The Dragon King's Palace (Sano Ichiro Mystery) - Tapa blanda

"Think James Clavell meets Raymond Chandler." -San Francisco Chronicle"Rowland uses her fine eye for detail to portray the intricate surface and roiling underbelly of life in a tightly structured, controlled society. Her Japan is a mix of Kabuki theater-like stylized formality, palace intrigue, and physical action that would do a martial arts movie proud."-Times-Picayune (New Orleans, LA)"Rowland's masterful evocation of the period enable the reader to identify with the universal human emotions and drives that propel her characters while absorbing numerous telling details of a different culture and era."-Publishers Weekly"The story line remains fresh though this is Sano's eighth tale because of the insightful look at an era when palace intrigue rivaled Machiavelli and samurai code rules."-Midwest Book Review"A lively dissection of the samurai code of honor, sexual dishonor, palace infighting, and ancient Japanese mores."-Kirkus Reviews

It is June 1694, and Reiko, the wife of Sano Ichiro; Reiko's friend, Midori; the shogun's mother; and Lady Yanagisawa, the wife of the shogun's powerful second-in-command, are kidnapped and imprisoned in the tower of a ruined palace. The shogun demands quick action so Sano is forced to work with his sworn enemies.