The first of two books in the Connor Burke series. I read them in reverse order. I enjoyed both of them.

The writing is good, the story interesting, and the characters are compelling.

The story is set in the modern day, in NYC. Connor is from a large Irish family. He is a college professor who has a doctorate in Asian Studies. He trains seriously with a Japanese martial arts master, a Sensei. He has a brother who is a NYC police detective, and in both this book and the sequel, Deshi, they often hook up to deal with a crime.

Woven into the story is the brother and his partner, and elements of a police procedural. Connor's family also makes an appearance. The main focus is Connor's martial arts training, and experiences in the dojo, with his Sensei. The book covers not just the technical aspects of fighting but the psychological, and the mystical aspects of The Way.

There are usually murders, a mystery to solve, and bad guys to defeat. Along the way there is often information about Japanese culture, history, and sensibilities. All these many parts are woven well into a gripping story that reads quickly and often has touches of black humor.

I am not a martial arts enthusiast, or know much about them. I am drawn to this because it is a different world and is done well. I think the author is seriously into the martial arts in real life, but I have no idea of his accuracy or authenticity. Since the stories are well done, I don't really care. I hope there are more books. ( )