Shinju
Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland, published by Harper Collins in 1996, is a work of fiction that intricately weaves a tale of love and mystery. The narrative begins with the tragic discovery of Yukiko, a beautiful and wealthy woman, and Noriyoshi, a low-born artist, found drowned together in a ritual double suicide known as shinju. Newly appointed yoriki Sano Ichiro, the shogun’s Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People, questions the official verdict of forbidden love, believing that the deaths may be the result of murder rather than a tragic romance.
Readers will find themselves immersed in a richly detailed world that captures the essence of its cultural backdrop, featuring ornate tearooms, pleasure-palaces, and cloistered convents. As Sano Ichiro navigates the complexities of society to uncover the truth, the story unfolds as both a love story and a mystery. With 448 pages, this edition invites exploration into a narrative that challenges societal norms and delves into the depths of human emotion and intrigue.
Official synopsis Publisher
When beautiful, wealthy Yukiko and low-born artist Noriyoshi are found drowned together in a shinju, or ritual double suicide, everyone believes the culprit was forbidden love. Everyone but newly appointed yoriki Sano Ichiro.
Despite the official verdict and warnings from his superiors, the shogun’s Most Honorable Investigator of Events, Situations, and People suspects the deaths weren’t just a tragedy — they were murder. Risking his family’s good name and his own life, Sano will search for a killer across every level of society — determined to find answers to a mystery no one wants solved. No one but Sano…
As subtle and beautiful as the culture it evokes, Shinju vividly re-creates a world of ornate tearooms and guady pleasure-palaces, cloistered mountaintop convents and dealthy prisons.
Part love story, part myster, Shinju is a tour that will dazzle and entertain all who enter its world.
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