This mystery is one of a series which features a Japanese-American antiques dealer, Rei Shimura. I loved the concept, but the execution was a little rough. Rei took too many risks and found clues a little too easily.The story starts in San Francisco where she is staying with her family and researching their own history. It follows her back to her beloved Japan where she continues her pursuit along with "assisting" her lawyer-boyfriend. He is looking for evidence in a class-action suit against big Japanese firms who employed slave labor during WWII. Good research. I hope future books in the series might have a little more polish.
As the series goes on, the books definitely get better. No big surprise. I didn't like this one quite as much as the previous one, but it was still a pretty decent mystery. I pegged the murderer really early on, I think because I am just getting used to the author's style (i.e., the slimy rude guy who goes out of his way to embarrass himself and the protagonist and who always seems really suspicious didn't do it. Ever. This guy is in every book, except he always has a different name.). There were a few loose ends that weren't wrapped up, but whatever. I think I'm getting used to that, too.
