Tokyo Heist
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
A thrilling adventure awaits amidst the vibrant streets of Tokyo in this “fast-paced and engaging mystery with a spunky protagonist” (VOYA).
“Violet filtering her investigation through her passion for manga, art, and Japan makes her seem like a real, relatable teenager.”—A.V. Club
“Renn keeps the tension high and the pace moving in a modern, unique whodunit.”—The Los Angeles Times
Sixteen-year-old Violet is thrilled when her father’s new painting commission means a summer trip to Japan. But what starts as an exotic vacation quickly turns sour when a priceless sketch by van Gogh is stolen from her father’s client and held ransom for a painting by the artist. The problem is that nobody knows where the painting is hidden, and until they find it, all their lives are in danger.
Joined by her friend Reika, Violet searches for the missing van Gogh in a quest that takes her from the Seattle Art Museum to the mafia-infested streets of Tokyo to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery deepens, Violet’s not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to find the painting and the criminals—before it’s too late.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Renn's fun debut takes a kitchen-sink approach, throwing together romance, mystery, and action in a way that echoes the manga that 16-year-old Violet loves to read (and hopes to create herself someday). While spending the summer with her absentminded artist father in Seattle, she finds out about the theft of some van Gogh drawings owned by her father's patrons, Kenji and Mitsue Yamada. Drawn into the mystery of the theft, she fights with her best friend (and crush) Edge, runs into members of the yakuza, ends up in Japan with her father, and teams up with her friend Reika to search Tokyo and Kyoto for both the van Goghs and the painting they inspired. Renn keeps the action moving briskly, and if she hews to a few clich s (Violet's manga-inspired "it's more romantic to hide your feelings" approach to Edge is a prime example), the action, mix of genres, and large cast of characters always keep things interesting. Fans of mysteries and thrillers will enjoy this just as much as fans of Japanese culture. Ages 12 up.
