THE EMPEROR’S WOMAN
An Akitada Novel
By
I. J. Parker
Published by I. J. Parker
Visit I. J. Parker’s official website at
www.ijparker.com
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Copyright © I. J. Parker, 2012
Cover design by I. J. Parker
Cover image by Ogata Gekko
e-book formatting by Guido Henkel
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Praise for I. J. Parker and the Akitada Series
“Elegant and entertaining … Parker has created a wonderful protagonist in Akitada… . She puts us at ease in a Japan of one thousand years ago.”
The Boston Globe
“You couldn’t ask for a more gracious introduction to the exotic world of Imperial Japan than the stately historical novels of I. J. Parker.”
The New York Times
“Akitada is as rich a character as Robert Van Gulik’s intriguing detective, Judge Dee.”
The Dallas Morning News
“Readers will be enchanted by Akitada.”
Publishers Weekly Starred Review
“Terrifically imaginative”
The Wall Street Journal
“A brisk and well-plotted mystery with a cast of regulars who become more fully developed with every episode.”
Kirkus
“More than just a mystery novel, (THE CONVICT’S SWORD) is a superb piece of literature set against the backdrop of 11th-century Kyoto.”
The Japan Times
“Parker’s research is extensive and she makes great use of the complex manners and relationships of feudal Japan.”
Globe and Mail
“The fast-moving, surprising plot and colorful writing will enthrall even those unfamiliar with the exotic setting.”
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
“…the author possesses both intimate knowledge of the time period and a fertile imagination as well. Combine that with an intriguing mystery and a fast-moving plot, and you’ve got a historical crime novel that anyone can love.”
Chicago Sun-Times
“Parker’s series deserves a wide readership.”
Historical Novel Society
“The historical research is impressive, the prose crisp, and Parker’s ability to universalize the human condition makes for a satisfying tale.”
Booklist
“Parker masterfully blends action and detection while making the attitudes and customs of the period accessible.”
Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Readers looking for historical mystery with a twist will find what they’re after in Parker’s latest Sugawara Akitada mystery … An intriguing glimpse into an ancient culture.”
Booklist
Also By I.J.Parker
The Akitada series in chronological order
The Dragon Scroll
Rashomon Gate
Black Arrow
Island of Exiles
The Hell Screen
The Convict’s Sword
The Masuda Affair
The Fires of the Gods
Death on an Autumn River
The collected stories
Akitada and the Way of Justice
The Historical Novels
The Hollow Reed I: Dream of a Spring Night
The Hollow Reed II: Dust before the Wind
The Sword Master
The Author
I.J. Parker was born and educated in Europe and turned to mystery writing after an academic career in the United States. She published her Akitada stories in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, winning the Shamus award in 2000. Several stories have also appeared in collections (Fifty Years of Crime and Suspense and Shaken). The award-winning “Akitada’s First Case” is available as a podcast. Many of the stories have been collected in Akitada and the Way of Justice.
The Akitada series of crime novels features the same protagonist, an eleventh-century Japanese nobleman/detective. It now consists of ten titles. The Emperor’s Woman is the latest. Most of the books are available in audio format and have been translated into twelve languages.
Her historical novels are set in twelfth-century Japan during the Heike Wars. The two-volume The Hollow Reed tells the story of Toshiko and Sadahira. The Sword Master follows the adventures of the swordsman Hachiro.
Pronunciation of Japanese Words
Unlike English, Japanese is pronounced phonetically. Therefore vowel sounds are approximately as follows:
“a” as in “father”
“e” as in “let”
“i” as in “kin”
“o” as in “more”
“u” as in “would.”
Double consonants (”ai” or “ei”) are pronounced separately, and ō or ū are doubled or lengthened.
As for the consonants:
“g” as in “game”
“j” as in “join”
“ch” as in “chat”.
Remember well
Those promises of love
That bring my end—
Clouds of yesterday dispersed
By the cold breath of the mountain wind
(Fujiwara Teika, “A lady’s final reproach to her lover”)