Overview

A cram school. A murdered teacher. A city full of secrets. Eighteen-year-old Mana is desperate to escape failure in Japan's unforgiving exam culture. After a year of defeat, she throws herself into sleepless nights at a Tokyo cram school. But one late night, a study break changes everything. Her teacher-the man who gave her hope-lies murdered in a classroom. Suddenly, Mana isn't chasing test scores. She's fighting for her life. Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, a forensic accountant assigned to homicide, is thrust into the investigation. The classroom tragedy spirals into a labyrinth of financial deceptions and power struggles within Japan's billion-yen education machine. The media is ready to condemn Mana. Bureaucrats are eager for a scapegoat. The new homicide chief wants a win. Hiroshi learns that in Tokyo's high-pressure exam world, truth is the hardest test of all. Fast-paced, atmospheric, and insightful, Tokyo Juku is a gripping Tokyo crime thriller-perfect for fans of gritty mysteries, layered characters, detective novels, and the collision of youth and corruption in modern Japan. ""Pronko's knowledge of Japanese life is simply extraordinary-with painstaking care, he limns its shadowy contours and ambiguities."" KIRKUS REVIEWS ""Pronko lives, breathes, and captures the streets and culture of Tokyo."" MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW

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9781942410393

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Reviews

""An insider's look at a defining, yet often hidden, aspect of modern Japanese society. Readers who appreciate character-driven stories with personal journeys that make the story emotionally resonant and impactful should not miss this one. It is a book that entertains while making you think."" Feathered Quill ""Japan's education system, the interlocking interests of test and prep industries, the impact of exam stress on students and their families, the technology assisting police, and Taekwondo wisdom. I recommend this brilliant, gripping crime mystery to crime fiction fans."" Readers' Favorite ★★★★★ ""Tokyo Juku succeeds as both an intricately plotted mystery and an expansive cultural novel. The story is about education, but it's also about human worth-how people measure themselves and how society measures them. Pronko captures the beauty and brittleness of modern life in Japan with a teacher's insight and a detective's precision."" Independent Book Review ""Tokyo Juku isn't just a detective story, it's a mirror held up to modern Tokyo and anyone chasing success at any cost. I'd recommend it to readers who love smart mysteries with heart, and to anyone who enjoys books that make you sit back and think after you close them."" Literary Titan ""If you love Elmore Leonard-style prose and enjoy learning about the fascinating and fast-paced metropolis of Tokyo, I am sure you'll love this engaging and exciting tale. You won't see the ending coming, which is just what you want from a great detective novel."" Reader Views

Author Information

Michael Pronko is a Tokyo-based writer of murder, memoir and music. He writes the Detective Hiroshi series of detective mysteries set in Tokyo and the Tokyo Moments series about Tokyo life. Both series have won awards and five-star reviews. Michael also runs the website, Jazz in Japan, which covers the vibrant jazz scene in Tokyo. He teaches American Literature and Film at Meiji Gakuin University. His seminars focus on contemporary novels, American culture, and film adaptations. During his nearly 30 years in Japan, he has written about Japanese culture, art, society and politics for Newsweek Japan, The Japan Times, and Artscape Japan and appeared on NHK TV and Nippon Television about his writings.

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