Shinjuku Shark

Osawa's popular Japanese police procedural series makes its U.S. debut with this translation of the first volume. Maverick detective Samejima has made enemies on both sides of the law. Unwilling to compromise his principles, the young policeman refuses to turn a blind eye to the corruption engendered by the Yakuza, a powerful organized crime syndicate, and finds himself stuck patrolling Tokyo's grimy Shinjuku district and increasingly isolated on the force. That ostracism forces Samejima to launch his own probe when an elusive sniper begins targeting his fellow officers, using an unconventional weapon to kill them in pairs. While some rough sections of exposition disrupt the narrative flow, Samejima's compelling struggle to find the truth and the startling revelation of the killer's motive will leave most readers eager for the next book in the series to become available. (Aug.)