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Index Interviews: Gary Tigerman A Marathon Children's Book Week The Hardest Question of All Return to This Issue's Index Return to Homepage Subscribe
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Mystery/Thriller Book ReviewsPage Two of TwoSensei by John DonohueSt. Martin's Minotaur, April, 2003Hardcover, 288 pages ISBN: 0312288123 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Someone is criss-crossing the USA, killing revered
martial arts teachers, leaving the word "Ronin" scrawled on the walls,
which means masterless samurai in Japanese.
Dr. Connor Burke, an adjunct history
instructor at a small university, is also a martial arts expert who
studies with the revered Yamashita Sensei. When the murders
move to the East Coast, Connor's brother Mickey, a NYPD
detective, is assigned to the case and asks Connor for
his help in interviewing the notoriously tightlipped
martial arts community. When it becomes
clear that the murderer is killing the best of the best,
Connor is convinced that his teacher knows more about
the killer than he is saying. Connor himself becomes a suspect
in the killings, because of his high skill level.
Now Connor must find this vengeance-seeking Ronin
before he kills again.
First time author John Donohue neatly executes this novel which combines detective fiction with the culture of Japanese martial arts. Donohue takes readers behind the scenes into the closed world of the high-level martial arts practitioners: the code of honor and silence, the rigid rules and the incredible skills that are honed over a lifetime of study and practice. The fight scenes are authentic and well-executed and the characters ring true in this outstanding debut. Smoke in the Wind by Peter TremayneSt. Martin's Minotaur, July, 2003Hardcover, 267 pages ISBN: 0312287801 Ordering information: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk 
Sister Fidelma is on the case again, to the delight of
historical mystery fans. The titian-haired sister of the King of Muman,
religieuse and advocate of the Brehon courts of 7th century Ireland is traveling
with her companion Brother Eadulf to visit the new archbishop of
Canterbury. But their ship is blown severely off course due to
an unexpected storm and the duo end up in Dyfed, in what is now
South Wales. Brother Eadulf is a Saxon and the Saxons are much
hated in that part of the world. Nevertheless, he and Fidelma agree
to investigate a mystery when requested by the local king. The inhabitants
of an entire monastery have vanished, seemingly into thin air.
Locally, a young girl has been raped and murdered. But the
young man accused of the crime appears innocent to Sister Fidelma.
But when Fidelma begins voicing her views, both she and
Brother Eadulf find themselves in some very serious danger indeed.
Peter Tremayne keeps the suspense high in this latest adventure in the popular historical mystery series. Tremayne brings the 7th century alive, with all its clashes of culture, religion and politics. Sister Fidelma is as feisty as ever, and the plot is a brain-teasing puzzle that will challenge your intellect. Mystery/Thriller Reviews Page One | Page Two Click Here to Return to the Book Reviews Index ** To visit the archives of mystery books reviewed in The IWJ, please click here. |