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DEATH AT THE CROSSROADS
by Dale Furutani
William Morrow & Co., July 1998
210 pages
$22.00
ISBN: 068815817X


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Death at the Crossroads is a unique entry into the mystery genre, the first in a projected trilogy. It takes place in 1603 in feudal Japan, and its main character, Matsuyama Kaze, is a ronin (without a master) samurai who is on a quest to search for his late master's young daughter. As he travels from village to village, he encounters unusual happenings. In the precinct of Higashi he sees at a distance a man looking at a body at the intersection of 4 roads. The man, Jiro, is a poor charcoal seller in the local village; and the local district lord wants the murder pinned on him, guilty or not. Kaze interprets the evidence that is available and attempts to prove Jiro innocent. At the same time, he unmasks a demon that has terrorized another local village.

Kaze is a master of wordplay as well as swordplay. In spite of his role as an avenger who kills without compunction in the name of justice, he has much compassion for others and does not relish the act of death. He treats everyone that he meets with respect, even amazing Jiro by speaking to him in spite of the difference in their social levels.

I really wanted to like this book, but it left me unsatisfied in a number of ways. First of all, the characters were almost entirely one-dimensional. Secondly, although I appreciated the details of daily life of Japan in the 1600s, I often felt that the author's research was showing, and the interesting little historical tidbits weren't always integrated seamlessly into the narrative. In spite of that, this book is worth reading for its fascinating view of a time and place that are unknown to the average reader.

Reviewed by Maddy Van Hertbruggen, August 2002

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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