Tokyo Kill is the second Jim Brodie thriller by Barry Lancet. Released in 2014 by Simon & Schuster, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is a very well written modern thriller with an imperfect but morally responsible protagonist and a lot of gritty realism. It's set in Asia, and it's clear the author is intimately familiar with the setting and culture and does a good and believable job taking the reader along. Jim Brodie is compelling, meticulous and morally unambiguous, which gets him into difficulties more often than not. He's an expert in Japanese art, as well as partner and heir to his father's PI agency.
Although it's the second book in the series, the mystery and denouement are self contained here, and readers who jump in with this book won't have difficulties following the story. There are now four books extant in the series and they're all well constructed and exciting, so the series as a whole would be a good candidate for a weekend binge read.
The story is peppered throughout with transliterated Japanese words and phrases. The words are italicized in the text and translate easily in context (the author is quite adept). It adds verisimilitude without adding difficulty.
The plotting is taut and the complex story is interwoven skillfully. There are several disparate subplot threads throughout and they are wound together seamlessly.
Four stars. An exciting and transportive read. Some light swearing and a fair bit of gunplay and violence.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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