Rōnin Insurrection - Paperback

by Elizabeth Ann Lillehoj (Author)

Rōnin: Insurrection is a deep dive into struggles between disgruntled warriors-the rōnin-and followers of the Edo shōgun. Grounded in actual events and famous individuals, the story has crime, suspense, and political intrigue.

When a vengeful rōnin, Ishida Kurōbei, launches a crime spree in the heart of the old capital, officers respond. Kurōbei is furious about the execution of his father, a samurai who'd been maligned. Vowing to rectify his family's humiliation, Kurōbei enlists a crew of armed rōnin to protest the hardships they face. Although Kurōbei insists on the righteousness of his intentions, his rage and cruelty tell a different story. His ulterior motive is to overthrow the shōgun and restore the Emperor to power.

Tanaka Taisuke, a Kyoto deputy inspector, pursues Kurōbei, determined to arrest him. Tanaka gathers undercover agents working for the shogunal government, and together they hunt down Kurōbei.

Meanwhile, a young woman named Aki undertakes her own missions. A firewood-carrier who lives alone with her widowed mother on the slopes in northeastern Kyoto, Aki has an inquisitive mind, fostered by the education she is receiving at an imperial convent. One of the nuns, Aki's teacher, asks her to hide letters in the kindling she delivers daily to imperial residences. The nun warns Aki that the letters must be kept absolutely secret, but the young woman can't help wondering what secrets the letters might contain.