Customer Reviews

Zen Attitude

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rei Shimura's life is moving toward her own Zen Attitude -- calm, composed, happy in life and love - the perfect balance. But nothing can be simple for Rei - yet. This second novel from Sujata Massey follows her highly successful "The Salaryman's Wife," which introduced readers to this young woman trying to make her own way in a culture that sees her almost as a failure - she's still single at age 27, and she's only half Japanese. That's why the success of her antiques business is so important, and why anything that threatens the success of this venture threatens her own stability - and as readers of the first book know, Rei tends to be rather volatile. So when that threat includes murder, well, Rei does whatever it takes to center her life again.

Once again Ms. Massey's characterization is superb - we're treated to a female judo champion, the hierarchy of a Buddhist temple priesthood, other antique dealers, even Rei's boyfriend's wild Scottish brother. ! ! The subplots are intriguing, seamlessly tied together to create a denouement that is hinted at, yet should remain a surprise for most readers.

The little touches are what make Ms. Massey's work so delightful. Scenes describing caged canaries in the police station, services at an ancient temple and a festival celebrating folk tales are interspersed with murder, high stakes antiques for sale and Rei's doubts about the future of her life in Japan. Indeed, Rei Shimura can be extremely exasperating - you may either love her or hate her. To Sujata Massey's credit, you will want to read more about her.

Sujata Massey has surpassed herself! Zen Attitude is a novel that contains all of the ingredients for a highly successful sequel to Massey's debut novel, the Salaryman's Wife. Rei Shimura comes bouncing back with all of the zest that one has come to expect, but with a slightly more mature approach to everyday life. She is still involved with Hugh Glendinning, but we can forgive her this slight indulgence when he is held up to the light against his brother Angus, who has less redeeming qualities than a nest of particularly antisocial vipers.

This time, Rei battles to unravel the mystery concealed within an antique Japanese chest, and she does so with the same flair that she exhibited in The Salaryman's Wife. Character delineation is is not merely well done, it is excellently done. Massey's knowledge of Japan is also vividly apparent on every page. If you want to know exactly what it feels like to go shopping for antiques in Kamakura, the ancient capital of Japan, th! en throw away the guide books and make sure that Zen Attitude is close at hand.

Rei Shimura has become a good friend. We have only met up twice over the course of the past year, but each meeting has been delightful and something to savor. I certainly hope that the third installment of this wonderful series is not long in coming out.

Christopher Belton (author of Crime Sans Frontieres)

Japanese-American Rei Shimura is extremely pleased with her current lifestyle. She has opened up a Tokyo-based antique business and lives with her Scottish boyfriend Hugh Glendinning, an international lawyer. As her lover flies off to Thailand, Rei purchases Nana Mihori's tansu (ancient chest of drawers) for more than she could afford.

However, the overpaying for the chest of drawers is not the end of Rei's bad luck. The person who sold her the tansu is found dead and the police suspect Rei is the killer. Soon other individuals linked to the tansu begin to die and attempts on Rei's life occurs too. Using her new found Zen for life, Rei begins to investigate the key to why someone is killing people associated with the tansu.

ZEN ATTITUDE is a brilliantly written who-done-it that brings to life Japanese culture. Rei is one of the best amateur sleuths on the market today and her series is worth reading by anyone who enjoys a mystery with a touch of the orient. In a relatively short time, Sujata Massey demonstrates that she is one of the most talented new writers on the mystery scene.

Harriet Klausner

. . . very entertaining and the mystery comes together beautifully.

The 2nd book in the Rei Shimura takes up a few months after the 1st book, "The Salaryman's Wife," leaves off. Rei is living with her Scottish lawyer boyfriend, Hugh and trying to make a success of her antiques business, when, once again, her life gets mired down by murder & intrigue.

As with the 1st book in the series the deft handling of the plot kept me interested and surprised until the end. Red herrings and secondary characters are woven into a story that is fast-paced and entertaining, while seamlessly including glimpses into modern and historical Japanese culture.

The few quibbles I have with the book focus mainly on the main characters.

I found Hugh's stated devotion to Rei suspect, especially after the introduction of his younger brother Angus. His vacillation between the two and his treatment of Rei in several scenes seemed to argue that there was no basis for their relationship other than his need to make a connection with someone Japanese and her physical attraction to him.

And, although I find Rei intriguing, I still haven't solidified a bond with her. Like Nevada Barr's heroine Anna Pigeon, Rei takes a while to grow on you.

But even when Rei's actions and feelings seem more random than reasonable, there is a depth and complexity to her that is refreshing. She, like the Japan she treasures, isn't easily understood or forgotten.

I have just started reading the third book in the series - The Flower Master - and even though I'm only halfway through chapter one I'm intrigued and itching to read more.

Sujata Massey has quickly joined a the list of mystery writers who seems to effortlessly draw you into the world they create. I look forward to enjoying many more of her books.

The mystery reminded me of so much of Japan I had forgotten: the Kamiso, itinerant Buddhist monks; itadakimasu, the Japanese Grace before meals. The characters are well developed and of interesting variety: Angus, an annoying Scottish younger brother of Rei Shimura's lover; Wajin the surprising Buddhist priest; Ishida-san, the elderly antiques dealer who knew a "nice" thief who would selectively steal. All in all, a book that will enchant both mystery buffs and Japanophiles equally. And if you are fortunate enough to be both, you are in for a rare treat.

This second in the utterly charming Rei Shimura series is even more delightful--and more addictive--than its wonderful predecessor, "The Salaryman's Wife."

In this story, Ms. Shimura has taken some giant strides. She now lives in luxury with her lover, Hugh Glendenning, the Scots lawyer--but as always, her simple Japanese side is at war with her American side over the opulence of their apartment. She has given up her lowly job, and is now selling antiques, her lifelong dream. Her Japanese side allows her entree into the most conservative of Japanese homes, while her American side allows her to bargan cannily for the best price.

Such is the situation when we happily meet Ms. Shimura again in "Zen Attitude." She has been hired on consignment by a major player in the antiques world, the formidable Nana Mihori. One antiquing coup with Mihori can set Shimura up for life. Therefore, when she finds the quintessential "tansu," a ceremonial chest of drawers worth millions of yen, Ms. Shimura is overjoyed. She spends way too much on behalf of her client, has the priceless piece delivered to her own apartment--and then finds out to her horror that it is a fake.

And that's just the beginning. Throw in Hugh's majorly cool but spoiled rotten brother Angus, who will smoke anything and everything in sight; a hip young car salesman who may or may not be a serial killer; a buddhist temple run by the Mihoris but seemingly fraught with evil; and the overly macho, very scary daughter of the Mihori clan, and you have but a taste of the adventures to come. All I will say here is...all is NOT what it seems.

This series is a find. An absolute treasure. I cannot wait to ready the next, and recommend Ms. Massey's unique, deceptively zenlike series to anybody who likes the truly different.

Rei Shimura is a wonderful character--someone you feel you know in person, rather than from the pages of a book. She's vulnerable and innocent, yet street-smart, with an appealing ironic vision of herself--and completely believable. Rei has set herself loose in Japan, a culture she's heir to--sort of. As a Japanese-American she wants to understand this enigmatic and ancient society, but her misreading of too many things leads her into very dangerous terrain. The plot is complex, and while I found the ending slightly disappointing, I had a great time getting there.

A very nice sequel, and to me somewhat different, even more complex than her her first book, The Salaryman's Wife. Where the Salaryman's Wife had an almost traditional small set of suspects in an out of the way Japanese Inn, but then moves to the urban setting of the city; Zen Attitude tends to sprawl all over Tokyo, until it becomes focused on the intrigues of a specific Japanese temple. Rei Shimura is running her small antiques business and purchases an old japanese chest. Unfortunately, everyone associated with the chest seems to be in danger or dead. Almost as interesting as the mystery itself are several personal complications with her boyfriend and his brother. The deft handling of what could easily be cliché romantic complications, was one of the books highlights; especially when the personal circumstances begin to parallel with the circumstances of the murder.

Massey's goal is to explore and teach about culture. Born in England to Indian and German parents, she's fascinated by Japan, so she sets her novels in that country and makes her main character Japanese-American. (I understand the strategy completely; I'm Italian-American, but my protagonists are Hispanic or Greek.) Zen Attitude is a worthy contribution to her series. It's an amiable mystery that allows Rei Shimura to continue her Japanese odyssey. Shimura's identity makes her a logical, trustworthy narrator. I like the anitquities angle. Since I know nothing about Japanese furniture, it's easy enough for Massey to plant clues I miss, yet I don't feel cheated that I missed them. I enjoyed reading about Shimura's boyfriend problems, especially when the problematic kid brother arrives, since this is the kind of familiar mess we all dread. The end of the book is a little too dramatic to be completely effective, but it doesn't mar the overall experience.

I really love a book which not only entertain you while you read it, but also teach you new things. Zen attitude was like that; it made me look up pictures and information on the Japanese places, antiques etc., which were so beautifully described throughout the book. Furthermore did it have an intriguing plot that made me take the book with me everywhere until I was finished. It was my second Sujata Massey novel and I must say that I'm thrilled that I still have two more on my shelf. Congratulations to Sujata Massey - Don't ever stop writing.