Shinju (original 1994; edition 1996)

For some reason I had trouble getting into the story and caring one way or another about the murder victims or the characters in the story. I am a fan of I. J. Parkers series set in ancient Japan so I was predisposed to like this. Maybe the next in the series will be more engaging. ( )

What makes this novel worth reading sure isn't style or plot but the cultural and historical picture of Japan under the Shogunate. While it dips at times through others' points of view, this tale is mostly seen through the eyes of Sano Ichiru, a samurai currently employed as a Yoriki, supervising policemen in the city of Edo. When he's asked to look into a seeming joint suicide, a shinju, his position, his honor, and his very life is put into danger when he defies orders and digs further into what he believes is murder. In the midst of his investigation he moves through every segment of society--from nuns and prostitutes to sumo wrestlers and Kabuki actors to the highest reaches of his society. I liked the young Sano, who wrestles with the conflicting forces of duty and conformity against the desire to find truth and see justice done. But what really made this book for me was the way Rowland transported me into another time and place, and I'll definitely look up more of the series in the future. ( )

Shinju is a novel that introduces its reader to Sano Ichiro, a member of the shogun class who serves as a yoriki, investigating crimes in seventeenth-century Edo (Tokyo). It’s a position he’d rather not be in, since he gained his position through connections; and many of his contemporaries resent him for it. When the daughter of one of the most preeminent families in Edo turns up dead in the company of a lowly artist, everyone assumes that they were a double love-suicide, or Shinju. But Sano Ichiro suspects otherwise, and his search for a murderer leads him into dangerous territory—especially since the family of the dead girl would rather keep the matter closed.

This is a very strong start to what seems like an interesting series. Sano Ichiro is an unusual investigator—anyone else in his position would simply commit seppuku rather than live with the shame of what he’s done; but Ichiro persists in his investigation, driven by his sense of honor. His unconventional behavior makes him an intriguing character, one I want to read more about in future books. Rowland’s description of her characters’ emotions is a bit simplistic, and our hero is both astute and dense at the same time (how did he figure out the identity of the “watcher” who follows him along the Tokkaido so quickly?); but I was able to overlook these things because I enjoyed much of the rest of the book.

I loved the setting of the book, too; Rowland describes everything about late-17th century Japan in deep detail. I love historically detailed novels, and people who look for that kind of thing will enjoy this book. Not knowing much about the history of Japan, I can’t say if this is historically accurate, but everything Rowland writes about hangs together well. From sumo matches to 17th century crime and punishment (brutal at the very least), the author gives her reader an intimate view of Edo. ( )

The first books are the best in this series, but starting with #5, a little less interesting. ( )

Set in a largely accurate depiction of 17th century Japan, this crime novel unfolded neatly and was filled with suspense because I had no clue as to whether the hero would survive in his difficult position as the State's first detective. I enjoyed the characterisation of an honourable man constantly chosing between convention and duty. ( )