Clocktower

by C.A. Valentine

Along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean somewhere south of Los Angeles lies a secret; Sonnerie, the Timeless City. Granted complete autonomy from the United States in 1947, the city flourished, quickly becoming a haven for Japanese Americans who had been unjustly interned during the Second World War. Now, more than forty years after the city's founding, a tragedy has occurred. Two girls are dead, and it has fallen to the half Japanese investigator, Johnny Tokisaki, to unravel what has happened and uncover the Timeless City's darkest secrets.

345 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 1, 2021

About the author

C. A. Valentine was born in Pasadena, California. He grew up in nearby Claremont, and attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa where he received his B.A. in Japanese Language and Literature. After graduating, he accepted a position teaching in the Hokuriku region of Japan, where he was inspired to write his first novel, Okey-Dokey Sensei. He met his wife while working in Toyama, Japan in 2012.

Valentine was profoundly influenced by a mixture of both American and Japanese authors, including Haruki Murakami, Natsume Soseki, Thomas Lopez, and H. P. Lovecraft.

Reviews

[Anthony Fujiki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read. The city of Sonnerie comes to life with interesting characters, a quick-moving plot, and an excellent setting. It starts out as your standard private investigator whodunit (whydunit in this case i suppose) turns into a deepening thriller between the protagonist, Johnny Tokisaki, and the dark side of the city itself. Definitely recommend picking this one up.

[Aja: The Narcoleptic Ninja]

I'm really torn on how to rate this one. On the one hand I tore through it and just wanted to keep reading, but on the other... it just felt so unfulfilling once I finished it. There was so little closure to be had here, and it seems to be setting up for a sequel even though that book didn't really say it was part of a series and I can't find another listed on Goodreads. So... we'll see? I guess? I have to think on an actual star rating here though.

[E.C. Eibergen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing read. Tore through it in record pace. The city of Sonnerie is masterfully crafted. The clock theme really drew me in. Very interesting worldbuilding.
How the story progressed from a run of the mill detective to an unsettling thriller really caught me offguard. Loved every minute of it.