two series:
Laura Joh Rowland: http://laurajohrowland.com/books.html#shinju
lead character is Sano Ichiro, a teacher, samurai and reluctant police officer is drawn into a case involving a 'shinju' - a ritual suicide involving a pair of lovers. These are set in 17th century Japan, in Edo (now known as Tokyo)
There are 18 books in the series according to her website.
Best read in order to fully appreciate the character development and inter - relationships
I J Parker: http://www.ijparker.com/ Lead character: Sugawara Akitada. His noble family fallen on hard times, works as a minor official in the Ministry of Justice in Heian Kyo, capital of Japan in the 11th century. The post is boring, but there are bills to pay, servants to maintain and a diminished estate to keep up as best he can. However, Akitada also has a sharp mind and an inquisitive nature, both of which get put to the test as he unravels murders and mysteries that carry him from the depths of the most common peasant hovels to the sacred halls of the Imperial Palace itself. Bound not only by his sense of decency and honor, but the strict codes and social structure of Ancient Japan, Akitada must step carefully while gathering clues to solve the puzzles before him.
There are 20 books in this series.
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