The Iris Fan

A Novel of Feudal Japan

By: Laura Joh Rowland

Narrated by: Bernadette Dunne

Japan, 1709. Amid the ever-treacherous intrigue in the court, Sano Ichiro has been demoted from chamberlain to a lowly patrol guard. His relationship with his wife Reiko is in tatters, and a bizarre new alliance between his two enemies Yanagisawa and Lord Ienobu has left him puzzled and wary. Then a harrowing, almost inconceivable crime takes place. In his own palace, the shogun is stabbed with a fan made of painted silk with sharp-pointed iron ribs. Sano is restored to the rank of chief investigator to find the culprit. This is the most significant, and most dangerous, investigation of his career. If the shogun's heir is displeased, he will have Sano and his family put to death without waiting for the shogun's permission.

©2014 Laura Joh Rowland (P)2014 Dreamscape Media, LLC

RIVETING!!

Laura’s daft impression of 18th century feudal Japan is profound! Loved her poetic analogs, ingenious!

Yay

Another lovely historical from Ms Rowland. The narrator was excellent, the story engrossing, and the characters devious and charming by turns. loved it!

Terrible Reader

Should have been read by a man since the protagonist is male as are many of the characters.
Good story, as usual.

terrible choice for narrator

I can't. I just can't with this narrator. She is horrible! Please find someone who can at the least pronounce names and japanese words correctly. Can't listen to this narrator. apologies to the author.

Good plots poor execution

Rowland creates interesting plots but, sadly, she simply is not a good writer. She uses similes in a tortuous style. She makes shifts in the plot that contradicts the nature of Sano. It really is too bad because she can generate a good idea- which then falls flat with her awkward writing. This is true in all of her Sano novels. Yup, I keep going back & then wonder why I did.