Japantown

A Thriller

By: Barry Lancet

Narrated by: George Newbern

Named Best of Debut of the Year by Suspense Magazine and the winner of the Barry Award for Best Debut Novel.​

In this “sophisticated international thriller” (The New York Times Book Review), an American antiques-dealer-turned-reluctant-private-eye must use his knowledge of Japanese culture to unravel a major murder in San Francisco—before he and his daughter become targets themselves.

San Francisco antiques dealer Jim Brodie receives a call one night from a friend at the SFPD: an entire family has been senselessly gunned down in the Japantown neighborhood of the bustling city. As an American born and raised in Japan and part-owner of his father’s Tokyo private investigation firm, Brodie has advised the local police in the past, but the near-perfect murders in Japantown are like nothing he’s ever encountered.

With his array of Asian contacts and fluency in Japanese, Brodie follows leads gathered from a shadow powerbroker, a renegade Japanese detective, and the elusive tycoon at the center of the Japantown murders along a trail that takes him from the crime scene in California to terrorized citizens and informants in Japan. Step by step, he unravels a web of intrigue stretching back centuries and unearths a deadly secret that threatens not only his life but also the lives of his entire circle of family and friends. “Readers will want to see more of the talented Jim Brodie, with his expertise in Japanese culture, history, and martial arts” (Publishers Weekly, starred review).

Great Book

Would you consider the audio edition of Japantown to be better than the print version?

I didn't read the print version. It's unabridged so I assume so.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Somewhat.

What does George Newbern bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

More drama.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No.

Any additional comments?

I hope this becomes a series.

Spoiler Ending

I grant a 3.5. I enjoyed the San Francisco and Tokyo setting, having enjoyed both places.

Lots of good storyline highlights.

What could improve?
a) condense the supurfalous dialog
b) work on the ending, involve more people - the one man army too much

I'd give the author another shot

The narrator is terrible!

I often try the sample before I buy, but forgot. Never forget again. This narrator constantly gasps for air, in all the wrong moments and pronunciations of Japanese names and words are just wrong!! Not sure I can get through this book.

A very good start and good story line

What did you like best about Japantown? What did you like least?

It was a very intriguing and interesting book, the history of the samurai and how they work in the present was a good and compelling idea.

Would you recommend Japantown to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book but thought is was a bit on the long

Was Japantown worth the listening time?

I think that towards the end it seemed like the book should have ended about 45 min earlier

Good Concept - execution could be better.

Too many false deaths, last minute rescues, questionable martial arts, thin relationships, unnecessary descriptions and naive opining. Needs more art, history, culture and edgy characters. This is a first book I’m looking forward to the author developing.