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The Blurb On The Back:
Quiet, unassuming Umiko Wada has had more than enough drama in her life. Since her husband’s death, she’s learned to keep her head down, accustoming herself to an existence based on privacy, solitude and routine.
Even as secretary to a Tokyo private detective, her life is uncomplicated, filled with coffee runs and pleasingly dull paperwork. That is, until her boss takes on a new case, which turns out to be dangerous enough to get him killed, shortly after sending Wada to London to meet a man on behalf of his client. It should have been a simple task for Wada. But now it becomes a battle for her own survival.
Following her only lead, she quickly realises that being a detective isn’t as easy as the television makes it appear. And that there’s a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they’re prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Robert Goddard’s standalone crime thriller is intricately constructed and Wada is a fascinating main character with the action taking place in Japan, the UK, the US and Iceland. The pacing works well and a dual storyline of Nick Miller also being contacted by Caldwell fleshes out the backstory. A sequel was published in 2024, which I will definitely check out and am otherwise I am keen to read Goddard’s other work.
Quiet, unassuming Umiko Wada has had more than enough drama in her life. Since her husband’s death, she’s learned to keep her head down, accustoming herself to an existence based on privacy, solitude and routine.
Even as secretary to a Tokyo private detective, her life is uncomplicated, filled with coffee runs and pleasingly dull paperwork. That is, until her boss takes on a new case, which turns out to be dangerous enough to get him killed, shortly after sending Wada to London to meet a man on behalf of his client. It should have been a simple task for Wada. But now it becomes a battle for her own survival.
Following her only lead, she quickly realises that being a detective isn’t as easy as the television makes it appear. And that there’s a reason why secrets stay buried for a long time. Because people want them to stay secret. And they’re prepared to do very bad things to keep them that way …
( The Review (Cut For Spoilers): )
The Verdict:
Robert Goddard’s standalone crime thriller is intricately constructed and Wada is a fascinating main character with the action taking place in Japan, the UK, the US and Iceland. The pacing works well and a dual storyline of Nick Miller also being contacted by Caldwell fleshes out the backstory. A sequel was published in 2024, which I will definitely check out and am otherwise I am keen to read Goddard’s other work.
