The Japanese Corpse

Rich and entertaining and wise and surprising, and ultimately very satisfying. It would certainly help to have read at least the previous volume of this series to fully appreciate the two main characters and their current states of mental, emotional, and spiritual being. I enjoyed this book thoroughly. Having previously read his tomes on Zen, I began reading Janwillem van de Wetering's Grijpstra & De Gier mystery series from the beginning. Each thus far, has been better than the previous (this is the fifth). I don't expect the arc to necessarily continue in a constant rise, but as yet he has not disappointed. It's also fascinating to experience crime prevention and police procedural from the Dutch perspective, which is so utterly more humane than the American approach. If you're looking for a down and gritty Harry Bosch experience, this may not be your cup of tea. But if you're up for a cerebral shot of ice cold jenever (in the form of very quirky but unique and interesting protagonists), van de Wetering's Grijpstra & De Gier mysteries will be to your liking.

The beautiful Joanne Andrews goes to the police looking for her missing boyfriend. The search for him takes Grijpstra and De Gier into the world of art dealers, Yazuka and Zen treasures. The Japanese Corpse is quite affecting to read. Van De Wetering is more emotionally extreme than usual as he leads De Gier into personal tragedy on his way to solving the mystery. I have never failed to enjoy a Van de Wetering book-- his ruminitive detectives are just my speed. I have enjoyed some of the other books more than this one (Death of a Hawker, The Blond Baboon), but it is still enjoyable reading. If you are a fan of smart meditative mysteries, then I cannot recommend Van de Wetering hightly enough.

One of the best Amsterdam Cops mysteries by Janwillem van de Wetering. The author, once a monk in Japanese Zen monastry I visited while in Kyoto, relies heavily on his in-depth knowledge of Japanese culture and customs. Van de Wetering has an eye for detail without neglecting the plot.In this fifth book of the Grijpstra en de Gier sequence, the commisaris plays a more central role than ever before. The character of commisaris - as the author tells us in one of his interviews - is a blend of his late Kyoto Zen master, his father, and the chief inspector of the Amsterdam police, when van de Wetering served as a cop in this force.True, the book is a bit on the extreme. Especially the scenes with the Yakuza. But then again, if it were too realistic it wouldn't be a real van de Wetering or good entertainment for that matter. If you like unorthodox books, you will love this one. I most certainly did.

It shocks and dismays me that the previous reviewer does not have the ability to analyze abstract novels. This is not a Tom Clancy book. Van de Wetering has practiced Zen Buddhism, been a cop in Amsterdam, and traveled the world. His writing is original in style and very abstract. This is not an author whose books I would recommend trying to tear up in an afternoon. But for those out there who have the time and mental capacity to let go and think about a book, Van de Wetering is an excellent choice. Do yourself a favor and don't allow the previous reviewers rant discourage you.

Janwillem van de Wetering's fifth Gripstra & De Gier novel is a somewhat convoluted mystery that takes you from the Netherlands to Japan, and back again.The Amsterdam murder brigade is called on to investigate the disappearance of a mysterious Japanese art dealer.As usual, in this unique mystery series, the detectives are attempting to solve the case, while at the same time they are attempting to expand their understanding of the philosophies of zen Buddhism.In this story, their investigation takes them to Japan where they encounter the Japanese version of organized crime, called the yakusa. The Dutch detectives engage in a philosophical chess match with the yakusa leader that is somewhat confusing to follow, even if you are a fan of this series. If you are not at all interested in eastern religion and philosophy, then this book is not for you. This series is hardly typical compared to any other detective novels. The emphasis here, as in all of the author's novels in this series, is on Buddhism. Van de Wetering has an ability to educate his readers while distracting them with subtle humor, and biting sarcasm. If you want to experience a combination of mystery, humor, religion, and philosophy then you will enjoy The Japanese Corpse, as well as the authors other books in this series.