The Cherry Blossom Murder

By Fran Pickering

Book 1 in the Josie Clark in Japan mystery series.
Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014 Quarter Finalist
'Rich symbolism and psychologically valid motivations drive this tense adventure of misdirection and murder most foul...believably crafted characters, a fast pace, and clean prose' - Publishers Weekly
Down-to-earth Londoner Josie has a great life in Tokyo with her new Japanese boyfriend and her friends in glamorous actress Tammy's fan club. What could possibly spoil it? Finding the strangled body of a fan club helper under the cherry blossom, that's what.
Josie wants to know who killed Mai-chan; everybody else just wants a quiet life. While the police go through the motions of searching for the mystery man who was the last person to see Mai-chan alive, Josie and her zen-like mentor Mr Tanaka start asking the real questions. Who turned off the theatre sprinkler system? Who could get through the locked door into the costume store? And what do sinister fan club boss Ms Kato and beautiful but fearful Tammy know about what happened that night?
Josie must find her way through a labyrinth of false steps and dead ends and juggle two relationships when old boyfriend Dave reappears in her life.
An entertaining murder mystery, rich with the atmosphere of present-day Japan, taking you backstage at Japan's unique and spectacular Takarazuka Revue as Josie fights to expose a murderer, save a priceless treasure and sort out her tangled love life.