A Samurai Mystery Series (Matsuyama Kaze Trilogy): Death at the Crossroads, Jade Palace Vendetta, and Kill the Shogun - Dale Furutani

Written by Dale Furutani
Format: MP3
Bitrate: 64 Kbps

Death at the Crossroads:

Matsuyama Kaze is a “ronin,” a Japanese knight errant. Kaze must travel across Japan until he fulfills a promise made to his dying Lord and Lady — to find their nine-year-old daughter. As this masterless samurai searches the countryside, he is caught up in a series of mysteries that test his strength and skills as well as his Confucian training.

Kaze stumbles upon a corpse shot with an arrow at the crossroads leading to a small town. He becomes embroiled with an unlikely — and untrustworthy — cast of characters, who are as colorful as they are crafty. Each has secrets to keep and axes to grind, and it will take all of Kaze’s subtlety, stealth, and Samurai skills to unravel the mystery and unmask the killer.

Richly atmospheric, filled with historically accurate detail, “Death at the Crossroads” evokes the world of long-ago Japan and the often lonely life of an honor-bound warrior. It’s a spellbinding, deeply satisfying mystery that will leave readers hungry for the next chapter in Matsuyama Kaze’s journey of adventure.
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Jade Palace Vendetta:

Told with the beguiling mystery and historical authenticity that distinguish Dale Furutani’s samurai trilogy, this second installment in the series brings us further into the heart of feudal Japan. The saga’s hero is noble ronin Matsuyama Kaze, a warrior whose sense of honor is as keen as his deadly sword.

In “Jade Palace Vendetta,” Kaze continues the search to find his lord’s missing child. This time out, Kaze is waylaid when he saves a helpless merchant from a vicious gang of killers and soon discovers that everything is not what it appears. He finds himself trapped in a web of deceit and violence, where a veneer of propriety hides great evil. Only Kaze’s quick wit and martial skills can save him and keep him on his quest to find the kidnapped child.
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Kill the Shogun:

In “ Kill the Shogun”, award winning mystery writer Dale Furutani presents the latest in his popular samurai mystery series. He returns to the journey of Matsuyama Kaze, the masterless warrior destined to travel the seventeenth-century Japanese countryside until he fulfills the dying wish of his murdered lord’s wife.Until now, Kaze’s quick wit and samurai skills have enabled him to solve crimes, untangled himself from deadly schemes, and protect the innocent, all the while keeping his sense of justice and honor. But the danger now facing Kaze, from enemies known and unknown, is greater than ever.

Kaze is the closest he’s ever come to fulfilling his quest to rescue his lord’s kidnapped daughter. Following a trail of clues, he is led to Edo, the bustling new capital of Japan. Treading in unfamiliar territory , Kaze is the object of a deadly manhunt when an attempt on the Shogun’s life fails. He must dodge his lord’s rivals, even as he learns that the young girl has been sold into prostitution. In his quest to save her, Kaze teams up with an eccentric cast of local characters who bring feudal Japan to life. The samurai must clear his name and rescue the child as the odds against him grow.

With his sensitivity and stength, Matsuyama Kaze has been described by “ Publishers Weekly” as embodying “both compassion and ruthlessness.” Furutani deftly combines Kaze’s compelling spirit,a complex plot, and an acute sense of historical detail to produce an exciting tale of one warrior’s noble quest.
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Author Bio:

Dale Furutani is the first Asian American to win major mystery awards. He has won an Anthony Award, a Macavity Award, and been nominated for an Agatha and other awards.

Dale has been a speaker at the U. S. Library of Congress, The Japanese American National Museum, the Wing Luke Museum, the Asia Pacific Museum, and numerous conferences and universities.

He has been interviewed on Southern Oregon Public Television, local Los Angeles radio shows, and Italian State Radio. He was selected by the City of Los Angeles as one of its “40 Faces of Diversity” and banners with his picture appeared at several locations around the city. He’s also been the subject of academic studies in the U.S., Italy, Indonesia and Japan. Publisher’s Weekly called him a master craftsman.