Martin Roth (2) (1949–)

Feisty Ferreira is at it again in this mystery by Martin Roth. This is the second Feisty mystery I've read and remains the tenacious amateur PI that I remembered from the first book. A geologist by trade, born in Brazil, educated in the US and living in Australia, Feisty lives up to her nickname as she solves the mystery behind the murder of one of her colleagues in a backwoods mining town. She is a likeable character and I hope to see more of her in future books. Having said that, it did seem like the story wrapped up rather abruptly.… (meer)

Tokyo Bossa Nova, by Martin Roth, introduces Feisty Ferreira, a unique and interesting character that is sure to show up in a sequel or two. Geologist turned financial analyst, she is a divorced Christian in her thirties; originally from Brazil, educated in the States, and now living in Australia. If that isn’t enough, she’s a philanthropist of sorts and owns an orphanage in the Philippines. She’s also a bit of a sleuth, fearlessly sniffing out trouble despite herself. I really like this character and I look forward to reading more books with her as the star.

In Tokyo Bossa Nova, strange things are taking place at Feisty’s place of employment. Feisty is sent to Tokyo to investigate the take over of a small Australian oil company. It appears that the Tokyo mafia might be involved. Previous to her trip, one of her colleagues was murdered in the office for no apparent reason. While in Japan, she discovers that a distant relative is being blackmailed. Mishaps, misinformation, a kidnapping, an explosive hijacking, and even a hint of romance are all part of a ‘day in the life’ of Fiesty Ferreira.

This is a great book in the style of corporate espionage. It is engaging and well written with plenty of details about the corporate side of things without overwhelming those of us that don’t understand it all. There are a lot of characters, which was sometimes confusing, but the fact that the book is written in first person from Feisty’s point of view keeps it moving along at a brisk enough pace as to not become tedious.… (meer)

American missionaries are in China, working at a Bible College that fronts as an English school. Their presence is not agreeable to many in the town, including an ancient martial arts sect known as the ‘Flower Boxers’. The story actually begins with a massacre of some missionaries almost a century earlier, carried out by the same sect. The grandson of one of the martyrs is now working at the school, feeling it is his mission to carry on the work that his grandmother did before him. His wife isn’t quite as enthusiastic. Simultaneously we are introduced to a Christian mercenary of sorts, called Brother Half Angel. Sponsored by a church in Korea, his specialty is rescuing members of the persecuted church, sometimes using unorthodox and even violent methods. Eventually, he comes to help the group in China defend themselves against the Flower Boxers.
The story was interesting from an historical point of view and it was well written. Sometimes I wasn’t sure whose story it really was, however - the American missionaries or Brother Half Angel himself. Brother Half Angel is a very intriguing character and I felt like I would have liked to see the story focus more on him, rather than just have him ride in near the end and save the day. Apparently this is the first in a series featuring Brother Half Angel, though, so he might be more central in the next book.… (meer)