CURMUDGEONLY JAPANESE AMERICAN GARDENER AND UNWITTING DETECTIVE MAS ARAI IS BACK.

In this fifth in the Edgar-winning series, author Naomi Hirahara has created a memorable protagonist unlike any other. Mas Arai is a Hiroshima survivor, L.A. gardener, widower, gambler, grandfather, and solver of crimes. In Strawberry Yellow, he returns to the strawberry farms of his youth in Watsonville, California and encounters murder, family intrigue, and danger. Was his cousin murdered because of the controversial new berry varietal he’d been developing? Is someone trying to kill Mas? Is there more involved in the GMO protests than just picket lines? In his quiet way, Mas gets answers.

“The complex interrelationships of this multigenerational Japanese American community and the fierce competition for control of the California strawberry industry make this a thoughtful and highly entertaining read.”
—Library Journal

Read the full Library Journal (starred!) review here.

“In author Hirahara’s deft hands (she’s an Edgar winner), the human characters, especially Mas, always make for a compelling read.” —Mystery Scene Magazine

Read the full review here.

“Hirahara again wisely makes her unusual lead—and most unlikely—sleuth the focus.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Mas, less an amateur detective than a cranky, accidental one, is what makes the story work…. His obdurance, his skill as a listener, and even his broken English are charming in a quirky, uncomplicated way.”
—Booklist

“Mas is the kind of character who not only entertains, but also expands the literary landscape.” —Stanford Alumni Magazine

“A shrewd sense of character and a formidable narrative engine.”
—Chicago Tribune

“A winning series.”
—Seattle Times

“A compelling grasp of the Japanese American subculture… absolutely fascinating.”
—Asian American Press