Toward Night's End

This WWII novel highlighting Japanese-American patriotism begins on March 30, 1942, when more than 250 Japanese-Americans living on Washington state's Bainbridge Island are being evacuated. The process goes quite smoothly until the Army discovers that Matthew Kobata, a 21-year-old Japanese-American fisherman, is missing. While canvassing the island in their search for Matthew, the Army discovers that two Caucasian men have been murdered. Seattle detective Elroy Johnstone has come to the island to investigate the murders, and evidence leads him to suspect that Matthew may be involved. But he is one step behind as Matthew escapes on his fishing boat. With Matthew now emerging as the prime suspect in the murders, the detective’s investigation then takes him to Seattle where another murder has occurred. This time, the victim is a Japanese-American.Complicating matters, the coroner finds that both the Japanese-American and one of the Caucasian men have identical tattoos, both on the left ankle. But what do these tattoos mean? And who has killed these three men? Matthew? And if so, why? And most important, where is Matthew?Johnstone’s investigation will take him from Seattle’s Naval Air Station to a Japanese internment camp in California, and back to Bainbridge Island. And, although he doesn’t know it, the clock is ticking as the Japanese plot an attack that will forever change the war.