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RATING: |
Date of Release: June 2002 |
Publisher: Allen & Unwin |
Review Source: |
As the book opens, Brew and his partner, Ginny Fistoulari have just relocated to the city of Carner, after a run-in with the criminal elements of their former hometown, Puerta del Sol, has left Brew with a bullet wound in the stomach. As he's recovering, and feeling sorry for himself, Ginny seeks out an old acquaintance and lands a job with his detective firm. Brew starts to look for a job and winds up at the same firm, which recommends him as extra security for a martial arts tournament that is coming up.
The tournament is being put on under the auspices of an American karate master whose International Association of the Martial Arts is an attempt to bridge some of the gaps between the different styles, etc. At the tournament, a set of "chops" or ivory tablets with the stances of Wing Chun, a traditionally Chinese martial art, are being displayed. They are presently in the hands of the Japanese Shotokan master, which has lead to more bad blood between the various schools. When a murder occurs, Brew suspects that it has something to do with the chops, but he isn't sure just how or why.
As he investigates, he quickly realises the danger he's in...and the beatings begin.
Tough crime doesn't get any better than this.
