesting and played a role in this adrenaline-inducing story.

This was an incredible story that kept me interested in every new development. The only critique I would give is that the ending seemed rushed, but that would be the only thing I would fix. Everything else was great, with excellent grammar, world-building, and intriguing characters you grow fond of. I think it’s a great story if you’re seeking a murder mystery to keep you interested.

Azabu Getaway (Detective Hiroshi Series Book 5) is a fast-paced, thrilling crime novel that gives readers an excellent mystery to follow and memorable characters they will want to get to know more about. Readers will enjoy the adventure they are taken on in Japan as the hunt for a killer takes the detective team into a world of wealth, greed, and violence.

[Lorne Strachan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael Pronko is an American professor who has been living, teaching and writing in Tokyo for many years. I don’t remember how I learned about him but his first Detective Hiroshi novel, ‘The Last Train’ was fairly new. I’ve always been fascinated with Japan so I read it and immediately hoped he would soon write more. He did and I’ve enjoyed them all. I’ve read his non-fiction works as well and they’re good too.

‘Azabu Getaway’ is his fifth Hiroshi novel and it may be his best yet. The cast of repeating characters is feeling comfortably familiar. The narrative beautifully describes the atmosphere of Tokyo complete with its huge complexity, many of its hidden secrets and some surprisingly bizarre cultural norms. Best of all, this novel is original. I’ve read and watched hundreds of mysteries, police procedurals and thrillers but this book covers admirably new ground, unlike so many series books, which eventually seem to be minor variations of the same basic plot.

The plot is complicated. It deals with the deadly consequences that might result when an executive of one of Tokyo's premier wealth management firms deviates too far from the straight and narrow. Hiroshi finds himself investigating the financial schemes that secure the money of Tokyo's elite investors only to get sidetracked by two murders and the abduction of two young girls from the home of a successful wealth manager working at the company.

The abducted girls are the daughters of an international couple who seemed to have it all—a large apartment in the high-end Azabu district, top schools for the children, and a life of happy affluence. Their life falls apart and they are swept up in threats and pursuits for reasons they cannot fathom. Tracking the money and tracking the two daughters leads Hiroshi into Tokyo's murky financial past both inside and outside of Japan.

The now familiar members of the homicide team work with Hiroshi, who tracks the financial clues as they both confront the greed and violence in one of the wealthiest cities in the world. I’d advise reading all the books in order but it’s not essential; they still work as stand-alones.

[Larry Piper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Michael Pronko is an American ex-pat who lives and writes in Japan. He has come out with a series of "cop books" featuring Detective Hiroshi Shimizu. Hiroshi would prefer to sit at his computer doing forensic accounting investigations, but sometimes gets called out into the field. He has side kicks to help with that, of course.

When the book begins, we have Patrick Walsh sneaking into what was once his apartment in Tokyo to abduct his two daughters, Jenna and Kiri. Patrick had been sent to Wyoming for work, and stayed a bit longer than one would have expected. While he was gone, his wife, Miyuki, got some pictures in the mail of Patrick in compromising positions with a blonde. She has filed for divorce. She's out when Patrick sneaks in. But, he is interrupted by the entrance of Taiga, the babysitter. Patrick plonks him one and leaves Taiga in a room with the girls' grandmother. A few hours later, Miyuki comes home to find Taiga in a coma and her mother dead.

The police get on it, and the first thing that comes to mind is to track Patrick down. Just about the same time, Leung, who runs a financial firm called the Nine Dragons, is found murdered in his office. Are the two crimes related?

We go back and forth between the police's trying to find Patrick and his daughters, Patrick's trying to smuggle his daughters out of the country and back to Wyoming, and various activities on the part of several sets of shady characters, who might also have some stake in Patrick's activities.

Well, I'll stop here. This book was part police procedural and part thriller, and rather engaging. It probably deserves to be listed as ***+.

[Sublime Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall Rating = 4.5

Storyline & Concept = 4.5
Writing & Delivery = 4.5
Editorial = 4.5

Michael Pronko delivers the 5th mystery novel in his Detective Hiroshi series, featuring a forensic accounting investigator who gets pulled into the unpleasant side of murder investigations when he would rather work alone at his desk. In this installment, the investigation moves from the high-end area of Azabu in Japan to some of the seedier districts while dealing with international financial crimes and the hunt for two missing children.

The engaging and quirky cast of characters return in this novel, with the addition of a talented female detective. Hiroshi remains true to form with his snappy dialogue, his aversion to blood, and his relationship with his girlfriend, making him an endearing character in this police procedural. Patrick and Miyuki, the affluent and conflicted couple at the center of the intrigue, are well-drawn, and the author hits the nail on the head with his pacing to draw out the mystery and hold the reader’s interest. Once again, we get an inside look at Japan and its culture, along with an overview of financial crimes on an international scale. Pronko has created another winner with this newest addition to the series.

Sublime Line: “Michael Pronko’s engaging characters drive this captivating story of international intrigue and murder.”

[Claire Youmans · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed Detective Hiroshi's latest. Michael Pronko always manages to address a modern Japanese social issue in the context of modern Tokyo policing.
I like Hiroshi, and would like to see more of his life, though that did work out in this book, just when it looked like it was being skimped. In fact, the only fault I had with the book was the lack of back story and the interactions of the ensemble police cast — I ike them, too. Iishi is a very interesting character and a focal point for many of modern Japan's social issues. More involving her would be extremely welcome.
If you like a tight and interesting mystery story set in an exotic local, you'll enjoy Hiroshi's latest outing and, like me, look forward to more.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the perfect blend of crime plot, setting, character development and dialogue.

The crime/mystery was in the forefront. Very intriguing, with lots of developments and twists and turns. It was suspenseful and believable.

The setting details of Tokyo really make the reader want to be there wandering the streets, eating sushi in the little diners and drinking sake. These books (I’ve read all 5) make me wonder how I would have fared/ who I would be if I were raised Japanese instead of American. The culture is so different.

I can picture and like the characters. They are believable and develop from book to book.

I want to mention that I got an early release copy of the book and am grateful and can’t wait for the next one!

[Anne Sundqvist · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 5th in the series of crimes solved by Inspector Hiroshi and his team. All of them are characters in their own right and likeable too. Mr Pronko always writes a fast paced and exciting novel with great descriptions of Tokyo and Japanese culture in general. You will learn something along the way as well as being entertained as his sense of humour prevails throughout. This story involves a kidnap, high financial crime and a chase through some of Tokyo’s most well known areas and tourist spots. It ends on a question mark so we know there will be another one coming (I hope). Get pancakes to enjoy while reading.

[LINDA BASS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe that I missed the first four books!! I liked the detectives, but it was very hard to keep the names right, I love that Patrick flew from Hawaii to Japan to get his two littles girl since his wife filed for a divorce once she saw him with a blonde when he was supposed to be working in Wyoming and he had been gone for A YEAR! All Patrick wanted was to keep his young daughters safe and figure a way to get his wife out of Japan as they all were in danger. Then his boss is murdered and both the police and three thugs in black suits wanted him, with his mother-in-law dead HE IS CHAREGED FOR HER MURDER! The action is non-stop and I couldn't put this book down!!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I enjoyed this story as much as the others in the series. I was kept on the edge-of-my-seat from the opening pages until the end of the story as Detective Hiroshi Shimizu and his colleagues worked to solve the case. The action was almost non-stop as the story jumped from what was happening with the financier and his family and what was going on in the police investigation. I appreciated the view of life in Tokyo. Peter Berkrot's narration was amazing as his performance kept my attention involved in the story. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this audiobook.

[Octavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Azabu Getaway by Michael Pronko is one of those stories that I never expected to like so much. However, I found myself liking the book more while I was reading it. Although the pacing was kind of slow for me, I liked the characters and just knowing how their mind tick. Although I enjoyed reading it, I would have preferred if I was reading it from only one character's point of view for the entire story. It's a good book that has suspense and mystery in it, so I would definitely recommend it to someone that loves mystery novels with suspense in them. I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fifth installment of the Detective Hiroshi series by Michael Pronko. Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is investigating the murder of a wealthy executive. He is also investigating the abduction of two girls from the Azabu district kidnapped by their American father. The two cases may be connected. Detective Hiroshi teams up with ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi, his mentor Takamatasu and other detectives to investigate these crimes. I really enjoyed this international crime mystery novel. I received this free e-book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sonja van der Westhuizen | West Words · Rating 3 out of 5]

Murder, kidnapping, blackmail and yakuza. American author Michael Pronko’s fifth novel in the Detective Hiroshi series has all the elements of a classic police procedural with a dash of extra action to raise the blood pressure. The Tokyo resident sets the novel in the city and its rich suburb of Azabu.

Link to full review: https://westwordsreviews.wordpress.co...

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 5 in the Detective Hiroshi series, it helps to read the previous books to get a better understanding of the usual characters. Nonetheless, the descriptive story is a standalone. The detective and police procedural story is set in Tokyo, delving into the mystery from various perspectives.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to AuthorsXP, Booksprout, and author.

[George D. Massey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book lacked the Japanese Noir atmosphere of his earlier books. But built on his interesting characters before and added a new lady officer in Ishii and kept the pace moving to a climax that tied everything together, with Hiroshi taking the lead in even the physical side of the action. The American characters were a little shallow, but it kept my interest.

[Frankie Milian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thriller

Another excellent Detective series, always exciting police storyline
I’m sorry I read them so fast, guess I could start over. The series would make for thrilling tv series. Thoroughly enjoyed all the twist and turns and the personal affairs of the detectives. Can’t wait for more.

[Jessica L Seay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent as always

Excellently written as always. Full of knowledge about Japan and Japanese culture. Engaging and hard to put down. I hope there are more Detective Hiroshima stories to be written.

[Iler Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm intrigued and hooked 100. Investigation mind wants the truth and I have my suspects list ready to go. The characters are amazing. I'm going to take my time reading this story with my snacks. I will be buying and adding the entire book series to my book collection of favorites. Iler.

[gj indieBRAG · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are proud to announce that AZABU GETAWAY (Detective Hiroshi, #5) by Michael Pronko has been honored with the B.R.A.G.Medallion (Book Readers Appreciation Group). It now joins the very select award-winning, reader-recommended books at indieBRAG.

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Azabu Getaway - #5 in this series - Fast paced, great characters and an enticing mystery.