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Summary: Shinju
Review: If you like a story about a samurai policeman who bumbles his way through 437 pages, you'll like this book. Entirely unsamurai-like, Sano allows himself to be pushed around by commoners and other samurai alike. His interrogation of witnesses is childlike, but luckily everyone always blurts out what he needs to know. And don't worry about the plot getting too complex to follow...Sano clicks on to what is actually happening about a half page after the reader. And he's really good at spotting lies. Of course, so would I be if every liar shifted nervously from foot to foot and/or stared at the ground while talking! The author treats her audience as if they were stupid and better "mystery" can be had with The Hardy Boys. Very disappointing.
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Summary: Gratifying detective novel surprisingly set in medieval Japa
Review: In Laura Joh Rowland's SHINJU, the first of her detective novels set surprisingly in medieval Japan, East meets West with gratifying success. Sano Ichiro, an only son, is a young man of samurai class who must restore and maintain the somewhat tarnished honor of his family by fulfilling a political appointment that requires investigation into a serious crime. His Arthurian ideals sustain him when he discovers a cover-up and risks all to reveal widespread corruption and a plot that threatens to topple the shogun. This is the tale of "a samurai warrior in King Arthur's court." You'll recognize your favorite heroes and villains, but this isn't Camelot.
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Summary: Too detailed to be entertaining.
Review: It took me forever to finish the book! There was too much detail, perversion, the many times the hero(?) seemed to come to a blank wall or a dead end on his hunches. I am just fascinated with historic Japan so I was drawn to read the book. I've read the 2 succeeding novels and found Bundori a better read. The Way of a traitor has the same ho-hum quality as Shinju. I still look forward to Miss Rowland's other novels.
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: Ms. Joh-Rowland has given us a glimpse of 17th century Japan which is much more interesting than the history books. And by using a mystery as a vehicle, this book is very readable and "unputdownable". However, since this is her first book, her plotting needs room for improvement. A reader can guess the resolution halfway through the book. Still, it is a good first effort and I am hoping the next Saro Ichiro novels will be tighter and unpredictable.
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Summary: Fascinating history, mediocre writing & puzzle
Review: Rowland is great at making 17th century Japan seem real, and goes into exquisite detail about the material (and, more crassly, moral) circumstances in which her characters live. That alone made the book worth reading, and made me interested in reading Bundori as a follow-up. However, Shinju has serious drawbacks. Anyone who reads mysteries regularly will have no trouble solving Shinju by halfway through the book. The main problem, though, is Rowland's ponderous writing. Her action scenes and urban descriptions are great; but anything about characters' thoughts and motivations gets wordy and dull very fast. Instead of letting readers figure out why characters respond as they do (except for the highly-scrutable inscrutable suspects) she beats to death the possibilities with lists of questions the characters are supposed to have flashing through their minds. In addition, no one moves a muscle in this story without Rowland reporting on its flexion. It's as if she do! ! esn't trust the readers to be as smart as she is. That's annoying. Shinju is a lovely historical tapestry, and compelling as a result. Frankly, I think Rowland should drop the mystery element (which is profoundly unsatisfying) and just write novels of 17th Century Japan. They would probably be great.
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Summary: Too much perversion to be entertaining.
Review: Rowland obviously knows Japan well. Her story could be a real winner--exotic, intriguing, unique. However, she has gone too far. She has infused the story with sensationalist descriptions of various perversions, whether to make it easier for the reader to loathe the antagonist, or who knows what. After a fashion the story irritates the sensibilities more than it entertains. I quit reading with less than 100 pages to go. My wife was reading Bundori as I read Shinju, and she came to the same conclusion independent of any input from me. Try again, Ms. Rowland. Adultery and murder are evil enough deeds for your villains; they don't need to go on to pedophilia or sadism.
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Summary: Absolutely Wonderful!
Review: Rowland's novel "Shinju", is a rivetting tale of yoriki Sano Ichiro, a detective who discovers the mysterious death of high-ranking royal Lady Yukiko and the poor artist Noriyoshi. Everyone believes this incident to be a shinju, or "double suicide" however, Sano thinks it to be more than that. He believes they were murdered. Ignoring the orders of his superior, Sano goes on a risky quest to solve this mystery. From the mountains on the Tokkaido road and the snowy hieghts of the north, to the dark slums of the entertainment districts, this novel gives the reader a full 360 of the ancient world of Japan. I could hardly put it down. I totally recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Japan's history, and if not, a fan of thrillers because this is a thrilling story, no doubt about it.
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Summary: Rich imagery, mediocre writing.
Review: The author does an excellent job of describing life in 17th century Japan. However, while the tapestry of the environment is rich, the writing is not. This is the author's first book, and it shows. The characters are engaging, if somewhat stilted and the plot is mediocre. Imagery is fine, but the author needlessly stoops to shocking the reader with perversions. The protagonist's internal conflict is at times believable, but there are instances where it really does not make sense. Overall, it could be better, but it is not a bad first attempt.
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Summary: Compelling page-turner exposes feudal Japan
Review: The author's imagery worked very well for me. I quickly connected with Sano Ichiro's humility-tempered persistence. Though his misplaced loyalties and devotion to Bushido lead him deeper and deeper into the tangled web of the paranoic, machiavellian shogunate, his iron will, sense of rightness, and remembrance of promises made, lift him out of certain doom and into the good graces of the shogun himself. Will Sano's promotion be the well-deserved ending we hoped for? I can't wait to read more! Laura Joh Rowland has given us a new hero worthy of a hopefully long and prosperous series. Thanks!Note: I picked up "The Samurai's Wife" for a quick read. After a few chapters, I simply had to go out and find Shinju to start at the beginning of this enchanting series . . . It took some digging to find "Bundori" (No. 2) and "The Way of the Traitor" (No. 3?). "The Concubine's Tattoo" is still available. I'll report back after reading these. It should not take long!
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Summary: Fascinating
Review: This book is the first in Rowland's series on the late 17th century Samurai detective, Sano Ichiro. It is rich in detail, evoking a real sense of being there. The customs and mores of a very different non-western culture are laid out magnificently. Unlike more traditional detective stories, this novel is less about "figuring out" who the murderer is, and more about observing how Sano figures out what happened. On the way we come to know Japan better, and perhaps human nature also.
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