Death at the Crossroads

The Edo period in Japan remains one of the most fascinating and mysterious eras in the nation’s history. A new Shogun has reunited the country, while the defeated samurai, now without masters, roam the land as ronin. One of these is Matsuyama Kaze — his name meaning “the wind of the pine woods” — a warrior without a homeland yet steadfast in his loyalty to his late lord. Bound by honour, Kaze sets out on a quest to fulfil a final promise to his lord’s wife: to find her missing daughter. His journey soon leads him to a puzzling crime — a man found dead at the crossroads of four roads. The murder is hastily pinned on the coalman who discovered the body, but Kaze’s keen eye instantly detects a whole series of contradictions. This novel is the first in a tetralogy that carefully weaves together various elements of detective fiction, historical narrative, comedy and swashbuckling Japanese adventure stories. Written for a Western audience fascinated by the land of the Rising Sun, Furutani’s works provide richly detailed historical and social reconstructions of the period, also with insights into its cuisine and everyday customs. Each chapter opens with a haiku, drawing the reader into the poetry that infuses every gesture and every story of this extraordinary world. <br> <br>   Agguato all'incrocio <br> Dale Furutani <br> William Morrow, 1988 <br>