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Detective Hiroshi #2
The Moving Blade
When the top American diplomat in Tokyo, Bernard Mattson, is killed, he leaves more than a lifetime of successful Japan-American negotiations. He leaves a missing manuscript, boxes of research, a lost keynote speech and a tangled web of relations.
When his alluring daughter, Jamie, returns from America wanting answers, finding only threats, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is dragged from the safe confines of his office into the street-level realities of Pacific Rim politics.
With help from ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi, Hiroshi searches for the killer from back alley bars to government offices, through anti-nuke protests to military conspiracies. When two more bodies turn up, Hiroshi must choose between desire and duty, violence or procedure, before the killer silences his next victim.
THE MOVING BLADE is the second in the Tokyo-based Detective Hiroshi series by award-winning author Michael Pronko.
It was selected as one of the Best Indie Mysteries & Thrillers of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews.
When his alluring daughter, Jamie, returns from America wanting answers, finding only threats, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is dragged from the safe confines of his office into the street-level realities of Pacific Rim politics.
With help from ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi, Hiroshi searches for the killer from back alley bars to government offices, through anti-nuke protests to military conspiracies. When two more bodies turn up, Hiroshi must choose between desire and duty, violence or procedure, before the killer silences his next victim.
THE MOVING BLADE is the second in the Tokyo-based Detective Hiroshi series by award-winning author Michael Pronko.
It was selected as one of the Best Indie Mysteries & Thrillers of 2018 by Kirkus Reviews.
320 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2018
178 people are currently reading
1221 people want to read
About the author
Michael Pronko
16 books226 followersMichael 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
April 4, 2019
As I said about the series debut, sometimes the best books are those the reader stumbles upon by accident. Such is the case yet again with Michael Pronko’s second in this captivating series. After the death of Bernard Mattson, a high-ranking American in Japan, the authorities must determine what’s happened to him. A burglary at his home during the funeral only adds more mystery to the case, as well as a body left with obvious signs of a sword attack. Due to its foreign nature, Homicide Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is called to the scene, hoping to liaise with the American Government, quick to make their presence known. Mattson’s daughter, Jamie, has also travelled to Tokyo for the funeral and is intrigued to see what her father’s documents might say about a reason for his death. The elder Mattson had been working on a key document surrounding America’s military presence in Japan, considered an expert on the subject. However, that would seem somewhat mundane and not justify someone wanting to get their hands on his work. Add to that, the sword attack, which seems very much out of character for any Japanese attacker. Detective Shimizu is baffled, though tries to split his time between investigating and getting to know the young Jamie Mattson a little better. When Mattson is attacked, the mystery only deepens and there is surely a killer lurking in the shadows, willing to stop at nothing until all of Bernard Mattson’s finding are erased. After Detective Shimizu makes a key discovery, everything falls into place, leaving only a handful of possible suspects. Still, it must be whittled down before anyone else, Jamie especially, is harmed. Pronko does it again with a wonderful story that pulls the reader into the middle of a Japanese police procedural. Those who love this genre with an international twist will be right at home.
Pronko continues to write effectively about Japan while being an American and knowing what appeals to that reading base. Developing this police procedural series allows Pronko to keep the reader guessing throughout, while remaining highly entertained. Hiroshi Shimizu proves the reader with the ideal Japanese detective who brings a long American influence out at times during the investigation and with his personal development. His backstory bridges the two cultures, educated in the United States and yet still holding onto his Japanese roots. While keenly attentive to the investigation, Shimizu continues to work through his ties to America, with yet another love interest having moved across the world. His understanding of both cultures helps propel him through this case, which is rich in both American and Japanese politics. Pronko uses other interesting characters to create the ultimate Japanese experience for the reader. This not only supports Hiroshi Shimizu, but also offers a flavourful addition to the narrative that I found highly unique from many of the other procedurals I have read over the last number of years. Using a military agreement as the basis of the novel’s plot serves well to develop a unique pathway for the reader to enjoy. Pronko immerses the reader in all things Japanese throughout, using words, customs, and cultural references to leave little doubt when the novel takes place. This series, though hard to locate through booksellers or online, is one that interested readers should strive to find, as it can surely be called a diamond amongst the many books penned in the genre.
Kudos, Mr. Pronko, for a wonderful continuation to this series. I will have to use my long reach to secure the third novel in the series, as I am hooked on all things Hiroshi Shimizu!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
Pronko continues to write effectively about Japan while being an American and knowing what appeals to that reading base. Developing this police procedural series allows Pronko to keep the reader guessing throughout, while remaining highly entertained. Hiroshi Shimizu proves the reader with the ideal Japanese detective who brings a long American influence out at times during the investigation and with his personal development. His backstory bridges the two cultures, educated in the United States and yet still holding onto his Japanese roots. While keenly attentive to the investigation, Shimizu continues to work through his ties to America, with yet another love interest having moved across the world. His understanding of both cultures helps propel him through this case, which is rich in both American and Japanese politics. Pronko uses other interesting characters to create the ultimate Japanese experience for the reader. This not only supports Hiroshi Shimizu, but also offers a flavourful addition to the narrative that I found highly unique from many of the other procedurals I have read over the last number of years. Using a military agreement as the basis of the novel’s plot serves well to develop a unique pathway for the reader to enjoy. Pronko immerses the reader in all things Japanese throughout, using words, customs, and cultural references to leave little doubt when the novel takes place. This series, though hard to locate through booksellers or online, is one that interested readers should strive to find, as it can surely be called a diamond amongst the many books penned in the genre.
Kudos, Mr. Pronko, for a wonderful continuation to this series. I will have to use my long reach to secure the third novel in the series, as I am hooked on all things Hiroshi Shimizu!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
August 2, 2019
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
The Moving Blade begins with a murder in Tokyo, the victim is an American. Bernard Mattson was a well-known diplomat in the Japanese metropole and known for his knowledge in art and Japanese History. The murder happened only a few days before Mattson was due to make an important speech. His speech and the manuscript of a book he was about to publish have mysteriously vanished.
Police officer Hiroshi and his colleague, an ex-sumo wrestler named Sakaguchi, were assigned to the case and started searching for the killer and the missing documents. Mattson’s daughter Jamie returns from America for the funeral. After the house has been searched by robbers during the funeral and people telling her about her father’s missing manuscript and speech, Jamie is determined to find both to save his legacy.
Their investigation leads them from hidden bars in dirty back alleys to government offices. Who killed Bernard Mattson and why? What secrets was he about to publish with his book?
I have never read a book where the plot took place in Japan. So that was a first for me. Luckily, it was an exciting journey. The author knows how to build up tension. He is very good with words, which makes the book a fascinating read. I like how the story unfolds itself with every new chapter. Same with the characters, who are likeable and give you a realistic impression of Japanese culture and its mannerisms.
Detective Hiroshi comes across as a well-educated and friendly person without missing the odd characteristics that make us human.
This book is the second book in a series about Detective Hiroshi but you can read it as a stand-alone. Chances are good that you want to read more about Hiroshi and dive deep into the series which is hopefully growing with another book in the future. If you are into well-plotted and enthralling crime stories, you are going to enjoy this one.
The Moving Blade begins with a murder in Tokyo, the victim is an American. Bernard Mattson was a well-known diplomat in the Japanese metropole and known for his knowledge in art and Japanese History. The murder happened only a few days before Mattson was due to make an important speech. His speech and the manuscript of a book he was about to publish have mysteriously vanished.
Police officer Hiroshi and his colleague, an ex-sumo wrestler named Sakaguchi, were assigned to the case and started searching for the killer and the missing documents. Mattson’s daughter Jamie returns from America for the funeral. After the house has been searched by robbers during the funeral and people telling her about her father’s missing manuscript and speech, Jamie is determined to find both to save his legacy.
Their investigation leads them from hidden bars in dirty back alleys to government offices. Who killed Bernard Mattson and why? What secrets was he about to publish with his book?
I have never read a book where the plot took place in Japan. So that was a first for me. Luckily, it was an exciting journey. The author knows how to build up tension. He is very good with words, which makes the book a fascinating read. I like how the story unfolds itself with every new chapter. Same with the characters, who are likeable and give you a realistic impression of Japanese culture and its mannerisms.
Detective Hiroshi comes across as a well-educated and friendly person without missing the odd characteristics that make us human.
This book is the second book in a series about Detective Hiroshi but you can read it as a stand-alone. Chances are good that you want to read more about Hiroshi and dive deep into the series which is hopefully growing with another book in the future. If you are into well-plotted and enthralling crime stories, you are going to enjoy this one.
August 16, 2020
His first book was quite wonderful, but this one is quite terrible and frustrating. Hard to believe it's by the same author.
Did not finish, sadly.
I'm finding Hiroshi to be irritating, cowardly, and a bit stupid.
First 1/3 Hiroshi is cowardly, pacing uneven.
Second 1/3. The stupidity of Hiroshi and the police is irritating.
42%
FINALLY he author speaks clearly about what he's been hinting at for 1/3 of the book, waffling on like we're idiots. Very irritating.
56%
Every time this starts to get good, one of the characters does something very stupid and unbelievable. It's almost like this book is by a different author.
Many of the adult characters seem to think and behave like children. Very annoying. The daughter, Jamie, is quite thick and immature. Ugh.
Takamatsu, Sugamo and Sakaguchi are interchangeable, cardboard cutouts here, as are many minor characters.
The plot trudges along, with the resolution seeming pretty obvious and dull from 1/3 the way through the book.
65%
Hiroshi stupid. Akiko stupid. Jamie stupid.
Author stupid. I'm done. What a waste of time.
But DO READ the first book in the series The Last Train
.
Did not finish, sadly.
I'm finding Hiroshi to be irritating, cowardly, and a bit stupid.
First 1/3 Hiroshi is cowardly, pacing uneven.
Second 1/3. The stupidity of Hiroshi and the police is irritating.
42%
FINALLY he author speaks clearly about what he's been hinting at for 1/3 of the book, waffling on like we're idiots. Very irritating.
56%
Every time this starts to get good, one of the characters does something very stupid and unbelievable. It's almost like this book is by a different author.
Many of the adult characters seem to think and behave like children. Very annoying. The daughter, Jamie, is quite thick and immature. Ugh.
Takamatsu, Sugamo and Sakaguchi are interchangeable, cardboard cutouts here, as are many minor characters.
The plot trudges along, with the resolution seeming pretty obvious and dull from 1/3 the way through the book.
65%
Hiroshi stupid. Akiko stupid. Jamie stupid.
Author stupid. I'm done. What a waste of time.
But DO READ the first book in the series The Last Train
.
September 23, 2018
In the first book in the Detective Hiroshi series, Pronko lifted a rock from Japanese society and looked underneath to see what was squirming about. In this second, he stood on that rock to appraise dangers on the horizon. And what he found was American global power. Or, more specifically, the military bases that sit out of reach of the not-so-long arm of Japanese law. Did Pronko really go there? Sure, there was the obligatory spunky American victim whom English speaking readers could sympathise with, and the conspiracy afoot was suitably self-serving and ignorant befitting the Trumpian times we find ourselves in. A liberal-minded, cosmopolitan detective who found his way around the bookstores of Kanda-Jimbocho certainly got my backing...
For the full, more detailed review, see the blog post I wrote here: http://patricksherriff.com/2018/09/23...
For the full, more detailed review, see the blog post I wrote here: http://patricksherriff.com/2018/09/23...
September 30, 2018
“A moving blade is unseen, hidden in the blur of motion, felt but not perceived.”
The Moving Blade is the second book in the Detective Hiroshi series, the sequel to The Last Train which I really enjoyed when I read it at the end of last year. I was thrilled to be offered an advance review copy of The Moving Blade by the author and I’m delighted to report that it was just as enjoyable as its predecessor.
What I really liked about The Last Train was the insight it gave the reader into Japanese culture and its depiction of Tokyo life in all its variety. I’m pleased to say this is equally the case in The Moving Blade, a result, no doubt, of the author’s experience of living and working in Tokyo for some years and of learning to navigate the intricacies of Japan’s social customs.
Like its predecessor, the book reveals the fascinating mix of old and new that makes up Japanese society: high-speed bullet trains and mobile phones alongside ceremonial swords and ancient Japanese woodprints. Once again, I loved the insight into small details of Japanese social customs, such as bowing (‘the most fundamental Japanese ritual’) and the exchange of meishi name cards when meeting someone new. Or the fact that surprises are something largely alien to Japanese culture: ‘In Japan, the details for everything – a meeting, a conference, even a visit with friends – were worked out far in advance.’
Not forgetting, of course, the mouth-watering descriptions of food such as this account of a trip to a ramen shop: ‘Jamie cracked open her chopsticks and surveyed the nori seaweed, chasu pork slices, green scallions and seasoned egg swimming in steaming broth.’ Plus I loved this portrayal of the district of Tokyo that sounds like a book lover’s Paradise. ‘Along the main street of Jinbocho, store windows displayed journals, textbooks, magazines, manga, chapbooks, maps and prints – each store with its own speciality. Library carts, fold-up tables and string-tied stacks of used books spilled onto the sidewalk. Everywhere, people stood reading.’
Of course, alongside all this, there is a deliciously compelling crime mystery at the heart of The Moving Blade with Detective Hiroshi and his colleagues once again facing a ruthless killer. However, this time, Hiroshi’s investigation takes him into a world of political conspiracy and corruption that increasingly seems to encompass the highest levels of power. Along the way, the reader gets a fascinating history lesson about American-Japanese relations since the 1950s and the impact of realpolitik on the decisions governments make. At one point, Hiroshi observes, “I never imagined the past could be so dangerous” and receives the astute response, “Nothing more dangerous”.
Last, but not least, the book presents Hiroshi with an opportunity to renew old friendships and make what might be promising new ones. It also leaves him with some difficult choices about his career and personal life. Oh, and he gets a bit battered and bruised along the way.
The Moving Blade is a compelling crime mystery that vividly brings to life contemporary Tokyo and also provides a fascinating insight into Japanese life and culture. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series, promised for 2019.
I received an advance review copy courtesy of the author.
The Moving Blade is the second book in the Detective Hiroshi series, the sequel to The Last Train which I really enjoyed when I read it at the end of last year. I was thrilled to be offered an advance review copy of The Moving Blade by the author and I’m delighted to report that it was just as enjoyable as its predecessor.
What I really liked about The Last Train was the insight it gave the reader into Japanese culture and its depiction of Tokyo life in all its variety. I’m pleased to say this is equally the case in The Moving Blade, a result, no doubt, of the author’s experience of living and working in Tokyo for some years and of learning to navigate the intricacies of Japan’s social customs.
Like its predecessor, the book reveals the fascinating mix of old and new that makes up Japanese society: high-speed bullet trains and mobile phones alongside ceremonial swords and ancient Japanese woodprints. Once again, I loved the insight into small details of Japanese social customs, such as bowing (‘the most fundamental Japanese ritual’) and the exchange of meishi name cards when meeting someone new. Or the fact that surprises are something largely alien to Japanese culture: ‘In Japan, the details for everything – a meeting, a conference, even a visit with friends – were worked out far in advance.’
Not forgetting, of course, the mouth-watering descriptions of food such as this account of a trip to a ramen shop: ‘Jamie cracked open her chopsticks and surveyed the nori seaweed, chasu pork slices, green scallions and seasoned egg swimming in steaming broth.’ Plus I loved this portrayal of the district of Tokyo that sounds like a book lover’s Paradise. ‘Along the main street of Jinbocho, store windows displayed journals, textbooks, magazines, manga, chapbooks, maps and prints – each store with its own speciality. Library carts, fold-up tables and string-tied stacks of used books spilled onto the sidewalk. Everywhere, people stood reading.’
Of course, alongside all this, there is a deliciously compelling crime mystery at the heart of The Moving Blade with Detective Hiroshi and his colleagues once again facing a ruthless killer. However, this time, Hiroshi’s investigation takes him into a world of political conspiracy and corruption that increasingly seems to encompass the highest levels of power. Along the way, the reader gets a fascinating history lesson about American-Japanese relations since the 1950s and the impact of realpolitik on the decisions governments make. At one point, Hiroshi observes, “I never imagined the past could be so dangerous” and receives the astute response, “Nothing more dangerous”.
Last, but not least, the book presents Hiroshi with an opportunity to renew old friendships and make what might be promising new ones. It also leaves him with some difficult choices about his career and personal life. Oh, and he gets a bit battered and bruised along the way.
The Moving Blade is a compelling crime mystery that vividly brings to life contemporary Tokyo and also provides a fascinating insight into Japanese life and culture. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series, promised for 2019.
I received an advance review copy courtesy of the author.
August 14, 2020
Lacked the exotic flavor of Japan
Just an ok police procedural.
An American diplomat is killed in his home.
What secrets did he hide that led to his murder?
That's it. Like i said just ok.
Just an ok police procedural.
An American diplomat is killed in his home.
What secrets did he hide that led to his murder?
That's it. Like i said just ok.
February 27, 2024
When a career American technocrat in Japan is murdered, Detective Hiroshi is on the case. North Korea seems to be involved. The man's daughter is in danger. The publishers of the diplomat's manuscript are in danger.
Hiroshi is a very engaging character.
Hiroshi is a very engaging character.
October 9, 2020
Disappointing sequel about murder and a missing manuscript that find Tokyo Detective Hiroshi and friends following leads in a rather slow moving literary train wreck.
September 22, 2018
Author: Michael Pronko
Publisher: Raked Gravel Press 2018
ISBN: 978-1-9422410-16-4
With his recent tome, The Moving Blade: A Tokyo Mystery Michael Pronko has given his readers a great deal to chew on and digest. He has crafted a yarn that includes a well-respected American diplomat and expert on Japanese American relations, a corrupt member of Japan's bicameral legislature or as it is referred to as The National Diet, the transporting of nuclear waste as a result of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan's Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, and the international agreement between the USA and Japan known as the Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA which governs facilities and areas granted to the USA as well as the status of US armed forces in Japan. And thrown in for good measure are a few murders that seem to be interlinked.
The novel opens where we read about a break-in of an apartment located in Tokyo of an American diplomat, Bernard Mattson. The thief was hired to retrieve two important files, download them onto two USB drives, and erase the computer before carrying the drives across town. During his escape, the culprit is chased by a foreigner who demands that he turn over the files, whereupon a fight ensues and the thief is stabbed to death by a Tanto sword. One of the drives that the thief was hiding flew out of his pocket and landed in a sewer while the other was found by the thief together with a wad of ten- thousand yen bills. The foreigner escapes with the drive-wiping DVD as well as the cash.
While all of this action is occurring, Jamie Mattson is at the Shida Funeral Hall and Crematorium where her father, Bernard, who was recently murdered lays in a casket. Jamie soon discovers that she likewise is in danger and that the thief who broke into her late father's apartment was after his research work that was to be revealed in a speech he was to make at the opening of the conference on Asian security and defense. She also learns that her father was in the process of writing a book and that the manuscript of the book is missing.
Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is assigned to the case and immediately calls upon a recently suspended colleague to help solve the murder of Mattson as he had been involved in a previous murder where the murder instrument was likewise a sword as was the case with Mattson. The two together with another detective set out to solve the mystery and what they eventually uncover is mind-boggling that even includes erotic images or shunga of ukiyoe masters that were found on the stolen USB drive that the detectives managed to retrieve. Apparently, as they were to discover, these masters knew how to conceal politics in erotics and Mattson had been an expert on these images. Moreover, they discover the book Mattson was about to publish concerned SOFA and its deficiencies and he was laying the groundwork for a new agreement between Japan and the USA. His work would no doubt have a significant influence on Pacific Rim politics however, there were people who did not take too kindly to what he had discovered while doing his research at the national archives.
What immediately stands out in this fluid, ambitious snaky thriller of great momentum is its immediate hook where Pronko manages to arouse the reader's curiosity about who, what, where, when, how and why? And he does not wait too long to introduce his principal character, Detective Shimizu leaving no doubt that he is the lead. In addition, he manages to stir emotions that keep his readers identifying with Shimizu's feelings. Another aspect of the story that is quite an eye-opener is how Pronko takes a knife to the heart of the SOFA agreement between Japan and the USA and addresses the broader question of some of its shortcomings and messy situations that even involve criminal activities on the part of the Americans. In the end and notwithstanding the complexity of the story, it is narrated with a style and execution that is surprisingly straightforward.
FOLLOW HERE https://waa.ai/aDI3 TO READ NORM'S INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL PRONKO
Publisher: Raked Gravel Press 2018
ISBN: 978-1-9422410-16-4
With his recent tome, The Moving Blade: A Tokyo Mystery Michael Pronko has given his readers a great deal to chew on and digest. He has crafted a yarn that includes a well-respected American diplomat and expert on Japanese American relations, a corrupt member of Japan's bicameral legislature or as it is referred to as The National Diet, the transporting of nuclear waste as a result of the powerful earthquake and tsunami that crippled Japan's Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, and the international agreement between the USA and Japan known as the Status of Forces Agreement or SOFA which governs facilities and areas granted to the USA as well as the status of US armed forces in Japan. And thrown in for good measure are a few murders that seem to be interlinked.
The novel opens where we read about a break-in of an apartment located in Tokyo of an American diplomat, Bernard Mattson. The thief was hired to retrieve two important files, download them onto two USB drives, and erase the computer before carrying the drives across town. During his escape, the culprit is chased by a foreigner who demands that he turn over the files, whereupon a fight ensues and the thief is stabbed to death by a Tanto sword. One of the drives that the thief was hiding flew out of his pocket and landed in a sewer while the other was found by the thief together with a wad of ten- thousand yen bills. The foreigner escapes with the drive-wiping DVD as well as the cash.
While all of this action is occurring, Jamie Mattson is at the Shida Funeral Hall and Crematorium where her father, Bernard, who was recently murdered lays in a casket. Jamie soon discovers that she likewise is in danger and that the thief who broke into her late father's apartment was after his research work that was to be revealed in a speech he was to make at the opening of the conference on Asian security and defense. She also learns that her father was in the process of writing a book and that the manuscript of the book is missing.
Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is assigned to the case and immediately calls upon a recently suspended colleague to help solve the murder of Mattson as he had been involved in a previous murder where the murder instrument was likewise a sword as was the case with Mattson. The two together with another detective set out to solve the mystery and what they eventually uncover is mind-boggling that even includes erotic images or shunga of ukiyoe masters that were found on the stolen USB drive that the detectives managed to retrieve. Apparently, as they were to discover, these masters knew how to conceal politics in erotics and Mattson had been an expert on these images. Moreover, they discover the book Mattson was about to publish concerned SOFA and its deficiencies and he was laying the groundwork for a new agreement between Japan and the USA. His work would no doubt have a significant influence on Pacific Rim politics however, there were people who did not take too kindly to what he had discovered while doing his research at the national archives.
What immediately stands out in this fluid, ambitious snaky thriller of great momentum is its immediate hook where Pronko manages to arouse the reader's curiosity about who, what, where, when, how and why? And he does not wait too long to introduce his principal character, Detective Shimizu leaving no doubt that he is the lead. In addition, he manages to stir emotions that keep his readers identifying with Shimizu's feelings. Another aspect of the story that is quite an eye-opener is how Pronko takes a knife to the heart of the SOFA agreement between Japan and the USA and addresses the broader question of some of its shortcomings and messy situations that even involve criminal activities on the part of the Americans. In the end and notwithstanding the complexity of the story, it is narrated with a style and execution that is surprisingly straightforward.
FOLLOW HERE https://waa.ai/aDI3 TO READ NORM'S INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL PRONKO
October 30, 2019
In the second book of this highly enjoyable series set in Japan, Detective Hiroshi Shimizu investigates the murder of Tokyo-based American diplomat Bernard Mattson. Missing from Mattson's home are the manuscript of a book he was going to publish, piles of research and the transcript of an important speech he'd been due to give.
Returning from America for the funeral, Mattson's daughter Jamie is determined to recover her father's stolen work to ensure its public recognition. But by doing so, she places her own life in jeopardy.
If you want a slice of Japan without leaving your own armchair, Michael Pronko is the go-to author. Having lived and worked in Japan for many years, his cultural and historical knowledge is second to none. You really can't fail to be impressed.
As with Pronko's first book in this series, The Moving Blade is equally well-written and fast-paced. Familiar characters are reintroduced and old friendships rekindled. With respect to character development, it resumes nicely from where the previous book finished. I found it exceptionally insightful and absorbing.
My thanks to Michael Pronko for providing a review copy and my sincere apologies for taking much longer than anticipated to get to it.
Book Source: Review copy from the author
Read my review on my blog: https://bit.ly/2Py61W0
Returning from America for the funeral, Mattson's daughter Jamie is determined to recover her father's stolen work to ensure its public recognition. But by doing so, she places her own life in jeopardy.
If you want a slice of Japan without leaving your own armchair, Michael Pronko is the go-to author. Having lived and worked in Japan for many years, his cultural and historical knowledge is second to none. You really can't fail to be impressed.
As with Pronko's first book in this series, The Moving Blade is equally well-written and fast-paced. Familiar characters are reintroduced and old friendships rekindled. With respect to character development, it resumes nicely from where the previous book finished. I found it exceptionally insightful and absorbing.
My thanks to Michael Pronko for providing a review copy and my sincere apologies for taking much longer than anticipated to get to it.
Book Source: Review copy from the author
Read my review on my blog: https://bit.ly/2Py61W0
June 27, 2019
This is generally a good story, but poorly written for the most part. There are far too many plot devices driving events. Not being a farce, the protagonists should not be making so many absolutely stupid decisions. To paraphrase an old saying, if you surprise attack me once, it's not my fault; surprise attack me over and over because of dumb decisions, well ...
Where are the analytic skills, wariness, memory of what happened in previous days (such as, um, murders)?
Having enjoyed Pronko's first Hiroshi book, I'll probably read a third one with enthusiasm, but this second one was disappointing.
Where are the analytic skills, wariness, memory of what happened in previous days (such as, um, murders)?
Having enjoyed Pronko's first Hiroshi book, I'll probably read a third one with enthusiasm, but this second one was disappointing.
August 17, 2020
Serviceable, preachy, predictable
September 16, 2018
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (08/18)
“The Moving Blade” is an intriguing murder mystery and the second book in the Detective Hiroshi series by Michael Pronko.
Jamie Mattson planned a reunion with her father Bernard Mattson in Japan, where he was an American diplomat. Plans go awry after he is murdered, and she finds herself taking care of his funeral arrangements and handling his estate instead of the reunion. Her father’s home was also broken into and another murder has occurred which appears to be related. Jamie soon discovers that she is also a target. Her predators are obviously seeking her father’s research, a missing manuscript and a key note speech that is expected to have a huge impact on Japanese decisions regarding American military bases on their land.
Detective Hiroshi Shimizu takes on this case and soon discovers how deeply the murders are entrenched in politics. He has to carefully route his search for information around high level people in Japan and the people at the US military base who aren’t being too helpful. Trying to help Jamie, a very independent woman, stay alive adds to his challenges.
I really enjoyed reading “The Moving Blade.” Set in Japan, the added elements of Japanese culture, traditions and politics really make this story unique. Descriptive details of the martial arts in Japan included both the techniques used and descriptions of the weaponry.
The characters are very realistic and have depth. Michael Pronko does an excellent job of taking us inside the protagonists’ minds so that we can understand them better, even if we don’t always agree with their choices. Pronko brought this story to life so much that I found myself hoping that none of the negative aspects could possibly be true.
Having passed through Japan on my way to Okinawa, I had a brief chance to see this country. Reading “The Moving Blade” brought Japan back to life for me and also made me think about things that I hadn’t considered before, such as how our American military presence is viewed over there. The novel also gave me a reminder of how much of an impact their nuclear disaster has greatly affected lives on the Pacific Rim.
I highly recommend “The Moving Blade” by Michael Pronko for people who enjoy intrigue and suspense.
“The Moving Blade” is an intriguing murder mystery and the second book in the Detective Hiroshi series by Michael Pronko.
Jamie Mattson planned a reunion with her father Bernard Mattson in Japan, where he was an American diplomat. Plans go awry after he is murdered, and she finds herself taking care of his funeral arrangements and handling his estate instead of the reunion. Her father’s home was also broken into and another murder has occurred which appears to be related. Jamie soon discovers that she is also a target. Her predators are obviously seeking her father’s research, a missing manuscript and a key note speech that is expected to have a huge impact on Japanese decisions regarding American military bases on their land.
Detective Hiroshi Shimizu takes on this case and soon discovers how deeply the murders are entrenched in politics. He has to carefully route his search for information around high level people in Japan and the people at the US military base who aren’t being too helpful. Trying to help Jamie, a very independent woman, stay alive adds to his challenges.
I really enjoyed reading “The Moving Blade.” Set in Japan, the added elements of Japanese culture, traditions and politics really make this story unique. Descriptive details of the martial arts in Japan included both the techniques used and descriptions of the weaponry.
The characters are very realistic and have depth. Michael Pronko does an excellent job of taking us inside the protagonists’ minds so that we can understand them better, even if we don’t always agree with their choices. Pronko brought this story to life so much that I found myself hoping that none of the negative aspects could possibly be true.
Having passed through Japan on my way to Okinawa, I had a brief chance to see this country. Reading “The Moving Blade” brought Japan back to life for me and also made me think about things that I hadn’t considered before, such as how our American military presence is viewed over there. The novel also gave me a reminder of how much of an impact their nuclear disaster has greatly affected lives on the Pacific Rim.
I highly recommend “The Moving Blade” by Michael Pronko for people who enjoy intrigue and suspense.
September 5, 2018
THE WISHING SHELF BOOK AWARDS
5th September 2018
TITLE: The Moving Blade
AUTHOR: Michael Pronko
Star Rating: 5
‘A powerfully written crime novel; often stark and unsettling. Highly recommended!’
REVIEW
Firstly, I must say, I do enjoy a good murder/mystery novel, so I settled down with The Moving Blade (excellent title by the way) with high expectations of secretive characters, killings, and clever detective work. And, I’m happy to report, it was a most enjoyable novel.
The central premise is well-thought out and the characters are interesting and well-defined, the ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi being my favourite. In fact, the characters spring off the page. It is a plot-driven story, but the characters are the jam which holds everything together. The author knows his characters through and through and this shows in the consistent and very individual way they act. There is also plenty of pace, particularly towards the end, and the author has littered his story with an array of twists and turns.
I also thought the speech between the characters was very well written. In the first book, The Last Train, the speech did feel a little forced, almost unnatural but, in book two, this is not a problem. The story is a perfectly balanced mix of ‘speech’ and ‘a well-paced plot’.
But, for me, it was the Tokyo setting which I enjoyed the most. Having never been to Japan, I very much enjoyed getting to know this land a little better, even if it was in the context of a string of murders.
Well, I finished the novel three nights later and I did very much enjoy it. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested and the characters (good and not so good) were interesting and well-developed. The ending was also excellent and, closing my computer, I knew I would be happy to open another of this author’s books.
I always like to end with a ‘what struck me the most’ comment. Well, ‘what struck me the most’ about this novel was the knowledge of the author in terms of Japan and Japanese culture. He knows the setting for this novel very, VERY well and this shows in the depth of the world he created. It can be a bit of a scary world but, still, it was fun getting lost in it. Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
5th September 2018
TITLE: The Moving Blade
AUTHOR: Michael Pronko
Star Rating: 5
‘A powerfully written crime novel; often stark and unsettling. Highly recommended!’
REVIEW
Firstly, I must say, I do enjoy a good murder/mystery novel, so I settled down with The Moving Blade (excellent title by the way) with high expectations of secretive characters, killings, and clever detective work. And, I’m happy to report, it was a most enjoyable novel.
The central premise is well-thought out and the characters are interesting and well-defined, the ex-sumo wrestler Sakaguchi being my favourite. In fact, the characters spring off the page. It is a plot-driven story, but the characters are the jam which holds everything together. The author knows his characters through and through and this shows in the consistent and very individual way they act. There is also plenty of pace, particularly towards the end, and the author has littered his story with an array of twists and turns.
I also thought the speech between the characters was very well written. In the first book, The Last Train, the speech did feel a little forced, almost unnatural but, in book two, this is not a problem. The story is a perfectly balanced mix of ‘speech’ and ‘a well-paced plot’.
But, for me, it was the Tokyo setting which I enjoyed the most. Having never been to Japan, I very much enjoyed getting to know this land a little better, even if it was in the context of a string of murders.
Well, I finished the novel three nights later and I did very much enjoy it. There were plenty of twists and turns to keep me interested and the characters (good and not so good) were interesting and well-developed. The ending was also excellent and, closing my computer, I knew I would be happy to open another of this author’s books.
I always like to end with a ‘what struck me the most’ comment. Well, ‘what struck me the most’ about this novel was the knowledge of the author in terms of Japan and Japanese culture. He knows the setting for this novel very, VERY well and this shows in the depth of the world he created. It can be a bit of a scary world but, still, it was fun getting lost in it. Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
March 1, 2019
Michael Pronko has really cracked the Japan thriller genre with this novel. Well written and researched by a Tokyo insider. Wonderful pacing.
September 9, 2018
What do a murdered American diplomat, a set of rare erotic Japanese wood block prints, and an agreement to keep American bases in Japan have in common?
That’s the question facing investigators in The Moving Blade, the second in Michael Pronko’s Detective Hiroshi series. The book opens with a break-in at the Tokyo home of diplomat Bernard Mattson during the victim’s own funeral. The experienced burglar quickly finds his target: two files from the deceased’s computer, which he downloads onto two USB drives before hiding them in a cigarette pack. Less than an hour later, the burglar himself is slain on a dead-end street.
One of the year’s best thrillers. A string of grisly murders, high stakes geopolitics and the prose of a master craftsman elevate this crime thriller to rarefied air.
Check out the rest of my review at BestThrillers.com
That’s the question facing investigators in The Moving Blade, the second in Michael Pronko’s Detective Hiroshi series. The book opens with a break-in at the Tokyo home of diplomat Bernard Mattson during the victim’s own funeral. The experienced burglar quickly finds his target: two files from the deceased’s computer, which he downloads onto two USB drives before hiding them in a cigarette pack. Less than an hour later, the burglar himself is slain on a dead-end street.
One of the year’s best thrillers. A string of grisly murders, high stakes geopolitics and the prose of a master craftsman elevate this crime thriller to rarefied air.
Check out the rest of my review at BestThrillers.com
September 29, 2018
The alive fish being eaten was just ew. I never knew people ate it like that. Learning new things every time I read the Author’s books.
I was surprised by Hiroshi attitude, he was really affected by what happened to him in the first book. You don’t need to read the first in the series, the second works as a standalone. You do get snippets here and there, referencing the first book.
Overall I am really enjoying this series. Be interesting to see where the Author takes it.
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Author. Does not affect my review)
I was surprised by Hiroshi attitude, he was really affected by what happened to him in the first book. You don’t need to read the first in the series, the second works as a standalone. You do get snippets here and there, referencing the first book.
Overall I am really enjoying this series. Be interesting to see where the Author takes it.
(Disclaimer: I received a free copy from the Author. Does not affect my review)
January 10, 2019
This is part police procedural and part thriller. At least I think that's how one would characterize it. It's set in Japan. It seems someone, perhaps a derelict, was murdered in an alley with an expert slice of a samurai sword. Then a prominent American diplomat, Bernard Mattson was found dead in his house as a result of a sword cut. Perhaps, in Mattson's case, it was a suicide?
Mattson, it seems had spent many years living in Japan and had essentially become integrated in the daily life of the country, having taken Japanese wives, the first, Setsuko, whom he later divorced to marry Sachi. Mattson and Sachi had a daughter together, Jamie.
Jamie Mattson lived with her parents in japan until she was 13. Then her mother took her off to America, and she never saw her father alive again. Jamie comes back to Japan to attend her father's funeral and to pack up his effects and dispose of them appropriately.
But, all of a sudden, Jamie herself is threatened by violence of one kind and another. Apparently, among her father's papers are some that certain people would like to keep hidden.
So then, we have a kind of Perils of Pauline (yes I'm sufficiently old to know about such things) adventure in which Jamie is threatened and escapes...repeatedly. A somewhat interesting adventure.
Mattson, it seems had spent many years living in Japan and had essentially become integrated in the daily life of the country, having taken Japanese wives, the first, Setsuko, whom he later divorced to marry Sachi. Mattson and Sachi had a daughter together, Jamie.
Jamie Mattson lived with her parents in japan until she was 13. Then her mother took her off to America, and she never saw her father alive again. Jamie comes back to Japan to attend her father's funeral and to pack up his effects and dispose of them appropriately.
But, all of a sudden, Jamie herself is threatened by violence of one kind and another. Apparently, among her father's papers are some that certain people would like to keep hidden.
So then, we have a kind of Perils of Pauline (yes I'm sufficiently old to know about such things) adventure in which Jamie is threatened and escapes...repeatedly. A somewhat interesting adventure.
November 18, 2019
An American diplomat who was instrumental in imposing the original status of forces agreement that forced Japan to give a number of huge bases to U.S. forces has been murdered. He was about to give an important speech at a high level conference and the rumors are that he has changed his mind about the status of these bases. His daughter Jamie, who has not seen her father since she was 13, arrives from New York to settle his affairs. She is presented a contract by a person she does not know in a language she does not understand and she signs it! The police detective Hiroshi Shimizu seems reasonable competent, but the plot relies far too heavily on Jamie’s stupidity and the excessive, machine-like violence of the killer (suggested by the book’s cover).
August 12, 2019
OK for Japan mystery fans but could have been much better
The storyline was reasonably interesting and the writing wasn’t too bad but most of the book’s suspense is dependent on people doing stupid things or not doing what any reasonable people would do. Failing to answer the phone or return a call was responsible for much of the plot. This was way too lazy on the part of the author. He should fix these crutches and improve the story.
The storyline was reasonably interesting and the writing wasn’t too bad but most of the book’s suspense is dependent on people doing stupid things or not doing what any reasonable people would do. Failing to answer the phone or return a call was responsible for much of the plot. This was way too lazy on the part of the author. He should fix these crutches and improve the story.
January 28, 2023
I adored The Last Train, but this sequel sadly didn't live up to the promise of that police procedural. Elements of Japanese culture are frequenly and unnecessarily introduced just to hit you over the head with the knowledge that the book is set in Japan. And the freight train of stupid mistakes the main characters insist on repeating was frustrating in the extreme, only to reach a predicable conclusion.
May 14, 2021
The characters are just stupid and makes so many mistakes and implausible decisions that the story became unrealistic and very weak. The plot is obvious from the beginning, there are no twists, no surprises. At first happy to find a novel set in Tokyo, but pretty soon realized that was it's only upside - if any.
February 6, 2023
not as good as I thought it would be
For one thing, the female protagonist — “ravishingly beautiful” as we are told endlessly — is so dumb it hurts to read about her bone-headed moves. Hiroshi is not much better, exhibiting incompetence at every turn. I’m not sure why this author is popular.
For one thing, the female protagonist — “ravishingly beautiful” as we are told endlessly — is so dumb it hurts to read about her bone-headed moves. Hiroshi is not much better, exhibiting incompetence at every turn. I’m not sure why this author is popular.
January 11, 2020
Much better than the author’s previous novel.
Shelving the truth.
Hiroshi though impatient and not overly bright gets the job done. He is only matched by Mattson’s daughter in taking wrong turns.
Shelving the truth.
Hiroshi though impatient and not overly bright gets the job done. He is only matched by Mattson’s daughter in taking wrong turns.
December 20, 2018
The story is okay - the characters come alive, but the police are so incompetent that the police procedural aspect made this a slog.
October 14, 2018
‘“That’s why I want you over at Interpol. Use your brain, not your body.”
American ex-pat Michael Pronko graduated from Brown University earning a degree in philosophy and a Master's in Education, and then took a teaching position in Beijing. For two years, he taught English, traveled China and wrote. After more traveling and two more degrees, another M.A. in Comparative Literature in Madison, Wisconsin and a PhD in English at the University of Kent at Canterbury he now lives in Tokyo where he is a professor at Meiji Gakuin University teaching American literature, culture, film, music, and art. As he states, `Teaching keeps me searching for the heart of life in the world's biggest city. I have written for many publications in Japan: The Japan Times for a dozen years, the once-great Tokyo Q, a learner-oriented weekly ST Shukan, Winds magazine, Jazz Colo[u]rs (in Italian!), and Artscape Japan. I have run my own website Jazz in Japan (jazzinjapan.com) for almost a decade. I also helped found Japan's first bilingual jazz magazine, Jazznin and continue to publish academic articles and run a conference on teaching literature. The essays in Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life were originally published in Newsweek Japan in Japanese and proved very popular.' Now he publishes them in English.
Michael’s familiarity with Tokyo is now utilized in this second superb mystery thriller based on Tokyo and on his excellent main character Detective Kiroshi Shimizu. . Where other non-Japanese speaking authors have attempted to capture the essence of the Japanese idioms and philosophy and manner of thinking, for Michael these come naturally. His story is more than a fine detective story with his formidable character in Detective Hiroshi – it is an excursion into the colors and atmospheres and idiosyncrasies of Tokyo.
As he opens his book he offers a witnessing of the crime that is to be investigated throughout this immensely readable novel. On his website he offers a fine synopsis: Bernard Mattson devoted his life to Japanese-American relations. As the go-to man in Tokyo for behind-the-scenes diplomacy, he helped keep the Japanese-American alliance in balance, and East Asia at peace. Right before he’s about to give an important address on the future of Asia, he’s killed in his home—his stomach slit open by a sword. His estranged daughter, Jamie, a beautiful half-Japanese, half-American wants to know why. She stumbles on clues that suggest he was killed for what he found in the national archives while researching his own autobiography. His book manuscript and upcoming speech have disappeared, and Jamie soon finds out her father uncovered dangerous secrets. Detective Hiroshi Shimizu and sumo wrestler-turned-detective Sakaguchi dive into the neighborhoods of shitamachi, the back alleys of Golden Gai and the Yokosuka Naval Base to find the sword-wielding killer. When more bodies turn up, Hiroshi must leave the safe confines of his office and use his gut instincts to find what was in Mattson’s book that was enough to kill for. With advice from veteran detective Takamatsu, who is on suspension, Hiroshi uncovers what Mattson knew—and what it meant. With the future of East Asia in the balance, Hiroshi decides his own safety comes in second, even if he’s too late.’
Michael's book shares the idiosyncrasies of Tokyo and the people that make the city unique. He does this by asking us to note the strangest aspects and in doing so opens our eyes to mysteries, great ideas, hilarious codes, and both the physical magnificence and the psychological quirks he expresses so inordinately well. A book of insights as only a very intelligent ex-pat could shape them Hopefully there will a third installment soon.
American ex-pat Michael Pronko graduated from Brown University earning a degree in philosophy and a Master's in Education, and then took a teaching position in Beijing. For two years, he taught English, traveled China and wrote. After more traveling and two more degrees, another M.A. in Comparative Literature in Madison, Wisconsin and a PhD in English at the University of Kent at Canterbury he now lives in Tokyo where he is a professor at Meiji Gakuin University teaching American literature, culture, film, music, and art. As he states, `Teaching keeps me searching for the heart of life in the world's biggest city. I have written for many publications in Japan: The Japan Times for a dozen years, the once-great Tokyo Q, a learner-oriented weekly ST Shukan, Winds magazine, Jazz Colo[u]rs (in Italian!), and Artscape Japan. I have run my own website Jazz in Japan (jazzinjapan.com) for almost a decade. I also helped found Japan's first bilingual jazz magazine, Jazznin and continue to publish academic articles and run a conference on teaching literature. The essays in Beauty and Chaos: Slices and Morsels of Tokyo Life were originally published in Newsweek Japan in Japanese and proved very popular.' Now he publishes them in English.
Michael’s familiarity with Tokyo is now utilized in this second superb mystery thriller based on Tokyo and on his excellent main character Detective Kiroshi Shimizu. . Where other non-Japanese speaking authors have attempted to capture the essence of the Japanese idioms and philosophy and manner of thinking, for Michael these come naturally. His story is more than a fine detective story with his formidable character in Detective Hiroshi – it is an excursion into the colors and atmospheres and idiosyncrasies of Tokyo.
As he opens his book he offers a witnessing of the crime that is to be investigated throughout this immensely readable novel. On his website he offers a fine synopsis: Bernard Mattson devoted his life to Japanese-American relations. As the go-to man in Tokyo for behind-the-scenes diplomacy, he helped keep the Japanese-American alliance in balance, and East Asia at peace. Right before he’s about to give an important address on the future of Asia, he’s killed in his home—his stomach slit open by a sword. His estranged daughter, Jamie, a beautiful half-Japanese, half-American wants to know why. She stumbles on clues that suggest he was killed for what he found in the national archives while researching his own autobiography. His book manuscript and upcoming speech have disappeared, and Jamie soon finds out her father uncovered dangerous secrets. Detective Hiroshi Shimizu and sumo wrestler-turned-detective Sakaguchi dive into the neighborhoods of shitamachi, the back alleys of Golden Gai and the Yokosuka Naval Base to find the sword-wielding killer. When more bodies turn up, Hiroshi must leave the safe confines of his office and use his gut instincts to find what was in Mattson’s book that was enough to kill for. With advice from veteran detective Takamatsu, who is on suspension, Hiroshi uncovers what Mattson knew—and what it meant. With the future of East Asia in the balance, Hiroshi decides his own safety comes in second, even if he’s too late.’
Michael's book shares the idiosyncrasies of Tokyo and the people that make the city unique. He does this by asking us to note the strangest aspects and in doing so opens our eyes to mysteries, great ideas, hilarious codes, and both the physical magnificence and the psychological quirks he expresses so inordinately well. A book of insights as only a very intelligent ex-pat could shape them Hopefully there will a third installment soon.
December 17, 2021
The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko
It has been 13 years since Jamie Mattson saw her father. And finally, when she saw him, he lay in a casket, lifeless, covered in white silk kimono in the country where she had spent the first 13 years of her life - Japan.
Bernard Mattson, her father was murdered, brutishly slit open by a sword. Not only was he killed but his house had also been burgled.
Now, let’s ask the most important questions whenever a crime happens.
Who was Bernard Mattson?
Why was he killed?
And who killed him?
Why was his house burgled?
Bernard Mattson, her father, was a top American diplomat who had fallen in love with Japan, its culture, customs. He was an expert on them and had dedicated his entire life to the Japanese - American relations. Though the daughter-father duo shared a wonderful camaraderie they parted ways as Jamie’s mother got separated from her father.
And unfortunately, it’s her father’s death that brought his estranged daughter back to Japan from New York after so many years. And Jamie wanted answers. Despite her mother’s coaxing to return to New York, she decided to stay as she wanted answers. No doubt, this decision invited a lot of hardships and consequences for her to face.
The mystery began when a medical examiner procured a flash drive and Japanese woodblock prints from a man’s body who was cut open with a single stroke of a sword.
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia, originated in China.
Around the edge of the print were some post-it notes and pencil sketches, describing the details of the prints in English. Initially, it did not seem to mean much to the detectives who were investigating the man's murder. But soon they realised that they could put two and two together only if they find out who killed Bernard Mattson as he was the only man who could give meaning to the woodblock prints found on the man’s body.
Hiroshi, the detective as well as the protagonist and Sakaguchi, Tokyo's head of homicide and their team started investigating the murder. Soon Jamie, Mattson’s daughter, Hiroshi and his team found out that Mattson was killed for a manuscript that he had discovered in the national archives while researching for his autobiography. Not only was his book manuscript missing but also a speech which he was about to deliver in an international forum.
What was the speech about? No doubt, there might be some inflammable information in it and it could blow up the real culprits in the international forum where delegates from all the countries in Asia, Europe and North America were to assemble.
Hiroshi also knew that Jamie’s life would be in danger as the assailants of her father would assume that Jamie would have everything they needed. So, he started protecting her and while doing so, they developed some sort of emotions for each other. Could it be called love? I am not so sure. The only thing I am sure of is it is deep, though Hiroshi meets his old girlfriend and the meeting happens to be a bit intimate.
To talk about the crime, Mattson had certainly left behind a tangled web of relations and that makes it a gripping and fast-paced Police Procedural Crime thriller.
‘The Moving Blade’ is the second book in the Hiroshi series, the first one being, ‘The Last Train’
‘I loved it.
Michael Pronko, the author’s writing, reminded me of Crime fiction writer PD James’ words. She said ‘ Words are the raw material of our craft. The greater your vocabulary the more effective your writing.’ The author, Michael Pronkot has a way with words.
What could you expect from a person who has lived, taught English, American literature, I believe and written about Tokyo for very many years?
The setting was unique with a well-developed plot. There are emotions, intrigue and eloquent detailing of Japanese culture, customs and especially food.
But this meticulous detailing has never lessened the pace of a thriller and that makes it an exciting read.
What I loved about Jamie and Hiroshi was that they are perfectly human with all the vulnerabilities and that makes it more real. I would certainly like to read his other books.
He has also written articles and columns and has won numerous awards. I recommend ‘ The Moving Blade’ by Michael Pronko.
It has been 13 years since Jamie Mattson saw her father. And finally, when she saw him, he lay in a casket, lifeless, covered in white silk kimono in the country where she had spent the first 13 years of her life - Japan.
Bernard Mattson, her father was murdered, brutishly slit open by a sword. Not only was he killed but his house had also been burgled.
Now, let’s ask the most important questions whenever a crime happens.
Who was Bernard Mattson?
Why was he killed?
And who killed him?
Why was his house burgled?
Bernard Mattson, her father, was a top American diplomat who had fallen in love with Japan, its culture, customs. He was an expert on them and had dedicated his entire life to the Japanese - American relations. Though the daughter-father duo shared a wonderful camaraderie they parted ways as Jamie’s mother got separated from her father.
And unfortunately, it’s her father’s death that brought his estranged daughter back to Japan from New York after so many years. And Jamie wanted answers. Despite her mother’s coaxing to return to New York, she decided to stay as she wanted answers. No doubt, this decision invited a lot of hardships and consequences for her to face.
The mystery began when a medical examiner procured a flash drive and Japanese woodblock prints from a man’s body who was cut open with a single stroke of a sword.
Woodblock printing is a technique for printing text, images or patterns used widely throughout East Asia, originated in China.
Around the edge of the print were some post-it notes and pencil sketches, describing the details of the prints in English. Initially, it did not seem to mean much to the detectives who were investigating the man's murder. But soon they realised that they could put two and two together only if they find out who killed Bernard Mattson as he was the only man who could give meaning to the woodblock prints found on the man’s body.
Hiroshi, the detective as well as the protagonist and Sakaguchi, Tokyo's head of homicide and their team started investigating the murder. Soon Jamie, Mattson’s daughter, Hiroshi and his team found out that Mattson was killed for a manuscript that he had discovered in the national archives while researching for his autobiography. Not only was his book manuscript missing but also a speech which he was about to deliver in an international forum.
What was the speech about? No doubt, there might be some inflammable information in it and it could blow up the real culprits in the international forum where delegates from all the countries in Asia, Europe and North America were to assemble.
Hiroshi also knew that Jamie’s life would be in danger as the assailants of her father would assume that Jamie would have everything they needed. So, he started protecting her and while doing so, they developed some sort of emotions for each other. Could it be called love? I am not so sure. The only thing I am sure of is it is deep, though Hiroshi meets his old girlfriend and the meeting happens to be a bit intimate.
To talk about the crime, Mattson had certainly left behind a tangled web of relations and that makes it a gripping and fast-paced Police Procedural Crime thriller.
‘The Moving Blade’ is the second book in the Hiroshi series, the first one being, ‘The Last Train’
‘I loved it.
Michael Pronko, the author’s writing, reminded me of Crime fiction writer PD James’ words. She said ‘ Words are the raw material of our craft. The greater your vocabulary the more effective your writing.’ The author, Michael Pronkot has a way with words.
What could you expect from a person who has lived, taught English, American literature, I believe and written about Tokyo for very many years?
The setting was unique with a well-developed plot. There are emotions, intrigue and eloquent detailing of Japanese culture, customs and especially food.
But this meticulous detailing has never lessened the pace of a thriller and that makes it an exciting read.
What I loved about Jamie and Hiroshi was that they are perfectly human with all the vulnerabilities and that makes it more real. I would certainly like to read his other books.
He has also written articles and columns and has won numerous awards. I recommend ‘ The Moving Blade’ by Michael Pronko.
December 31, 2018
The Moving Blade is a murder mystery novel written by Michael Pronko. This book is the second in the detective Hiroshi series. It takes place in Japan where it unfolds the drama surrounding the murder of an unidentified man. More excitement follows the murder, unraveling government conspiracy, corruption, and much conflict. The malfeasance runs deep, and it is up to detective Hiroshi and his colleagues to solve the case. Add in expertise, a cop who does his own thing, a beautiful woman, and a whole lot of intrigue and violence, and it is the perfect recipe for a thrilling novel.
Reading this book was like having an action-packed thriller play inside my head. I absolutely loved it! This book has the basic ingredients for a murder mystery thriller, with intrigue, murder, cover-ups, beautiful women, and a lot of red tape for procedures. What this book did not have was predictability. I was always suspecting one character of one crime, but not all of them. Even then, I went back and forth and could not decide if it was truly them or not. The book included so many turns it was frustrating because I could not figure out exactly what was going to happen next, which is not something I am used to. As a result, The Moving Blade was frustrating in the best way.
The beginning of the novel really drew me in and I was hooked from the first sentence. I had a hard time putting the book down, which is how you know it is a fantastic book. What I really loved about the book was that it took place in Japan. I think the fact that it took place in Japan, following Japanese customs, it made the book that much more thrilling. I kept thinking about how different the book would have been if they had guns. It added to the uncertainty and guesswork of what will happen as it usually unfolds in a very typical way when things are set in the United States with guns. I also loved that it was bilingual in its writing and that it covered many Japanese customs and traditions.
While the book was not heavy with references of sexualizing Jamie, the woman whose father was murdered, I could have done without them. Obviously, with a thriller of this type, there is a beautiful woman who is sexualized in some way. However, Pronko did it so rarely in his work, and it was not done in an overly sexual way as other books, and movies, tend to do. It was not enough to take away from my love and enjoyment of the book.
Overall, it is a sensational read! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves murder mystery thriller books. It is just enough to try to figure out who did what and if they will get caught. I felt the book was realistic in its portrayal of crimes and their outcomes. The writing style is engaging as well.
Reading this book was like having an action-packed thriller play inside my head. I absolutely loved it! This book has the basic ingredients for a murder mystery thriller, with intrigue, murder, cover-ups, beautiful women, and a lot of red tape for procedures. What this book did not have was predictability. I was always suspecting one character of one crime, but not all of them. Even then, I went back and forth and could not decide if it was truly them or not. The book included so many turns it was frustrating because I could not figure out exactly what was going to happen next, which is not something I am used to. As a result, The Moving Blade was frustrating in the best way.
The beginning of the novel really drew me in and I was hooked from the first sentence. I had a hard time putting the book down, which is how you know it is a fantastic book. What I really loved about the book was that it took place in Japan. I think the fact that it took place in Japan, following Japanese customs, it made the book that much more thrilling. I kept thinking about how different the book would have been if they had guns. It added to the uncertainty and guesswork of what will happen as it usually unfolds in a very typical way when things are set in the United States with guns. I also loved that it was bilingual in its writing and that it covered many Japanese customs and traditions.
While the book was not heavy with references of sexualizing Jamie, the woman whose father was murdered, I could have done without them. Obviously, with a thriller of this type, there is a beautiful woman who is sexualized in some way. However, Pronko did it so rarely in his work, and it was not done in an overly sexual way as other books, and movies, tend to do. It was not enough to take away from my love and enjoyment of the book.
Overall, it is a sensational read! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves murder mystery thriller books. It is just enough to try to figure out who did what and if they will get caught. I felt the book was realistic in its portrayal of crimes and their outcomes. The writing style is engaging as well.
January 5, 2019
This second book in the Detective Hiroshi series brings us back to Tokyo for a thrill ride hunt for a killer. The introverted and mildly hermit-like detective, Hiroshi Shimizu, is dragged out from behind his desk to hunt for the killer of an American in Tokyo. Hiroshi remains impacted by his previous case, where he nearly lost his life. Bernard Mattson is the United States’ diplomat to Japan with a successful career as well as some knowledge and secrets that may have led to his death. Mattson’s beautiful daughter arrives wanting answers and finds herself immediately in danger. Hiroshi pairs up with former sumo wrestler, Sakaguchi, with some help from others along the way, to solve this mystery. As they hunt for the killer, more people are murdered, adding to the mystery as well as the urgency. We experience the story through the perspective of Hiroshi and his team as well as Mattson’s daughter, Jamie.
Michael Pronko blends his own background with his interest and passion for Japanese culture through the portrayal of the cultural differences between American and Japanese. He does so in subtle ways at times and through the eyes of his characters. For example, at one point Jamie says about herself, “too open for Japan, too delicate for America.” He gives the reader a wonderful look into life in Tokyo, as well as Japanese culture and customs. Although there were times that I felt that the plot was a bit bogged down with some of the side plots, Pronko clearly pays attention to detail and knows how to effectively build momentum and pressure.
His storytelling is thorough but also fast-paced. There are plenty of twists and elements of gruesome darkness in this story that readers of crime fiction adore! There are also some great conspiracies going on here which add to the fun. Add on to that the inclusion of some romantic and lusty elements and this novel is really packed to the gills with elements for readers of many types of fiction. There are definitely people getting bladed through the chest though, so this isn’t for the faint of heart. At times I felt there were some Anti-American elements, but I think this is just the reality of life outside of the United States. There are many people who feel frustration and distaste for Americans.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining, dense, though fast-paced story that kept me enthralled. Pronko paints an elegant picture of Japan as shown through his characters, plot development, and descriptions. There are elements for so many different types of readers from macabre to romance. Be prepared to do some work on remembering details and keeping characters straight but also be prepared to enjoy great story-telling, characters, twists, murder, culture, romance, and mystery!
Michael Pronko blends his own background with his interest and passion for Japanese culture through the portrayal of the cultural differences between American and Japanese. He does so in subtle ways at times and through the eyes of his characters. For example, at one point Jamie says about herself, “too open for Japan, too delicate for America.” He gives the reader a wonderful look into life in Tokyo, as well as Japanese culture and customs. Although there were times that I felt that the plot was a bit bogged down with some of the side plots, Pronko clearly pays attention to detail and knows how to effectively build momentum and pressure.
His storytelling is thorough but also fast-paced. There are plenty of twists and elements of gruesome darkness in this story that readers of crime fiction adore! There are also some great conspiracies going on here which add to the fun. Add on to that the inclusion of some romantic and lusty elements and this novel is really packed to the gills with elements for readers of many types of fiction. There are definitely people getting bladed through the chest though, so this isn’t for the faint of heart. At times I felt there were some Anti-American elements, but I think this is just the reality of life outside of the United States. There are many people who feel frustration and distaste for Americans.
Overall, this was a highly entertaining, dense, though fast-paced story that kept me enthralled. Pronko paints an elegant picture of Japan as shown through his characters, plot development, and descriptions. There are elements for so many different types of readers from macabre to romance. Be prepared to do some work on remembering details and keeping characters straight but also be prepared to enjoy great story-telling, characters, twists, murder, culture, romance, and mystery!
January 4, 2019
I am an avid fan of murder mystery books and The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko didn’t disappoint. The book started off at a fast pace and kept me intrigued as I read through each page. Without coming out right away and saying it, the reader knows that the death of Bernard Mattson is anything but accidental or suicidal. The author does a great job in conveying the mystery of this death within the first two chapters of the book.
One thing that I found interesting with this book is that it is the second in a series. I haven’t read the first book yet, but I will be reading it soon. Usually when you get a series of books all of the little things left unanswered in the book are answered somewhere down the line. The Moving Blade does leave quite a few unanswered questions, so it will be nice to know if some of them can be answered in upcoming books.
With the Moving Blade you can tell that part of the back story is missing. The author provides just enough details that you get the general idea of a back story and the gist of what happened, along with Hiroshi’s relationship with his fellow detectives, but there is still a big part of the story missing. My assumption is that the missing details can be found in the first book of the series.
The Moving Blade follows the story of the death of Bernard Matteson. The story opens with a burglary and leads you to believe that he was killed by accident during an earlier burglary. Bernard’s daughter Jamie, who left Japan with her mother to live in America, is on a quest for answers to her father’s death. She turns to several different people, some good and some with some pretty bad intentions. After the break in during her father’s funeral, Jamie meets Detective Hiroshi, who is brought into the case against his will. Hiroshi has plans to leave the police force in Japan, but cannot tell his friends and his superiors no.
During the course of the investigation Jamie is looking for the most important thing her father left behind, but something that nobody can find. Bernard Mattson was highly respected and helped form the original agreements between Japan and America in regards to the military bases located on the island. Missing are a speech and a book he has been rumored to write. It seems that everybody wants to find this speech and book, but for a variety of different reasons. To find out if Jamie along with Hiroshi and his friends are successful you will need to read The Moving Blade for yourself. Trust me you won’t be disappointed. As you dive deeper into the story you will be quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next!
One thing that I found interesting with this book is that it is the second in a series. I haven’t read the first book yet, but I will be reading it soon. Usually when you get a series of books all of the little things left unanswered in the book are answered somewhere down the line. The Moving Blade does leave quite a few unanswered questions, so it will be nice to know if some of them can be answered in upcoming books.
With the Moving Blade you can tell that part of the back story is missing. The author provides just enough details that you get the general idea of a back story and the gist of what happened, along with Hiroshi’s relationship with his fellow detectives, but there is still a big part of the story missing. My assumption is that the missing details can be found in the first book of the series.
The Moving Blade follows the story of the death of Bernard Matteson. The story opens with a burglary and leads you to believe that he was killed by accident during an earlier burglary. Bernard’s daughter Jamie, who left Japan with her mother to live in America, is on a quest for answers to her father’s death. She turns to several different people, some good and some with some pretty bad intentions. After the break in during her father’s funeral, Jamie meets Detective Hiroshi, who is brought into the case against his will. Hiroshi has plans to leave the police force in Japan, but cannot tell his friends and his superiors no.
During the course of the investigation Jamie is looking for the most important thing her father left behind, but something that nobody can find. Bernard Mattson was highly respected and helped form the original agreements between Japan and America in regards to the military bases located on the island. Missing are a speech and a book he has been rumored to write. It seems that everybody wants to find this speech and book, but for a variety of different reasons. To find out if Jamie along with Hiroshi and his friends are successful you will need to read The Moving Blade for yourself. Trust me you won’t be disappointed. As you dive deeper into the story you will be quickly turning the pages to find out what happens next!
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