From BooklistSemi-retired, seventysomething amateur detective Mas Arais fourth adventure finds him with less work than ever in his gardening business but plenty to keep him busy after his best friend, Haruo, decides to get married to fellow widower Spoon. But the wedding is called off the day before the event when his fiances house is burgled, and her familys hina dolls are stolen. Mas suspects Spoons youngest daughter, Dee, a recovering addict, but Dee seems equally eager to find the real thief. Together, they investigate a series of clues that lead them into the provenance of the hina dolls and, eventually, into Spoon and Dees murky past. The Southern California setting is not particularly well developed, though the local flower market is vividly portrayed. The novel also suffers from a slow-moving plot and limited character development. This definitely constitutes a misstep compared to the other volumes in the series, including Snakeskin Shamisin (2006), which demonstrated the authors ability to capture Japanese American culture in Los Angeles. For committed series fans only. --Jessica MoyerAbout the AuthorNaomi Hirahara is the Edgar Award-winning and Anthony and Macavity Award-nominated author of the Mas Arai mystery series, including Strawberry Yellow, Snakeskin Shamisen, Gasa-Gasa Girl, and Summer of the Big Bachi. Her books have earned such honors as the Chicago Tribunes Ten Best Mysteries and Thrillers and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. The Stanford University alumna was born and raised in Altadena, CA, where her protagonist lives; she now resides in the adjacent town of Pasadena, CA. how do i find items sold by Blood Hina: A Mas Arai Mystery
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. What friends are for!By DennisThis keeps the outstanding record of the Mas Arai series going, with a focus on fellow Hiroshima survivor Haruo and the world of Japanese wedding dolls. Naomi Hirahara has such a fine touch in combining a respect and passion for Japanese and southern California culture and history while sustaining several plot lines to keep the reader engaged and wanting to read another of her works. It seemed a bit slow at the beginning with Haruo's fiancee Spoon and her family playing a major and surprisingly adversarial stance, but eventually the picture clarifies and Mas displays some of his most ingenious detective work in bringing it to a great conclusion. I especially like her sensitivity to her characters and their surroundings and a clear love of the texture of Japanese-American values and yet a recognition of its challenges for even insiders to accept. Very entertaining read, leaving one to think about many of its lessons well after the conclusion.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Mas Arai series is excellentBy CustomerAll of Hirahara's books are well done. The Mas Arai Series is fun. I started reading in the middle of the series with no problem and worked both ways to catch up. Her character, Mas, has led an interesting life, connecting mid-century American politics with today's Los Angeles.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Great CharactersBy LovebooksI really enjoy the Mas Arai mysteries. I love the way he talks, I love the Los Angeles settings. I like to hear about his clients, the continual decline of his business. Him trying to figure out what he will do with his life when he has no work left. His difficult relationship with his daughter. His regrets about his life so far. His potential love interest. This whole world of gardeners that I knew nothing about when I began reading the books 5 or so years ago. Interwoven with all of this is a mystery. This paticular mystery was a very good until the last chapter or two. I found the the resolution somewhat implausible with a couple of loose ends. But I would still recommend it because I think Naomi Hirahara is an excellent writer and right now her series excels in character development. I can't wait for the next book which, based on some peripheral scenes in this book, promises some exciting developments of a personal nature for Mas Arai.