First published 2008
Repairman Jack gets hired to track down a legendary Japanese sword stolen from the Hiroshima Peace Museum and smuggled into New York City. The katana draws multiple dangerous groups into a collision course. A strange Japanese cult wants the blade for their rituals. A young businessman arrives with three Yakuza bodyguards to reclaim it. Hank Thompson leads his Kicker cult members in their own search. All of them circle the same prize while a pregnant teenager becomes the hunted center of their conflict. She carries a child with unusual DNA that could tip the cosmic shadow war happening behind everyday reality. Jack plans to manipulate every faction into destroying each other so he can walk away with the sword. When his careful setup falls apart, he must abandon his strategy and react on instinct. The hunt for the katana becomes a test of Jack's ability to survive when his plans crumble.
Genres: adventure, mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Hiroshima, New York City
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
350 pages · Hardcover · Forge Books
Content warnings: violence