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Title: Disappointing
Review: The fourth entry in the Sosakan Sano Ichiro series is set in 1690 Tokyo. From the opening scene of Sano's arranged marriage to the denouement, this outing leaves a flat aftertaste. Sano's bride, Hirata, has a penchant for investigation and she sets out to find the murderer of Harume, the pregnant favorite of the ruling Shogun. Sadly, the relationship between Sano and Reiko reads like a bad romance novel, complete with fiery tempers, illogical misunderstandings, and the requisite revealing of the killer. T his outing should come with a strong warning for those readers who do not like graphic sex in their mysteries.Rowland appears to have done her research, but unfortunately used it all in this book. Perhaps because of her concentration on the history, she paid less attention to developing her characters because they remain cardboard-flat and the dialogue overly dramatic.This was a disappointing entry in an otherwise enjoyable series.
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