Japan Thriller

Lady Shonagon is an imperial courtesan, living at the court of the Japanese Emperor in the 10th century. When a series of disturbing thefts within the palace walls throws the court into confusion and unrest, Shonagon is appointed guide and assistant to Lieutenant Yukinari as he investigates. Together, Shonagon and Yukinari must solve the mysteries and escalating crimes that plague the Japanese court, and their romance blossoms in the tightly enclosed world behind the high palace walls. But soon Shonagon's lover, Tadanobu, becomes uncomfortable with how closely they are working together....

A murdered princess. A buried secret. A spy with one chance to stop a war. 1975. The Empire of Japan never fell—and neither did its ghosts. When a royal assassination shatters the illusion of order, disgraced intelligence officer Major Suzuki Wataru is pulled back into the field. His mission: uncover the truth—or take the fall. In the decaying shadows of Manchukuo, Suzuki’s only ally is Lieutenant Park Ji-won, a sharp Korean operative with secrets as deep as the Empire’s own. Together, they follow a trail of betrayal that could fracture the global balance of power between Imperial ...

Chosen by Publishers Weekly as a Best Book of 2007, The Snow Empress showcases author Laura Joh Rowland's deep understanding of 17th-century Japan and her impeccable gift of storytelling. This thrilling novel finds samurai detective Sano Ichirõ working to gain freedom for his son by investigating the murder of a lord's beloved mistress.

"For much of her life, sixteen-year-old Makai Akira had been alone and alienated by those around her. Shunned by her peers, bullied at school, and overburdened with chores at home, her life was truly miserable. That all changed for her when she met Asano Tomoe, a new face in their small town. The two quickly became friends, though their newfound friendship would soon be put to the test. Following a tragic incident at their school, Akira found herself accused of murder. Armed with the truth of what happened, she’s now faced with a decision; return to her old, lonely life, or forge ahead, ...

In 1861, foreign ships have forced open Japan's doors to the West. Missionaries have come to Japan; they are there to save men's souls, but to the Japanese they are there to spread false religion. The young Lord Genji, who possesses the power of prophecy, flees to the Cloud of Sparrows castle, where he shelters two American missionaries. Together with a legendary swordsman and an enigmatic geisha, they embark on a harrowing journey through a dangerous landscape to prepare for a final battle.

Japan, 1709. Amid the ever-treacherous intrigue in the court, Sano Ichiro has been demoted from chamberlain to a lowly patrol guard. His relationship with his wife Reiko is in tatters, and a bizarre new alliance between his two enemies Yanagisawa and Lord Ienobu has left him puzzled and wary. Then a harrowing, almost inconceivable crime takes place. In his own palace, the shogun is stabbed with a fan made of painted silk with sharp-pointed iron ribs.

As Black Arrow opens, Sugawara Akitada assumes his new post as provisional governor of Echigo, a frigid province in the far north notorious for its hostility to outsiders. But the snow that threatens to completely isolate the region is the least of his problems - which include a local uprising, a series of brutal murders, and a mystery that's as old as the frozen hills and a lot more dangerous.