Spirit of the Fox

Author: Matthew O’Connel

Publisher: Station Square Media

Release Date: October 23, 2018

Rating: 5 Stars

Reviewer: Jessica Higgins

Supernatural folklore twists make this a very compelling mystery.

It’s been nine years since Meiko Wright’s mother abandoned her and her father in San Diego and fled back to her native country of Japan. Since then she and her father have continued to live in San Diego through her teenage years and she has resented her mother ever since.  She blames her for all the missed first times that she should have had with a mother.  But now her father, an esteemed professor in folklore, has taken an assignment in Tokyo to allow Meiko to have some time with her mother to try to heal their relationship, even though Meiko wants nothing to do with it.  Even so, they begin a process of healing.

Meiko being half Japanese, decides to take in some of the tour scenes while in country. She decides to take a trip to Kyoto to see the temples and while at one of the most popular shrines, she is suddenly overcome and loses consciousness.  When she awakes, she has lost her memory and a priest vows to help her.  Since disappearing, both of her parents are worried about her.  When pictures of her surface with men no one knows who wind up committing suicide, she becomes a person of interest.  It becomes a race to see who can find Meiko before something worse becomes of her.

Interestingly, this is the fifth book that I’ve read this year set in Japan. More interestingly, they have all been set around murders.  This particular book was definitely intriguing.  The story of the fox spirit was interesting and how it has been in the Japanese folklore really brought it to life.  Couple this with finding a way to rebuild a damaged family brought the emotion aspect to the story as well.  The story is a bit predictable, but don’t let that take anything away.  It is very well written and worth reading.  There is some language and discussion of sex, but nothing too over the top.  I recommend this book to people who are interested in Japanese folklore or just love a good mystery.

I received a compliment copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.