Novelist, Japanese Crime Thrillers
H. A. Bryant
My Latest Novel
Prepare for a new adventure with Matt Kelly, the unconventional detective, in The Unlikely Detective and Look Into My Eyes. Get ready for a heart-pounding ride with this gripping new novel in his Unlikely Detective series.
A Tokyo psychiatrist’s murder pulls lawyer Hisashi Kimura into a high-stakes defense of an unexpected client: one of the victim’s patients. With his friend, psychiatrist Hiroshi Williams, joining the case via the TMPD, Kimura’s and Williams’ probing soon reveals the victim’s connection to a clandestine Cabinet Research Office (CRO) mind-control project. This discovery catapults Kimura into a perilous web of espionage and political maneuvering. The danger intensifies when a programmed assassin takes out the prime minister’s frontrunner, forcing other government agencies to view Kimura’s client as their vital link to the rogue program. But as Kimura and his wife, Megumi, now face the possibility of being marked for death by the assassin, they must desperately uncover the truth before they become targets themselves.
If you enjoyed The Unlikely Detective, The Unlikely Detective and The Black Dragon Society, The Unlikely Detective and The Dark Society, and The Unlikely Detective and The Stolen Stamps Enigma, you’re going to love my latest, The Unlikely Detective and Look Into My Eyes. Besides Hisashi Kimura, it includes a new character in Hiroshi Williams, along with a few others, a psychiatrist from Fukuoka, as well as others working with the psychiatrist. Hiroshi Williams, with a TMPD inspector’s insistence, tries to solve this puzzle.
Enjoy when you have a chance, and thanks for all your support! Or as they say in Japan, Domo arigatō gozaimasu! (どうもありがとうございま す。)
H. A. Bryant
About this Series and the Venue
I found that the challenges of recreating Japan, especially Tokyo, four decades ago, weren’t as easy as I thought. But, I always felt that by having been there, I didn’t need much onsite research for the books I write, even though I knew I had to do so only in those parts of the city that have changed with time. To supplement that research, I read more books about Tokyo and Japan, surfed the Internet, and had more conversations (interviews) with my long-time Japanese friends.
Tokyo, despite its vast size, remains a surprisingly livable metropolis. Unlike other major cities that loudly proclaim their cultural significance, Tokyo offers a subtler experience. It might initially appear as a practical, efficient, and spotless machine, but a deeper look reveals a city rich with hidden meanings and intricate values.
Joining countless others, I’ve immersed myself in the daily life of Tokyo, a metropolis vast even compared to some countries. It demands our respect and exploration. When I write about Tokyo or its people, it’s not just with observation and intellect, but with deep affection. My fingers fly across the keyboard, fueled by passion and enthusiasm. For Tokyo, only the best will do.
I hope you will have the opportunity to visit Tokyo and Japan and find it amazing as I have.
My Next Novel
My next novel is called The Unlikely Detective and The Embassy Murders. Matt Kelly, a Private Investigator whose career has taken a new turn, is now a Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Agent at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Matt finds himself increasingly unsettled by life in the sprawling city. Estranged from his wife, he lives in a small apartment, a quiet existence which has been interrupted by a phone call from her. She wants to see him to persuade him to invest in her new dress shop, and so they agree to meet for lunch at an outdoor café near the embassy.
As they dine, an unsettling scene unfolds at an adjacent table: a young Asian couple is in hushed conversation, but then the man quickly drinks his lemonade and abruptly leaves. Matt’s professional instincts kick in. Sensing danger, he urgently tells his wife and daughter to leave with him. Confused, his wife hesitates to gather her belongings and grab one last appetizer. As Matt turns to hurry her along, a bomb detonates, throwing him to the ground. In an instant, his wife, daughter, and several others are killed.
Amidst the ensuing chaos, Matt spots the man who had drunk the lemonade so quickly and left his lady friend behind. Fueled by grief and rage, he pursues him into an alley and shoots him dead. The incident leaves Matt on paid leave, consumed by grief and a burning desire for justice. He vows to find the true perpetrator of the bombing, the one responsible for the murder of his wife and daughter. His investigation, fraught with unexpected twists and turns, leads him down a complex path of seemingly unrelated clues.