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The Fire Kimono Audiobook
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(3.04) - 387 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Japan, March 1700. The strife between Sano Ichiro, the samurai detective who has risen to power in the shogun's court, and his enemies has escalated to the brink of war. Called away from the crisis by the shogun's orders to investigate a mysterious skeleton, Sano and his wife, Reiko, must confront dangerous, long-buried secrets. What was Sano's own mother doing on the night when a burning kimono ignited a blaze that nearly destroyed the city? The shogun gives Sano and Reiko just three days to find out—or risk losing not only their position at court but their families' lives as well.
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"Praise for Laura Joh Rowland includes a note from the Denver Post:"Sano may carry a sword and wear a kimono, but you'll immediately recognize him as an ancestor of Phillip Marlowe and Sam Spade" because it's the story of 15th and 16th century detective who is charged with the task of solving a 43 year old murder of a 15 year old. Intrigue, revenge, passion and a host of other emotions all wrapped up in one story. I rated this book as a 4 star because it has clear and imaginative writing that takes the reader back to the samurai culture of Japan and builds suspense steadily until the end."
— Richard (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Pure entertainment...It takes us to an exotic time and place and overwhelms us with intrigue, romance, adventure, and frequent bloodshed.”
— Washington Post -
“An exciting and enthralling story set in a vividly rendered setting. I was captured by it from the moment a Shinto priest, buffeted by winds, his robe flapping ‘like a swan in mad flight,’ discovers those buried remains heaved from the earth.”
— Boston Globe -
“Outstanding…Rowland has given her hero his greatest challenge yet in this suspenseful look at feudal Japan.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Rowland brings Sano, his wife, a cast of supporting characters, and 18th-century Japan to life with a sweet, simple writing style.”
— School Library Journal -
“The novel displays Rowland’s gifts for seamlessly incorporating period detail and historical information into the traditional mystery format. Fans of historical mysteries—at least those few who haven’t already sampled this series—should be enthusiastically steered in Ichiro’s direction.”
— Booklist -
“The historic setting is mesmerizing. Great escape fiction.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Dunne tells this story in graceful and genteel tones. The characters represent a broad spectrum—from toddlers to octogenarians, as well as both genders. Dunne creates unique personas for each, providing continuity in an otherwise winding narrative that alternates between the present and scenes that occurred forty-three years earlier.”
— AudioFile
Awards
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A Wall Street Journal Best Book for Historical Mysteries
The Fire Kimono Listener Reviews
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" Exciting. Enjoyable. A fast read. And I loved the characters and the mystery in 1700 Japan. "
— Leigh, 2/18/2014 -
" I would give it five stars except for two scenes that were very disturbing to me. It may be correct historically, but I'd rather not have a mental image of it. Other than that it is a great story and I think Rowland is an excellent writer. "
— Susanne, 1/22/2014 -
" Another Sano Ichiro mystery. I like them. This was really really good until maybe the very end where I had a little problem with the story line, but not one that was too terribly upsetting that I refused the finish the book. ;) It always redeems itself this series. And so... I will continue to read my japenese edo period mystery fluff. "
— Purlewe, 1/16/2014 -
" I picked up this audiobook at the library on a whim since it looked interesting. It was. The plot was interesting and fast moving. The characters were not as fully developed as one might like, about typically so for a murder mystery. I know very little about Japanese history and it was also interesting from a cultural standpoint. Unfortunately, it was number 13 in the series so I need to go back and start with the first one. "
— Bonnie, 12/25/2013 -
" The mystery was good but the constant intrigues and plots and assassinations and machinations and stupid figureheads and betrayers and on and on and on got very tedious very quickly. It felt like mystery was only a third of the book after everything else was said and done. "
— Emily, 12/20/2013 -
" Another page turner from Rowland! I consider this author's strength to be her storytelling ability, and she has not disappointed me yet. She really spins a good yarn. I devoured this book in two days. Fun! "
— Suzanna, 8/29/2013 -
" the best Sano I've read to date - murder! intrigue! deception! Completely engrossing. "
— Mirjam, 5/28/2013 -
" This is my first book of this large series .... and I enjoyed the setting "
— Patti, 1/4/2013 -
" This was ok, but I'm tiring of Sano's palace intrigue with his rivals. I hope that the next book in the series focuses on an interesting mystery. "
— Kirsten, 7/6/2012 -
" Better than okay. "
— Jean, 4/12/2012 -
" I listened to this in the car in 15 minute increments so lost track of some characters so what I perceived as odd non sequiters and loose ends may have been dealt with. "
— Christina, 2/14/2012 -
" She has done it again. Yet another interesting read in the Sano Ichiro series. Sano is in danger once again of execution ( and his entire family )due to misunderstandings (as in practically all of this series) but Laura finds a way of making it a good read and not stale. "
— Sandy, 10/20/2011 -
" #128of2012 "
— Cindi, 4/26/2011 -
" This is my first audio book for this series and it was well worth it. The narrator was fantastic. Now to go back and hit those books I missed in between this one and the last one I read! "
— Chade66, 10/8/2010 -
" I would give it five stars except for two scenes that were very disturbing to me. It may be correct historically, but I'd rather not have a mental image of it. Other than that it is a great story and I think Rowland is an excellent writer. "
— Susanne, 9/24/2010 -
" She has done it again. Yet another interesting read in the Sano Ichiro series. Sano is in danger once again of execution ( and his entire family )due to misunderstandings (as in practically all of this series) but Laura finds a way of making it a good read and not stale. "
— Sandy, 3/11/2010 -
" Exciting. Enjoyable. A fast read. And I loved the characters and the mystery in 1700 Japan. "
— Leigh, 1/31/2010 -
" This is my first book of this large series .... and I enjoyed the setting "
— Patti, 9/29/2009 -
" the best Sano I've read to date - murder! intrigue! deception! Completely engrossing. "
— Mirjam, 7/12/2009 -
" Not great writing at all, but a fast read that sort of sucks you into the drama in early Japan. "
— Linda, 6/28/2009 -
" Another page turner from Rowland! I consider this author's strength to be her storytelling ability, and she has not disappointed me yet. She really spins a good yarn. I devoured this book in two days. Fun! "
— Suzanna, 1/30/2009 -
" Clearly I should have started at the beginning of the series. "
— Lynne, 1/18/2009 -
" i like the ancient japan setting of this series. this novel didn't have much of the female lead, whom i prefer. good story all the same. "
— Monica, 1/6/2009 -
" This was ok, but I'm tiring of Sano's palace intrigue with his rivals. I hope that the next book in the series focuses on an interesting mystery. "
— Kirsten, 12/27/2008
About Laura Joh Rowland
Laura Joh Rowland is the acclaimed author of the mystery series featuring samurai detective Sano Ichiro set in seventeenth-century Japan, as well as a historical suspense series starring Charlotte Bronte, and a Victorian mystery series. Her work has won the RT Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award and been included in the Wall Street Journal’s list of the five best historical mystery novels. Also her work has been nominated for the Anthony Award, the Hammett Prize, and the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award. She holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan. She is a former aerospace scientist, a painter, and a cartoonist.
About Bernadette Dunne
Bernadette Dunne is the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones Awards and has twice been nominated for the prestigious Audie Award. She studied at the Royal National Theatre in London and the Studio Theater in Washington, DC, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center and off Broadway.