Red Tea

A mystery unfolds in rural Japan. “Mezeske’s debut is quietly ominous, the tension rising like steam off a freshly made cup of tea.”—Heidi Lang, author of Rules of the Ruff

Jordan Howard moves to the Japanese countryside to become a high school English teacher, not an amateur detective. But when Jordan’s students are murdered one after another, she resolves to find the culprit, fueled by lingering guilt over her own brother’s death.

Toshihiko Sakurai, the ambitious police detective investigating the murders, warns Jordan against getting too involved, both with the case and with him. Yet, the two of them cannot seem to disentangle.

As Jordan gets closer to uncovering buried secrets surrounding the deaths, the murderer closes in on her too. And she just may be the next victim of the serial killer’s deadly brew . . .

“Red Tea is written as intricately as a puzzle box is carved. There are twists around every corner and thinly veiled evil lurking everywhere . . . The world building is delightful and gives one a nice view of what living in rural Japan could be like.”—InD’tale