{"title":"Michael Pronko","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"tokyo-juku-paperback","title":"Tokyo Juku - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA cram school. A murdered teacher. A city full of secrets.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEighteen-year-old Mana is desperate to escape failure in Japan's unforgiving exam culture. After a year of defeat, she throws herself into sleepless nights at a Tokyo cram school. But one late night, a study break changes everything. Her teacher-the man who gave her hope-lies murdered in a classroom. Suddenly, Mana isn't chasing test scores. She's fighting for her life. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Detective Hiroshi Shimizu, a forensic accountant assigned to homicide, is thrust into the investigation. The classroom tragedy spirals into a labyrinth of financial deceptions and power struggles within Japan's billion-yen education machine. The media is ready to condemn Mana. Bureaucrats are eager for a scapegoat. The new homicide chief wants a win. Hiroshi learns that in Tokyo's high-pressure exam world, truth is the hardest test of all.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Fast-paced, atmospheric, and insightful, \u003cem\u003eTokyo Juku\u003c\/em\u003e is a gripping Tokyo crime thriller-perfect for fans of gritty mysteries, layered characters, detective novels, and the collision of youth and corruption in modern Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Pronko's knowledge of Japanese life is simply extraordinary-with painstaking care, he limns its shadowy contours and ambiguities.\" KIRKUS REVIEWS\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Pronko lives, breathes, and captures the streets and culture of Tokyo.\" MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50102520971487,"sku":"9781942410393","price":28.06,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/te_VyGQih49781942410393.webp?v=1781083413"},{"product_id":"shitamachi-scam-paperback","title":"Shitamachi Scam - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn Tokyo, there isn't always respect for the aged. Sometimes, it's the opposite.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAfter the suspicious deaths of a seventy-something woman and a student recluse, Detective Hiroshi tracks down a gang of scammers who target retirees, robbing them of their life savings. Hiroshi teams up with Detective Ishii, who's been running a women's crime task force. Together, they find out who has been ripping off the pensions, retirement accounts, and even the deeds to homes. The gang focused on \u003cem\u003eshitamachi\u003c\/em\u003e, the older, eastern side of the city, a place just waiting for urban renewal. With his personal life on hold (almost), Hiroshi finds out how complex the traditional life of Tokyo still is. With old-school Detective Takamatsu and ex-sumo wrestler Chief Sakaguchi watching his back, Hiroshi searches for who's behind the scams--and who's behind the scammers. \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50104875221215,"sku":"9781942410317","price":26.98,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0813\/8958\/4607\/files\/UD7lMT2hNp9781942410317.webp?v=1781111500"}],"url":"https:\/\/blackandbarhe.com\/collections\/michael-pronko.oembed","provider":"Black \u0026 Barhe Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}