Jiro Tazeko is a ronin samurai – tied to no clan and scorned by many. A hard-drinking mercenary and master swordsman, he is looked down upon by his fellow samurai, thinking him without honor. Tazeko also claims to be trained as a ninja, shadowy fighters with no pedigree and no honor, lowering him even further in the eyes of his peers. Now, Tazeko is hired by a lord to investigate the disappearance of a noblewoman, another lord’s daughter. What follows is a gripping mystery, steeped in blood and tense drama as Tazeko journeys throughout Japan to uncover the dark and terrible truth behind this woman’s disappearance. Soon, this samurai finds himself in the midst of a never-ending political plot as many lords manoeuvre for power throughout feudal Japan. Master of the sword and relentless detective, Tazeko must pursue the truth at great cost – not only to himself, but to all players in the game who will suffer as truth comes to light and deadly games are played. Dead Blossoms is an enchanting tale of mystery and honor set in feudal Japan. “Captivating…” – Associated Press “Epic scope…”– Los Angeles Sunday Times “Monaco’s dialogue and meditations are often salty and fresh … a restless, strenuous rumination on civilization’s death and resurrection…” – Kirkus Reviews “Worth waiting for.” – Publishers Weekly “Monaco presents dark, tormented tales … not for the weak-hearted.” – Fantasy Newsletter “Monaco recreates the taste, touch, smell and sound of the knightly world in reality, not romance … he succeeds brilliantly…” – Library Journal “… unbelievably talented … a literary miracle…” – Drogin Book Column “Richard Monaco has created an unusual slant on the Arthurian Legend. Horror and bloodshed mingle with a soft, imaginative romanticism making an instant classic.” – Salisbury Times “… offers a worthy inclusion in the enduring and ever-expanding Arthurian literature.” – King Features Syndicate Richard Monaco wrote the best-selling Parsival novels, 1977-2012, two of which were Pulitzer finalists. In addition he wrote over a dozen other books, plays, and screenplays. Monaco studied musical composition at Columbia, edited a national student newspaper and a poetry magazine, and had a radio talk show based on his textbook The Logic of Poetry. In 1979 he co-founded a NYC literary agency and the online journal, Grand Central Review, in 2015.