Death of a Doll Maker
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Authors: I. J. Parker
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Historical, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Mystery, #Historical Fiction, #Chinese, #Japanese
DEATH
OF A
DOLL MAKER
An Akitada Novel
By
I. J. Parker
Published by I. J. Parker
Visit I. J. Parker’s official website at
www.ijparker.com
for the latest news, book details, and other information
Copyright © I. J. Parker, 2013
Cover design by I. J. Parker; Cover image from a screen painting. Unknown artist.
e-book formatting by
Guido Henkel
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Acknowledgments
I am indebted to Jacqueline Falkenhan and John Rosenman for reading and commenting on this novel as it evolved. They have been generous with their time, expertise, and insight, and I’m deeply grateful. My thanks also to the brilliant Bob Stein who helps with the covers and who watches over my web site.
Praise for I. J. Parker and the Akitada Series
“Elegant and entertaining … Parker has created a wonderful protagonist in Akitada… . She puts us at ease in a Japan of one thousand years ago.”
The Boston Globe
“You couldn’t ask for a more gracious introduction to the exotic world of Imperial Japan than the stately historical novels of I. J. Parker.”
The New York Times
“Akitada is as rich a character as Robert Van Gulik’s intriguing detective, Judge Dee.”
The Dallas Morning News
“Readers will be enchanted by Akitada.”
Publishers Weekly
Starred Review
“Terrifically imaginative”
The Wall Street Journal
“A brisk and well-plotted mystery with a cast of regulars who become more fully developed with every episode.”
Kirkus
“More than just a mystery novel, (
THE CONVICT’S SWORD
) is a superb piece of literature set against the backdrop of 11th-cntury Kyoto.”
The Japan Times
“Parker’s research is extensive and she makes great use of the complex manners and relationships of feudal Japan.”
Globe and Mail
“The fast-moving, surprising plot and colorful writing will enthrall even those unfamiliar with the exotic setting.”
Publishers Weekly,
Starred Review
“…the author possesses both intimate knowledge of the time period and a fertile imagination as well. Combine that with an intriguing mystery and a fast-moving plot, and you’ve got a historical crime novel that anyone can love.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“Parker’s series deserves a wide readership.”
Historical Novel Society
“The historical research is impressive, the prose crisp, and Parker’s ability to universalize the human condition makes for a satisfying tale.”
Booklist
“Parker masterfully blends action and detection while making the attitudes and customs of the period accessible.”
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“Readers looking for historical mystery with a twist will find what they’re after in Parker’s latest Sugawara Akitada mystery … An intriguing glimpse into an ancient culture.”
Booklist
Also By I.J.Parker
The Akitada series in chronological order
The Dragon Scroll
Rashomon Gate
Black Arrow
Island of Exiles
The Hell Screen
The Convict’s Sword
The Masuda Affair
The Fires of the Gods
Death on an Autumn River
The Emperor’s Woman
Death of a Doll Maker
The collected stories
Akitada and the Way of Justice (11 stories)
Love and Murder (3 stories)
Akitada’s Holiday (3 stories)
The Historical Novels
The Hollow Reed I: Dream of a Spring Night
The Hollow Reed II: Dust before the Wind
The Sword Master
About the Author
I.J. Parker was born and educated in Europe and turned to mystery writing after an academic career in the United States. She published her Akitada stories in
Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine,
winning the Shamus award in 2000. Several stories have also appeared in collections (
Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense
and
Shaken).
The award-winning “Akitada’s First Case” is available as a podcast. Many of the stories have been collected in
Akitada and the Way of Justice.
The Akitada series of crime novels features the same protagonist, an eleventh-century Japanese nobleman/detective. It now consists of eleven titles, with the early ones published by Penguin.
Death of a Doll Maker
is the latest. Most of the books are available in audio format and have been translated into twelve languages.
Her historical novels are set in twelfth-century Japan during the Heike Wars. The two-volume
The Hollow Reed
tells the story of Toshiko and Sadahira.
The Sword Master
follows the adventures of the swordsman Hachiro.
Pronunciation of Japanese Words
Unlike English, Japanese is pronounced phonetically. Therefore vowel sounds are approximately as follows:
“a” as in “father”
“e” as in “let”
“i” as in “kin”
“o” as in “more”
“u” as in “would.”
Double consonants (”ai” or “ei”) are pronounced separately, and ō or ū are doubled or lengthened.
As for the consonants:
“g” as in “game”
“j” as in “join”
“ch” as in “chat”.
Contents
Characters
Sugawara Akitada
— governor of Chikuzen province
Tamako
— his wife back in the capital
Yasuko and Yoshitada
— his daughter and son, also in the capital
Tora
(full name Sashima Kamatari) — his senior retainer and provincial inspector
Saburo
— his other retainer and major domo
Persons involved in administrative matters:
Fujiwara Korenori
— Assistant Governor General of the Nine Provinces of Kyushu
Tachibana Moroe
— previous governor of Chikuzen
Captain Okata
— police chief of Hakata city
Lieutenant Maeda
— his successor
Mori Kiyomi
— tribunal secretary
Koji
— tribunal servant
Persons Connected With the Murders in Hakata:
Nakamura
— mayor of Hakata
Hayashi
— Chief of the merchant’s guild
Feng
— Chinese merchant, chief of the Chinese settlement
Kuroda
— shrine priest
Mitsui
— doll maker
Mei
— his Chinese wife, also a doll maker
Atsuko
— their daughter, the shrine priest’s wife
Hiroshi
— their son, a laborer
Kuroki
— a scribe
Yoko
— his wife
Mrs. Kimura
— a widow who grows bonsai
Naoko and Kichiro
— two homeless children
Fragrant Orchid
— a ranking courtesan
Umeko
— a small girl; her attendant and trainee
Shigeno
— a convict
Ling
— a Chinese servant of Feng
Masashi
— Feng’s store clerk
The winds of spring
Scattered the blossoms
As I dreamed of you.
Now I waken
To a broken heart.
(Saigyo)
1
THE PARTING GIFT
“W
hat a hell hole!” Oil lamp held high, he surveyed the nearly empty room one last time. “May the next governor choke on it!”
His art collection was gone, and so were his carved and lacquered desk and the jade writing set. He had packed up all his treasures. Now the room contained little but a few mats and cushions and the ordinary desk that had been in storage. Let his successor gather his own wealth.
Outside, a horse whinnied, anxious to be gone. He, too, was eager to end it. Nearly three years of having to contend with fools and men he despised. Never mind. It had been profitable, so profitable the government in the capital had taken notice and issued the recall.
As if they weren’t greedy bastards all.
But they knew that he knew their venal sins, and that would protect him and get him another good assignment. He smiled. The hard work had paid off. Life was finally beginning for him. With a contented sigh, he blew out the flame, set the lamp on the floor, and walked out.
He was surprised to see only two riders waiting with his horse. He recognized them and asked, “Where are the others?”
“Gone ahead. You took your time.”
He swung himself into the saddle. “Just bidding farewell to this pest hole. Well, let’s go. The ship’s captain is eager to leave before dawn.”
“One more brief stop,” said the smaller of the two men. “You’ll give me the pleasure to accept a farewell cup and a gift at my house, I hope?”
It was the least the fellow could do after all he’d done for him, he thought, but his resentment melted a little. “How very kind of you but not at all necessary.”
The other man laughed softly. “You have been generous to my family. We do not forget our friends.”
His house was on the way. Why not spare a little time for a last cup of wine and a gift? Surely the present would be well worth it. Yes, the fellow had become very rich through him. At least as rich as he. A man like that owed acknowledgment to his betters. “Just a brief stop then,” he replied.
They veered off the main road, passed through some deserted streets, and entered a dark compound. The smell of cooking hung in the air, and he wrinkled his nose. “Why is it so dark?” he asked looking around.
“I’ve sent everyone away to make sure we’re undisturbed. Your Excellency cannot be too careful. It wouldn’t do to be seen in my house before your departure.”
“You may be right. Very considerate of you, but it’s unnecessary. They know or suspect already, but they cannot hurt me. Well, let’s go inside.”
They dismounted.
He followed the owner of the house. The large man, a servant, walked softly behind. But his host did not lead the way to the main house. He turned off to the side and took him to a service yard.
“What’s this? Are we going to the stables or the kitchen?”
His host chuckled. So did the servant behind him. “To the stables,” said his host.
He must be giving me a horse. Most likely a magnificent animal, but there was the inconvenience of transporting the animal all the way back. He slowed down. “Look,” he started, but they were already at the stables, and his host swung wide the door. The warm smell of horse flesh met his nose. He had guessed correctly.
“Come in and see,” said his host, taking his arm. “Your surprise is waiting. And such a surprise! I can’t wait to see your face.”