RAIN FALL

This gritty noir mystery introduces the listener to life below the surface in Japan. John Rain, a Japanese-American trained assassin turned contract killer, courtesy of U.S. Armed Forces, describes how he kills Yasuhiro Kawamura. That should be the end of the matter, except that he becomes entangled in a romantic relationship with the Kawamura's daughter, a talented jazz musician. Brian Nishii delivers this novel with slow, ponderous tones, especially noticeable during Rain’s comments on his philosophy and espionage activities, and his observations on Japanese society. Fluid Japanese is interspersed with his precisely intoned English. Nishii's characterizations of native English speakers are brash and harsh. The contrast between Rain's violent profession and Nishii's quiet voice is intriguing and forces the listener to pay attention to the plot. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]