Honeymoon to Nowhere

by Akimitsu Takagi

Book Overview

Etsuko has fallen in love with the shy young university lecturer who clumsily courts her. But her family objects to his past: his father was a war criminal; his deceased younger brother, a murderer. When Etsuko lies to force the marriage through, she thinks their troubles are over, but on their wedding night, the groom leaves in response to an urgent phone call. In the morning, he is still missing.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569471541
• ISBN13: 9781569471548
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: Soho Crime
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

a literary Japanses detective story

I enjoyed the cultural differences that made the mystery story more faceted, made more so by the Australian translation. I read it in one evening. I was caught up by the charactization of Etsuko and the problem of her and her parents choice of a husband for her. Then her husband's secrets. Then his disappearance and the process of the crime being solved the the prosecutor. The pacing of the ending was too quick - a bit out of sync with the rest of the book. But otherwise an enjoyable read. Upon finishing it, I immediately ordered the other two books by the author.

Imagine a Japanese Anne Perry

Like the Inspector Monk series by Anne Perry, which is set in Victorian England, this book is much more character- and culture-driven than plot-driven, which may be why one reviewer complained about the slow pace. There are many similaries between 1960s Japan and Victorian England, too. It's socially unacceptable to ask pointed questions; often what people don't say is more important than what they do. Women are stereotyped as fragile flowers in need of protection, despite their behavior to the contrary. And policemen are somewhat looked down upon, as though soiled by the act of crime solving. I'd much rather read a book like this, well written and from a new, culturally unfamiliar perspective, than the 47th fast-action, formulaic potboiler by an author who's long since run out of fresh ideas.

intriguing and intelligent!

The story was a fascinating look at a conservative Japanese culture which is steeped in tradition. The rules are much stricter than in more liberal countries. It is not only a person's ability and character that determine his/her fate, but also his/her family background. Having a "black sheep" in the family may block a person from making a respectable marriage match or joining the staff of an elite university or firm, no matter how capable or brilliant the person. Also, the author revealed fascinating details of Japanese law, such as the rules regarding inheritance and patents as well as the criminal investigation procedure itself. The mystery was very suspenseful and kept me guessing until the very end. The investigation was conducted in a steady, logical manner and built up to a dramatic conclusion. In many ways, the investigation resembled a more in depth version of an episode of the excellent TV series "Law and Order" except for the Japanese setting. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and also recommend the other two English translations of Takagi's works, namely "The Tattoo Murder case", and "The Informer". Also, fans of Takagi may also enjoy, the mystery "All she was worth", by Miyuki Miyabe.