Tokyo Noir
A Bit About Me
C.J. Hellman is a British writer who, somewhat to his surprise, has spent much of his life in Japan. Originally lured by the romance and mystery of the country, he draws upon his knowledge and understanding of the culture in the Oshima Tokyo Noir series. He has also published a book of translations of writing on the martial arts, and written and blogged on various aspects of Japanese culture.
Book 1 in the Oshima Tokyo Noir Series:
The Tiger's Gate
An injured veteran. A murdered neighbour. And the search for a stolen lacquer bowl.
The year is 1938. After two years of fighting in China, Lt. Oshima Kai is back in Tokyo and out of the army for good, injured in the line of duty. He thought he was settling into a quiet life, but when a neighbour is found dead, he is drawn into the hunt for the murderer, and a missing work of art.
Fallen Blossom
‘A gun is one thing ... You squeeze the trigger, he falls to the ground and it’s over. A knife, that’s close, there’s no denying it. But a sword – a sword is something else.’
Book 2 in the Oshima Tokyo Noir Series: Fallen Blossom
A killer wields his sword in the search for perfection – will Oshima be able to stop him before he kills again?
When a headless corpse is found in the local shrine that Oshima realises he must hunt down a sword-wielding killer.
The search takes him back to the army, where the bitter struggle between factions threatens the life of his old commander, but all the while the danger draws closer to home and the people he cares about most.
Now available at online bookstores:
Book 3:
Bitter Wind
Blackmail, revenge, and a bitter political secret.
As the maple leaves redden, Oshima is suffocating under the routines of civilian life. When sensitive documents go missing from his family’s business, he jumps at the chance to join the investigation.
But in 1930's Tokyo, political ambition and lethal secrets go hand in hand. Drawn into this treacherous world, Oshima must decide what he is willing to risk to protect a family he no longer fully trusts.
