Some days he felt the shame of that half-forgotten promise almost like a physical blow, or a sword thrust into his belly, like that agonizing wound which had taken Haseo’s life

Haunted by his vow to find the mysterious killer of his friend Haseo, Lord Sugawara Akitada, senior secretary in the Ministry of Justice, temporarily abandons his post and sets out to fulfill his promise. But Haseo, condemned to die in exile for a crime he did not commit, left only his sword behind as a clue to his past. At the same time, Akitada’s retainer, Tora, is investigating the violent death of a blind street singer amid a smallpox outbreak that threatens the entire city. Weaving together history, drama, mystery, romance, and adventure, The Convict’s Sword is a story of passion and redemption that brings eleventh-century Japan vividly to life.


From the Compact Disc edition.