The Crane Pavilion
by I.J. Parker
After the loss of his wife and newborn son, Akitada returns home, ostensibly to care for his motherless children, but really to withdraw from the world into his grief. When his friends and family join in an effort to draw him out of his seclusion by tempting him with a mystery, he responds halfheartedly. Before he can discover the dead woman’s identity and find her killer, he is faced with dismissal and punishment for having left his last post without permission. Though he is intrigued by Lady Ogata’s mystery, he has more important problems to solve. And worse is yet to come: Tora and Saburo are arrested for the murder of a gambler. Their dilemma forces Akitada to delve into the world of a gangster boss who controls gambling and prostitution, and this time Akitada will not escape.
(83,000 words; available as ebook and print)
