Books like The Convict's Sword by I. J. Parker

The latest in the terrifically imaginative (The Wall Street Journal) Akitada mystery series brings eleventh-century Japan to lifeI. J. Parkers phenomenal Akitada mystery series has been gaining fans with each new novel. The latest, The Convicts Sword, is the most fully realized installment to date, weaving history, drama, mystery, romance, and adventure into a story of passion and redemption. Lord Sugawara Akitada, the senior secretary in the Ministry of Justice, must find the mysterious killer of a man condemned to live in exile for a crime he did not commit. Meanwhile, Akitadas retainer, Tora, investigates the sudden death of a blind street singer, whose past life is a bigger mystery than anyone thought. Told in Parkers clever, vivid prose, The Convicts Sword is a must-read for those who love well-written mysteries in an exotic setting.

First publish date: 2009