Product Description

Life in modern Tokyo is a blast for Rei Shimura, a young Japanese-American woman who enjoys busy days as an antiques dealer and steamy nights with a devoted new boyfriend. But things come to a standstill when Rei overpays for a rare old chest of drawers for a wealthy client, the owner of a famous Zen temple in Kamakura. The exquisite tansu turns out to be a fake: the worst deal Rei has ever made. When the temple family turns on Rei -- and the con man who sold the tansu is murdered -- she realizes she's opened a Pandora's box of deception and murder. A young martial artist, an aspiring rock singer, and an elderly antiques mentor all become part of Rei's search for the killer through the shadows of an ancient culture. As her world begins to rapidly and inexplicably unravel, Rei realizes that it will take strength, wit, and a Zen attitude to survive.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62122 in Books
• Published on: 2005-11-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Rei Shimura, the Tokyo-based, Japanese-American freelance antiques buyer whom smart mystery fans will remember from The Salaryman's Wife, finds herself the owner of an overpriced, ersatz Edo-period tansu. Bad karma comes with this to-die-for chest of drawers, and Rei becomes, in rapid succession, murder suspect, then murder target. Stuck with bad goods, financial losses and a relationship frayed around the edges, she skips out on her boyfriend and his luxurious lifestyle, and ends up befriended by ex-judo champ Akemi Mihori, who offers her a place to stay on the grounds of the famous Zen temple Horin-ji. Exhausted, scared and a little malnourished, Rei battles growing paranoia that leads her to confuse friend and murderous foe. As with her first novel, Massey manages to combine a very entertaining mystery with lessons in Japanese culture. Caveat lector: Japanese speakers will find clues embedded in characters' names.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Marcia Muller
"You can't find a better guide to the mean streets of Japan than Rei Shimura!...An excellant new series from a very talented writer."

People
"Page-Turner of the week. Sly, Sexy, and Deftly done."

Customer Reviews

Cultural Interest Has No Borders
Massey's goal is to explore and teach about culture. Born in England to Indian and German parents, she's fascinated by Japan, so she sets her novels in that country and makes her main character Japanese-American. (I understand the strategy completely; I'm Italian-American, but my protagonists are Hispanic or Greek.) Zen Attitude is a worthy contribution to her series. It's an amiable mystery that allows Rei Shimura to continue her Japanese odyssey. Shimura's identity makes her a logical, trustworthy narrator. I like the anitquities angle. Since I know nothing about Japanese furniture, it's easy enough for Massey to plant clues I miss, yet I don't feel cheated that I missed them. I enjoyed reading about Shimura's boyfriend problems, especially when the problematic kid brother arrives, since this is the kind of familiar mess we all dread. The end of the book is a little too dramatic to be completely effective, but it doesn't mar the overall experience.

Love Her or Hate Her, but You Can�t Put the Book Down
Rei Shimura has moved up in the world, now she lives in luxury with her lover, Scottish Lawyer Hugh Glendenning, and she's selling antiques, her lifelong dream. This is a big change for the Rei we met in "The Salaryman's Wife." She has been hired by a major player in the antiques world, the formidable Nana Mihori. The right deal with Mihori can set Rei up for life, so when she finds a ceremonial chest of drawers worth millions of yen, she is overjoyed. She spends way too much on behalf of Mihori, has the priceless piece delivered to her apartment, then finds to her horror that it's a fake.

Once again Sujata Massey takes us on a wild Japanese ride and along the way we meet a female judo champion, Hugh's spoiled brother Angus who will smoke anything in sight, a hip young car salesman who may or may not be a serial killer, a buddhist temple run by the Mihoris, and the very scary daughter of the Mihori clan and of course there's Rei Shimura herself, who seems so exasperating as she gets involved in murder.

Rei Shimura is a character that you'll either love or hate as you flip though the pages as fast as you can read, because love her or hate her, you won't be able to put the book down.

Review submitted by Captain Katie Osborne

Simply Captivating
This second in the utterly charming Rei Shimura series is even more delightful--and more addictive--than its wonderful predecessor, "The Salaryman's Wife."

In this story, Ms. Shimura has taken some giant strides. She now lives in luxury with her lover, Hugh Glendenning, the Scots lawyer--but as always, her simple Japanese side is at war with her American side over the opulence of their apartment. She has given up her lowly job, and is now selling antiques, her lifelong dream. Her Japanese side allows her entree into the most conservative of Japanese homes, while her American side allows her to bargan cannily for the best price.

Such is the situation when we happily meet Ms. Shimura again in "Zen Attitude." She has been hired on consignment by a major player in the antiques world, the formidable Nana Mihori. One antiquing coup with Mihori can set Shimura up for life. Therefore, when she finds the quintessential "tansu," a ceremonial chest of drawers worth millions of yen, Ms. Shimura is overjoyed. She spends way too much on behalf of her client, has the priceless piece delivered to her own apartment--and then finds out to her horror that it is a fake.

And that's just the beginning. Throw in Hugh's majorly cool but spoiled rotten brother Angus, who will smoke anything and everything in sight; a hip young car salesman who may or may not be a serial killer; a buddhist temple run by the Mihoris but seemingly fraught with evil; and the overly macho, very scary daughter of the Mihori clan, and you have but a taste of the adventures to come. All I will say here is...all is NOT what it seems.

This series is a find. An absolute treasure. I cannot wait to ready the next, and recommend Ms. Massey's unique, deceptively zenlike series to anybody who likes the truly different.