Le second volume des enquêtes de Akitada Sugawara plonge le lecteur dans le milieu universitaire japonais du 11e siècle, ses intrigues, ses compromissions, ses rivalités aussi bien intellectuelles que de prestige, ses tricheries et ses amitiés. Un roman policier qui pourrait être plus condensé, et y gagnerait en force, mais qui plaît par sa documentation historique, culturelle et sociale fouillée. ( )

This innovative mystery is set in 11th Century Japan in Kyo (modern day Kyoto). Sugawara Akitada is a low ranking nobleman who works as a clerk in the Ministry of Justice. His mother is constantly nagging him to better himself.

Akitada receives a message from his former law professor at Imperial University who has found a note indicating someone on the faculty is being blackmailed. He doesn't want the University to suffer from this humiliation so asks Akitada to quietly investigate. It's not long before Akitada is involved in not only the blackmail, but two murders. He also becomes interested in one of his young students whose grandfather died under mysterious circumstances. Fortunately Akitada won't have to do all this investigation on his own. His servant, Tora, a former highwayman has significant role in solving these crimes. What an interesting character. Akitada is also very interesting and this book paints a wonderfully expressive picture of medieval Japan and the precise social order that governs everyday life.

This book is both a mystery and a historical novel. It encompasses Japanese culture, history, religion and superstition. Sometime the writing seems a little too modern but I appreciated that it made the story highly readable. I felt the plot developed a little slowly but once I got about a third of the way I was flying through it.

This is listed as the first of the Akitada mysteries, however there is previous one called Dragon Scroll where we are introduced to Akitada and learn how he and Tora become companions. I loved the scalawag Tora and plan to read that one sometime in the future. I don't feel I lost anything by reading out of order as Rashomon Gate can certainly stand on its own.

Note: If anyone has a Kindle and belongs to Amazon Prime, this book is available to read for free in the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.
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Nice murder mystery taking place in 11th Century Japan. Shines light on customs of the time. ( )

This innovative mystery is set in 11th Century Japan in Kyo (modern day Kyoto). Sugawara Akitada is a low ranking nobleman who works as a clerk in the Ministry of Justice. His mother is constantly nagging him to better himself.

Akitada receives a message from his former law professor at Imperial University who has found a note indicating someone on the faculty is being blackmailed. He doesn't want the University to suffer from this humiliation so asks Akitada to quietly investigate. It's not long before Akitada is involved in not only the blackmail, but two murders. He also becomes interested in one of his young students whose grandfather died under mysterious circumstances. Fortunately Akitada won't have to do all this investigation on his own. His servant, Tora, a former highwayman has significant role in solving these crimes. What an interesting character. Akitada is also very interesting and this book paints a wonderfully expressive picture of medieval Japan and the precise social order that governs everyday life.

This book is both a mystery and a historical novel. It encompasses Japanese culture, history, religion and superstition. Sometime the writing seems a little too modern but I appreciated that it made the story highly readable. I felt the plot developed a little slowly but once I got about a third of the way I was flying through it.

This is listed as the first of the Akitada mysteries, however there is previous one called Dragon Scroll where we are introduced to Akitada and learn how he and Tora become companions. I loved the scalawag Tora and plan to read that one sometime in the future. I don't feel I lost anything by reading out of order as Rashomon Gate can certainly stand on its own.

Note: If anyone has a Kindle and belongs to Amazon Prime, this book is available to read for free in the Kindle Owner's Lending Library.
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'Rashomon Gate' is the first in a series of novels which follows the career of Sugawara Akitada. In them we are transported to ancient Japan and its inhabitants,high and low. In this,the first in the series,Akitado is in a fairly ordinary job in the Ministry of Justice,from which he will rise (slowly) as the series progresses. This is the book that sets the scene for the rest,and although perhaps the weakest one it still has many points in its favour. ( )