The Silent Dead    by Tetsuya Honda Order:  USA  Can Minotaur, 2016 (2016) Hardcover, CD, e-Book    Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Tetsuya Honda's The Silent Dead is a police procedural set in Tokyo, Japan and starring twenty-nine year old Lieutenant Reiko Himekawa, the only female detective in the Homicide Division of the city's Metropolitan Police. She is assigned the lead when a body is found in a suburban neighborhood giftwrapped in blue plastic, tied up with twine - she considers the case 'a mystery wrapped in an enigma.' I don't know if it's an issue with translation, but I found all the police officers' characterization and interactions jarring, especially that of the very tough, abrasive Reiko, which made it difficult to focus on the story line. And be warned, the death scenes are particularly gory, as the very disturbed - and abused - perp repeatedly wields a knife to have blood transform a 'dreary gray life into a place of brilliant, vivid color.' And there are many victims, each killed on the second Sunday of the month. Police learn of a connection to Strawberry Night pages on the Internet, where you can get invites to a live murder show. Then a cop is killed, ramping up the pressure, and Reiko has a very close shave with an artist of death, with a most unlikely rescuer. The mystery is unusual and intriguing and the setting exotic - you will enjoy it if you are not deterred by the way the characters talk to each other. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews