Couching a noir detective storyline in an Eastern setting, The Moving Blade by Michael Pronko is the second installment of the Detective Hiroshi series, and delivers another thrilling ride for this clever curmudgeon.
When a top diplomat is murdered, his daughter, Jamie, takes it upon herself to dig into the dangerous underworld of Tokyo. After partnering up with Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, they both put themselves between the crosshairs of a sinister killer who will stop at nothing to achieve his dastardly aims. The plot is fast-paced and thrilling, but the author also takes time to paint a visceral portrait of Tokyo, making every scene more believable, as though a reader could step into a page and be swallowed up by the action.
Similar to the first book in the series, Detective Hiroshi carries much of the plot, and as a detective story, this novel knocks it out of the park. Where Pronko shines the brightest is in his character interactions, with powerful, believable dialogue that moves the plot forward without seeming heavy-handed. Every scene has a purpose, even if it isn’t immediately apparent, revealing the author’s obvious mastery of storytelling. This book succeeds as both an homage to Tokyo and a savagely entertaining mystery that will grip readers and keep them guessing until the violent, octane-fueled finish.
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