Review: Sleazy
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 08 2, 2013
1. Title:  Fallen AngelAuthor:  Jonelle PatrickReviewer:  George ShadowSummary:English translator Yumi Hata often feels ill at ease in Tokyo's traditional world, but she has never been seduced by its seedy underbelly - a place populated by beautiful, desperate men and women, and the wealthy patrons that will pay anything to command their view. But fear for her friend Coco draws her into Club nova, where Yumi is unprepared to face the temptations of professional boytoys, towers of champagne and Tokyo Metropolitan Police Detective Kenji. A hostess is found dead, and Kenji while investigating on his own, runs into Yumi, who wants to know the truth but has conflicting loyalties.Social/Historical Context:Japan is a country with so many exotic pleasures only the visitor could have unraveled in the course of his visits. See FALLEN ANGEL as not only a tour across Tokyo, but as a drama, action and adventure novel and you will not be disappointed. Fine restaurants, host and hostess clubs, late-night cafes, shopping districts, etc are just some of the features one will explore in this story. Enter the more sleazy neighborhoods as well and try to find your way around in Jonelle Patrick's book, FALLEN ANGEL. Yumi is torn between her obligation to marry into a wealthy family against her love for Police Detective Kenji, an old friend from the past. FALLEN ANGEL is not just a detective story - it also brings one into the many cultures that exist side by side in Japan's exotic capital.Writing Style:Written in the third person, the story begins with a usual scene, but then things are turned on its head pretty quickly and the confusion sets in. The characters in this book are fully developed and the background is highly detailed, thanks to the author's thorough work on Japan's sleazy background. A strong dialogue runs through the book, and the police work is very impressive.Errors and typos are down to a minimal, and this helps the ease of read.My Thoughts:A nice one from Jonelle Patrick. Guess I was intrigued with the investigation as well. Will find time for the first book in the series.George Shadow is the author of THE BLACK BOOK.