In Autumn Embers, Book 3 of the Batavia-on-Hudson mystery series, Bianca is in Japan visiting her son Ian who is studying at Kyoto University. Needless to say, she is also embroiled in a murder mystery during her visit. But today she and Ian, along with some friends, are visiting the Kurama Fire Festival to distract themselves from the investigation.

When our train pulls into the station in the mountain town of Kurama, we need no maps. Ian, Kenzo, Daniel and I follow the other festival-goers until we reach the main street lined with wooden houses and shops that have been there for centuries. A small fire is burning before each home. In the windows, precious family heirlooms are on display. I stop briefly before a spectacular samurai uniform display.

Children, dressed in full traditional garb, carry small bamboo torches, followed by teenagers with larger torches, but the real spectacle is the men. They carry massive torches that take great effort and several men to light and then hoist on their shoulders. This is a test of strength, Kenzo explains. Always full of information, Kenzo Ishikawa has been so helpful on this trip. He’s been translating for me and showing me the sites while Ian is in classes.

Everyone chants sairei-ya sairyo—the wish for a good festival. The repetition is calming and I try to join in. Daniel grabs my hand and pulls me into line to join the procession. Daniel is Ian’s father figure here in Kyoto. I am relieved to know Ian has someone to go to for advice and direction. Daniel’s sunny disposition and good looks make him a wonderful companion for me as well.

I watch, dreamy eyed, as the sparks rise like fireflies, higher and higher, like Icarus, until they eventually snuff out. I can’t help but feel that one wrong move could lead to disaster. I am particularly tense when I watch the men handing off the largest torches to each other. I hold my breath as the sparks fall over their shoulders. Despite the weight of the torches and the awkward balancing act needed to accomplish it, they successfully pass their torches to the shoulders of the next man.

Abruptly, the group ahead of us stops. I’m short so I can’t see much. Eventually, the knot of spectators loosens up so I am able to catch a glimpse. A circle of men and children are chanting and dancing a simple side-to-side sway. I linger a moment and then move on to allow others a moment to watch.

The Shinto priests wear red robes and carry paper lanterns as they lead the procession to the front of the temple where all the torches are thrown together to create a giant bonfire.

Daniel finds me a place I can stand to get a good view. The others follow close behind. As we get nearer to the bonfire, it dawns on me that I am participating in a ritual that has changed very little in one thousand years.

The smoke gathers and gathers until I can see nothing but shapes and dark colors running together. The ethereal atmosphere and the drummers’ one-two beat put me in a trance. The smoke catches in my throat and stings my eyes. I sway for a moment, but Daniel is right there to put an arm around my shoulder and steady me.

“Hey, you alright?”

I nod but I am grateful for the shoulder to lean on and I do nothing to extricate myself. We stand there, side by side, as the embers float upward.

Autumn Embers, A Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Book 3
Genre: Traditional Mystery
Release: September 2024
Format: Digital, Print
Purchase Link

Bianca St. Denis travels to Kyoto to return a priceless artifact recovered in Batavia-on-Hudson during last summer’s flood. It’s late October, and the city of 2,000 shrines is in full autumn splendor. While she’s in Japan’s ancient capital, Bianca visits with her son, a student at Kyoto University. Ian shows her the sights and introduces her to his circle of friends—his chosen family.

On the night of her welcome party, Bianca thinks she witnesses a struggle in the garden, perhaps even a murder. When the police investigate and find no body, she is stumped, yet alarm bells won’t stop ringing. She knows she’s witnessed something.

When a dead body surfaces and suspicion falls on her son, Bianca’s maternal instincts spring to action to protect Ian and clear his name. Meanwhile, things in Batavia-on-Hudson are tense. Sheriff Mike Riley is losing his re-election while tackling devastating news about his dead partner and wavering about his troubled marriage.

Autumn Embers explores the malleable nature of our identities and reminds us that chosen families can be stronger than we think, and that true friendship can bridge any distance.

About the author
Tina deBellegarde’s debut novel, Winter Witness, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best First Novel. Dead Man’s Leap, her second book in the Batavia-on-Hudson Mystery Series, was nominated for an Agatha Award for Best Contemporary Novel. Tina also writes short stories and flash fiction. Her short stories have been nominated for a Derringer Award and an Agatha Award. Tina co-chairs the Murderous March Conference and is a founding member of Sleuths and Sidekicks, where she blogs, tours virtually, and teaches writing workshops. She is a member of Writers in Kyoto and reviews books for BooksOnAsia.net. She lives in Catskill, New York and travels frequently to Japan to visit her son and daughter-in-law and to do research. Tina is currently working on a collection of interconnected short stories set in Japan. Visit her website for more at tinadebellegarde.com.