Review: Azabu Getaway by Michael Pronko

Michael Pronko delves back into the grit, greed, and mystery of Tokyo in his latest novel, Azabu Getaway, the fifth book in his Detective Hiroshi Mystery series.

In this moody, high-stakes thriller, a desperate father kidnaps his own daughters in the hope of escaping back to America, while the vicious murder of a wealthy financial manager sends shockwaves through Tokyo’s shadowy banking sector. Though the two cases initially feel unrelated, the sinister link between money, violence, and power is hard to shake – for readers and investigators alike.

Hiroshi continues to shine as one of the most unique and compelling detective protagonists in recent memory. He may be a forensic accountant who tries to highlight his skills in Excel and English, but that rarely keeps him out of the action, particularly when one of his trusted colleagues needs his help.

Sakaguchi and Takamatsu are excellent supporting characters, and the introduction of Ishii is a refreshing shot of life in the series, as female characters have generally been less represented. With her sharp mind and keen investigative skills, she would be a great recurring addition to the series. Pronko knows how to create characters whose alignment and motives are unclear, adding to the suspicious mood of these books, though Sugamo and Osaki are less well-developed, functioning as police procedural archetypes, rather than foils.

As has been the norm in the series, there are multiple crime plots that blend and blur on Hiroshi’s priority list, but the storyline is never confusing or tangential. Some passages are wordy, but the prose is generally declarative and easy to read, similar to Murakami – unafraid to wander, but always with a purpose. The procedural aspects of the writing are fascinating, from visceral descriptions of crime scenes to the dangerous tension of a high-stakes investigation, and the narrative voice is subtle enough to maintain tension from start to finish; Hiroshi’s suppositions and thought processes are shared, but rarely fully, just enough to nudge readers in a certain direction, even if it may lead to a red herring.

Pronko’s familiarity with Japan makes for remarkably in-depth scene-setting and exposition, as well as narration peppered with Japanese vocabulary and cultural minutiae that gives the writing notable authenticity. Navigating the murky back streets of Tokyo, in addition to shady financial dealings in the penthouses of power, readers are plunged into a foreign setting, but Pronko guides them carefully through these narrative alleys. The plot may start small, but it quickly expands into a larger conspiracy, leading to the author’s quiet critique of international banking trends and widespread corruption, as well as a more pointed commentary on Japanese business practices and beliefs.

Given the setting, some of the conversations feel unnatural, with idiomatic language that could make readers briefly forget about the nationality of the speakers. While this makes the novel accessible to a western audience, it somewhat undercuts the immersive nature of the writing. There are also occasional slips in the writing that a fine-tuned proofread should correct, but these errors are infrequent.

Despite some minor issues, Azabu Getaway is yet another impressive installment of a riveting series with plenty of potential left for these fascinating characters.