Tokyo Juku

<p><strong>A cram school. A murdered teacher. A city full of secrets.</strong></p><p></p><p>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. </p><p> </p><p> 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.</p><p> </p><p> Fast-paced atmospheric and insightful <em>Tokyo Juku</em> 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.</p><p></p><p>Pronko's knowledge of Japanese life is simply extraordinary-with painstaking care he limns its shadowy contours and ambiguities. KIRKUS REVIEWS</p><p></p><p>Pronko lives breathes and captures the streets and culture of Tokyo. MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW</p>