Review: Tokyo Zangyo by Michael Pronko

A spectacular plunge into the dark heart pumping beneath Tokyo’s shining streets, Tokyo Zangyo by Michael Pronko is the fourth stellar installment of his Detective Hiroshi series. From the gripping opening scene that sets a deadly tone, to the breakneck investigation’s dramatic climax, this novel rarely lets up in intensity or intrigue.

Detective Hiroshi Shimizu is once again summoned to the site of a grisly mystery – a bucho businessman named Shigeru Onizuka found splattered on the pavement beneath the building where he’d done his life’s work. However, his work at Senden Infinity also included being a notorious bully and a harasser of women, a cruel abuse of power that may have led a previous employee of the company, Mayu, to throw herself off the roof – from the very same spot Onizuka plunged to his own death.

As Hiroshi digs into the sprawling network and sordid tales surrounding the victim, it becomes clear that plenty of people wanted to send the untouchable Tokyo power broker tumbling. Sifting through the clues, leads, and red herrings pulls Hiroshi deeper into the realm of corporate greed and control. As the plot delves into the sinister realm of high-stakes international business, Pronko peels back the curtain on a world many don’t understand, one where money can buy anything – loyalty, innocence, or even the right to decide who lives and who dies.

As is the case in Pronko’s other work, the procedural aspects of the investigation are executed exceptionally well, without growing dull or repetitive, which is the unfortunate fate of so many other detective novels. Takamatsu is the ideal foil for Hiroshi as a partner, with a counterpoint personality that keeps their dynamic interesting, in addition to being fully developed as a three-dimensional character himself. Additionally, their handling of the case, suspects, and red tape stretching all the way up to national ministers has an authentic and visceral tone, if sometimes frustrating in terms of the storyline.

The book’s title not only rolls off the tongue with exotic flair, but also hints at some of the larger themes explored in the novel – those specific to Japan and otherwise. “Zangyo” refers to overtime work that is typically unpaid, and it has become a staple of the hyper-competitive professional world in Japanese culture. Driving people to desperation, exhaustion, depression, and even suicide, this grind culture phenomenon once felt specific to Japan’s intense work ethic, but has spread around the globe in many ways, under different names. Many readers will be able to relate to the pressure that such extreme career demands place, and will likely appreciate this novel’s critical commentary on an uneven work/life balance.

From a technical standpoint, the prose is remarkably clean and well-ordered, with a dearth of wasted words or redundant narration. The writing is also highly accessible, making this a fast-paced read that could be devoured in a weekend. Being able to manipulate simple language into a compelling plot, without the need for excessive descriptions or linguistic acrobatics, is the sign of a confident storyteller who knows precisely how to hook an audience. Pronko deserves such praise for this latest Detective Hiroshi thriller, a multilayered mystery that hits hard and strong as both a high-caliber detective thriller and a trenchant take on the world’s priorities.