Search - Bundori (Sano Ichiro, Bk 2)

This is Rowland's 2nd book published in 1996. She is now in 2006 coming out with her 11th title. These earlier books which I prefer - Shinju (1994), Bundori, The Concubine's Tattoo(1998), The Samarai's Wife(2000) - set the tone for the rest.
Laura Joh Rowland's Web site introduces book and term Bundori as follows, "In the misty streets and alleys of Edo, Japan's feudal capital, a serial killer lurks. Each victim is rendered up as a severed head, nailed to a plank, offered for public display as a bundori: a war trophy in samurai military tradition. Detective Sano Ichiro, newly promoted to the new position as the shogun's Most Honorable Investigator, tries valiantly to follow Bushido—the Way of the Warrior—as he strives to bring the killer to justice."

Another great book by about Sano Ichiro by Laura Joh Rowland. This is number two in the series, and it held up to be just as good as the first, Shinju. I absolutely love reading fiction books that incorporate Japanese history. What really intrigued me though, is that while reading this book, I found out that the author is not even Japanese. She has Chinese and Korean ancestry; I find that really funny that she wouldn't write about one of those cultures, and is so knowledgable about the history of the Japanese because a lot of the characters she uses are actually real people!

"Bundori" is a good read. The novel takes place in medieval Japan, and I especially liked the historical aspect of the book. I feel that the characters could have been developed more, but that will probably happen in future books that I have yet to read. This is one of the first 2 or 3 books in a series that I believe has great promise. All in all an interesting story.

Love this series of books.