"The Kimono Tattoo" by Rebecca Copeland offers a captivating mystery story alongside a rich tapestry of Japanese culture. The listeners experience this tapestry through the eyes of Ruth Bennett, an American translator who grew up in Kyoto with her missionary parents. Despite her American heritage, Ruth feels a deep connection to Japan. While her normal day is mostly filled with mundane translations, when the opportunity presents itself for Ruth to translate an upcoming novel of a famous Japanese author, she unknowingly goes for it, not knowing what adventurous path it will set her onto. The main character’s knowledge of kimono history and symbolism becomes crucial in deciphering clues and understanding the significance of the tattoos, as well as her past traumas.

As the story develops, listeners are presented with a variety of subtleties of Japanese social etiquette. The novel also gives credit to a a vivid picture of Kyoto, showcasing its ancient temples, serene gardens, and bustling markets. Through the main character, familiar yet still an outsider, acts as a guide, allowing listeners to experience the city's beauty and hidden depths. At times this becomes evident as Ruth grapples with the contrast between her American upbringing and Japanese life. This internal conflict adds another layer to her character and sheds light on the challenges of cultural integration.

Overall, "The Kimono Tattoo" uses the main character’s unique position as a cultural bridge to offer a fascinating exploration of Japanese traditions, social norms, and artistic heritage. The story becomes even richer as readers experience these elements alongside Ruth's journey of discovery.

Special thanks to NetGalley, Brother Mockingbird, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

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I thought I was going to really like this one to start. I loved the premise and beginning with the book chapters being reflected in real life but after that point it went off in a way which was less interesting in my opinion. The book felt very bloated and a lot of time spent on conversations and meetings which did not go anywhere or added very little to the story. The narrator had quite a droning voice for me personally so I found myself switching off whilst listening on occasion.

I found this a bit slow and I couldn't really get into it. The setting was interesting but it didn't quite work for me in the end and I didn't finish it.

Found this audiobook truly compelling. The Kimono descriptions and cultural research were amazing. Felt it was a bit rushed at the end. Overall, a great twisty mystery with high stakes and an interesting cultural backdrop

This book first intrigued me when I saw the title. I just love Japanese culture and tattoos!

This book transports us into a mysterious Japanese setting and what I loved was the fact that it includes a book within a book. Although beautifully written and the author can transport you into another world, I felt like the surroundings and setting of the book were something that I just couldn't connect with, it felt too unfamiliar / out there.

However, the story as a whole, I loved the way it was told, the character development was great and I would recommend it to newer readers out there.

First, thank you NetGalley and Brother Mockingbird for this audio book.

I enjoyed this listen. The pace, voice, clarity was executed perfectly.

A modern day murder mystery with an interesting backstory about the Japanese Kimono, family dynamics and dysfunction, this story provides the reader with the joy of a few twists and turns with a well wrapped ending.

I recommend this book to readers and wish I had opened it up earlier!

I wasn't able to download this ARC in time so I found a copy once released and I'm disappointed to say that I didn't connect to the story and found myself getting bored. Perhaps the story just wasn't for me and I couldn't relate to the writing and plot. There definitely is an audience for this but I'm so sad to say this wasn't me.
Thank you Netgalley 😊

The Kimono Tattoo by Rebecca Copeland is an interesting mystery thriller set in Japan. The plot , definitely, starts with a bang, and flows smoothly all the way to the middle. But, after that I felt that the plot was unnecessarily being stretched. There were some mind blowing thrills in the plot, but eventually everything was too slow for me towards the end. Also, I got totally confused with the characters and their Japanese names. May be the book was not for me.

I would like to give the book 3 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an opportunity to read and review the audiobook.

This book had so much potential, but it moved too slowly and just didn't appeal to me. It's an odd story about an American translator living in Japan, who is commissioned to work on a text about a dead woman covered in kimono tattoos. The more she advances with the translation, the lines between fiction and reality become more and more hazy.

None of the characters were particularly likeable, and I struggled to care about the plot. But the most annoying thing, that eventually drove me to a 2-star rating, was the fact that on certain pages it seemed as though the word "kimono" was used in every single sentence. I struggled to get through that.

This was a very fast-paced audiobook! The mystery was very compelling.!The characters were all complex! The setting was very exotic and filled with vivid imagery! I love the audiobook narrator! The narrator made the story come alive! It was very clear and was filled with emotion! I would definitely listen to it again! I recommend this novel for fans of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

Set in Kyoto, this noir-ish mystery juxtaposes the elegance of that city, with its kimonos and temples and tea, with grittier, underground elements such as tattoo parlors, dog fights, and trafficking. This is a smart and sophisticated thriller, informed by the author's knowledge of the Japanese language as well as her familiarity with Kyoto and Kochi. Told from the point of view of Ruth Bennett, an American translator with a dark past, THE KIMONO TATTOO is an intricately woven, worthy fictional debut. Also the narrator is awesome. She does a great job with the Japanese and all the characters.

Ruth Bennett, an American Translator living in Kyoto, Japan is approached by a mystery woman to translate the yet to be released book of a famous author who is living off the grid for awhile now. But when the content of the novel starts reflecting the real life events that leads to a murder, Ruth is forced to dive deeper into understanding the family secrets behind the exquisite Kimono Tattoo.

The Kimono Tattoo perfectly infuses a murder mystery with Japanese traditions and heritage. The book transported me to the streets of Kyoto and gave an opportunity to understand the customs involved in draping a Kimono, its history and the love and respect Japanese show towards this sublime attire. The book is filled with the aesthetic elegance of the Japanese culture and seeps into the story effortlessly, making me want to experience Kyoto in real life. It provides captivating insights into Japan especially Kyoto. The characters are fascinating and well rounded, each giving a unique perspective in the book.

The author's writing is atmospheric and engaging. Rebecca vividly captures the family dynamics of the Tani family, the reconciliation of Ruth with her long lost brother and Satoko Tani's efforts to right a wrong committed by her ancestor. The narration of Theresa Bakken was brilliant.

I highly recommend this compelling murder mystery set in contemporary Kyoto.

I love the intricate quality of the novel - its plot, descriptions of kimono design, and traditional tattoo motifs. A translator, Ruth, travels to Kyoto to work on a new manuscript by a long forgotten Japanese writer. The discovery of a nude body of a woman on the banks of a river covered only in intricate, almost full body tattoos, adds to the intrigue and mystery of what turns out to be a look at the "underside of Tokyo."

The narrator was excellent, the plot added suspense and atmosphere to Tokyo by day and night, and the kimono tattoos on the body of the woman, as well as tattoo sketches found by Ruth and her friends, made this an intriguing novel. The unearthing of dark secrets in this unseen side of the city made this novel of suspense worth listening to.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58046401-the-kimono-tattoo" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="The Kimono Tattoo" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1624266338l/58046401._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58046401-the-kimono-tattoo">The Kimono Tattoo</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/685911.Rebecca_Copeland">Rebecca Copeland</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5193499365">1 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Thank you Netgalley for gifting me a copy of this book on audio.<br /><br />A thriller set in such cultural lushness that the horror is lost and with excruciating detail every single event is described. I finished the book but honestly did like it.<br /><br />Too convoluted a plot. Too much description. Too much of everything except actual events. Every cup of tea is described in detail but the murders felt artificial and got lost in the descriptive praise for all things Japanese. The narrator has a stunning voice but used little to no inflection which was even more painful. <br /><br />But do not take my word for this. Read it and then decide for yourself.
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5663614-wanda-hartzenberg">View all my reviews</a>

Ruth, an American translator in Japan, is mysteriously asked to translate the book of a long-forgotten famous author -- the lines between fact, fiction, past, and present soon start to blur together.

I loved the little kimono history paired with the mystery behind the forgotten author. Ruth’s perspective as an outsider in Japan isn’t a POV I see often but it drew me in even more. The story does get gruesome and a bit confusing at times but I liked the twists (not sure how I feel about the reveal + end but I think I was mostly satisfied?) Overall, this is a decent read if you’re looking for a thriller set in Japan!

Thanks NetGalley for my arc!

The Kimono Tattoo by Rebecca Copeland Narrated by Theresa Bakken was a brilliant crime thriller, which touched on the heritage and customs of Japan. This book is set in the City of Kyoto. and was a great insight into the history of Japanese culture. The author definitely did a lot of research for this book. I really enjoyed tis book especially as it was beautifully written from start to finish and had good twists and turns throughout that just had you gripped.

The Narrator, Theresa Bakken, was simply brilliant and I highly recommend this audiobook.

The Kimono Tattoo was a stunning book. I loved Ruth Bennett and how the reader gets to know her. I appreciated the intricacies of returning to her home in Kyoto, and the mysteries unfolding. Copeland’s writing is magical - so vividly descriptive. I highly recommend this book!

Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Murder mystery much oh my goodness look up the trigger warnings about 40% of the way in you need to know what those are.

A sleepy life our main character lived until she is given this life threatening manuscript to translate to English.

Thrown into the story and confronted with betrayal around every corner and by nearly every person she comes in contact with.

A whole body tattoo of a beautiful kimono was one woman’s journey to self acceptance and romantic connection with her lover, little did she know her death would be the be the door to so many question asked and secrets revealed.

Love this book however I didn’t know it would be a darker read for some reason i wasn’t expecting that.

Thank you #negalley and the author for my copy of the ebook for my review

Brief Synopsis:
Ruth is recently divorced and has moved from the US back to her hometown of Kyoto, working as a Japanese-to-English literature translator. When asked to translate a book written by a famous author that no one has heard from in years, she finds herself quickly submerged in a murder mystery.

Thoughts: I enjoyed this book. The characters felt realistic, which contributed to the writing's suspensefulness. Numerous details about the Japanese kimono culture were skillfully integrated into the storyline. My one negative was that since the names in this book are authentic, it was hard for me to correlate them to a character (especially via audiobook).

Thank you to Rebecca Copeland, Brother Mockingbird, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of this book. If you enjoy an excellent murder mystery or are interested in Japanese kimono history, I would recommend this one.

Audio version of this book 📚- A great insight into the history of Japanese culture. The author definitely did her homework! The storyline was intriguing and very cleverly written interweaving of the past and the present. The narrator was excellent making the storyline easy to follow.