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DEATH
OF A
DOLL MAKER
An Akitada Novel
By
I. J. Parker
Published by I. J. Parker
Visit I. J. Parker’s official website at
www.ijparker.com
for the latest news, book details, and other information
Copyright © I. J. Parker, 2013
Cover design by I. J. Parker; Cover image from a screen painting. Unknown artist.
e-book formatting by Guido Henkel
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Acknowledgments
I am indebted to Jacqueline Falkenhan and John Rosenman for reading and commenting on this novel as it evolved. They have been generous with their time, expertise, and insight, and I’m deeply grateful. My thanks also to the brilliant Bob Stein who helps with the covers and who watches over my web site.
Praise for I. J. Parker and the Akitada Series
“Elegant and entertaining … Parker has created a wonderful protagonist in Akitada… . She puts us at ease in a Japan of one thousand years ago.”
The Boston Globe
“You couldn’t ask for a more gracious introduction to the exotic world of Imperial Japan than the stately historical novels of I. J. Parker.”
The New York Times
“Akitada is as rich a character as Robert Van Gulik’s intriguing detective, Judge Dee.”
The Dallas Morning News
“Readers will be enchanted by Akitada.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“Terrifically imaginative”
The Wall Street Journal
“A brisk and well-plotted mystery with a cast of regulars who become more fully developed with every episode.”
Kirkus
“More than just a mystery novel, (THE CONVICT’S SWORD) is a superb piece of literature set against the backdrop of 11th-cntury Kyoto.”
The Japan Times
“Parker’s research is extensive and she makes great use of the complex ma
Globe and Mail
“The fast-moving, surprising plot and colorful writing will enthrall even those unfamiliar with the exotic setting.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“…the author possesses both intimate knowledge of the time period and a fertile imagination as well. Combine that with an intriguing mystery and a fast-moving plot, and you’ve got a historical crime novel that anyone can love.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“Parker’s series deserves a wide readership.”
Historical Novel Society
“The historical research is impressive, the prose crisp, and Parker’s ability to universalize the human condition makes for a satisfying tale.”
Booklist
“Parker masterfully blends action and detection while making the attitudes and customs of the period accessible.”
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Readers looking for historical mystery with a twist will find what they’re after in Parker’s latest Sugawara Akitada mystery … An intriguing glimpse into an ancient culture.”
Booklist
Also By I.J.Parker
The Akitada series in chronological order
The Dragon Scroll
Rashomon Gate
Black Arrow
Island of Exiles
The Hell Screen
The Convict’s Sword
The Masuda Affair
The Fires of the Gods
Death on an Autumn River
The Emperor’s Woman
Death of a Doll Maker
The collected stories
Akitada and the Way of Justice (11 stories)
Love and Murder (3 stories)
Akitada’s Holiday (3 stories)
The Historical Novels
The Hollow Reed I: Dream of a Spring Night
The Hollow Reed II: Dust before the Wind
The Sword Master
About the Author
I.J. Parker was born and educated in Europe and turned to mystery writing after an academic career in the United States. She published her Akitada stories in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, wi
The Akitada series of crime novels features the same protagonist, an eleventh-century Japanese nobleman/detective. It now consists of eleven titles, with the early ones published by Penguin. Death of a Doll Maker is the latest. Most of the books are available in audio format and have been translated into twelve languages.
Her historical novels are set in twelfth-century Japan during the Heike Wars. The two-volume The Hollow Reed tells the story of Toshiko and Sadahira. The Sword Master follows the adventures of the swordsman Hachiro.
Pronunciation of Japanese Words
Unlike English, Japanese is pronounced phonetically. Therefore vowel sounds are approximately as follows:
“a” as in “father”
“e” as in “let”
“i” as in “kin”
“o” as in “more”
“u” as in “would.”
Double consonants (”ai” or “ei”) are pronounced separately, and ō or ū are doubled or lengthened.
As for the consonants:
“g” as in “game”
“j” as in “join”
“ch” as in “chat”.
Contents
Characters
The Parting Gift
The Promotion
An Empty Tribunal
The Doll Makers
Dazaifu
Flute Play
The Unfilial Child
Father and Son
Akitada Goes Sightseeing
Tora and the Loose Woman
A Child’s Cry in the Night
The Mayor’s Banquet
Disappearances
Spring Rain
A Closed Case
The Abandoned Well
A Missing Governor
Fragrant Orchid
The Chinese Merchant
The Carter
The Trap
The Hidden Bundle
Deadly Passage
Regrets
Kill or Be Killed
The Late Governor
The Island
Conspiracy
The Skein Unravels
Yesterday’s Cherry Blossoms
Historical Note
Characters
Sugawara Akitada — governor of Chikuzen province
Tamako — his wife back in the capital
Yasuko and Yoshitada — his daughter and son, also in the capital
Tora (full name Sashima Kamatari) — his senior retainer and provincial inspector
Saburo — his other retainer and major domo
Persons involved in administrative matters:
Fujiwara Korenori — Assistant Governor General of the Nine Provinces of Kyushu
Tachibana Moroe — previous governor of Chikuzen