Synopses & Reviews
A disillusioned and raggedy American reporter and his drunken photojournalist partner are the last to see three Japanese schoolgirls who disappear into Taroko Gorge, Taiwan’s largest national park. The journalists who are themselves suspects &,mdash; investigate the disappearance along with the girls’ homeroom teacher, their bickering classmates, and a seasoned and wary Taiwanese detective. The conflicts between them — complicated by the outrageousness of the photographer and the raging hormones of the young — raise questions of personal responsibility, truthfulness, and guarded self-interest.
The world and its dangers — both natural and interpersonal — are real, changing, and violently pressing. And the emotions that churn in dark rooms overnight as the players gather in the park visitors’ center are as intense as in any closet drama. There’s enough action and furor here to keep readers turning the pages, and the cultural revelations of the story suggest that the human need for mystery outweighs the desire for answers.
Review
"Jacob Ritari’s debut novel crackles with energy; it kept me turning the pages like nothing I’ve read recently. It should come with a warning: 'Do not open immediately before bedtime.' ...Kudos to Jacob Ritari for writing such a compelling first novel and kudos to Unbridled Books for publishing it." Star-Tribune
Review
"A well-written and well-crafted story that will leave the reader spellbound and wondering what or who is involved in the girls’ disappearance. Was it the gorge itself that swallowed them up? Or is there a sinister human lurking about who had a hand in their disappearance?...a good read." New York Journal of Books
Review
"Ritari’s first novel is an atmospheric thriller....A promising debut." Booklist
About the Author
Jacob Ritari has studied with the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist organization in Taiwan and studied Japanese language and literature at Japan’s Sophia University. He lives near new York City.