Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
3 of 5
Recommend for fans of historical thriller/mysteries. This is not a standalone.
This book starts out strongly, taking the main character, Gabriel, on a long voyage to Japan. He's just discovered that after many years, his inability to be on a ship without horrible sickness has mysteriously gotten better. There is what seems to be an interesting (although very Shogun influenced) story that develops with Gabriel in Japan, but it and the subsequent voyage back to England get cut short.
Meanwhile, family and friends at home in England must deal with the fact that Taverner's replacement is a terrible doctor and horrible person.
I was happy that some 'mysteries' about characters in this series were resolved (this is apparently the end of the series) but I felt that bringing the two plotlines together felt rather forced and rushed. The ending seemed abrupt to me.
As a longtime reader of the series, I would have liked another 50-100 pages to round out the plots and make this feel less like a -insert magic here- and everyone lives happily ever after thing. I think the characters deserved a better sendoff.

I’d not read any of the previous books in the series but picked this one up as part of it is set in Japan. And I’m always in favour of historical fiction set in Japan, particularly when it’s pre 1900. The author has done a good job in making this novel standalone although I suspect the emotional wallop of the ending passed me a little by as I’ve not spent several novels with these characters.

Our story starts with Gabe enlisting as a ship’s surgeon and sailing off across the world. Unbeknownst to him, he’s been told the wrong destination and the ship is actually heading for Japan. Gabe experiences life in a little Japanese village just up the road/mountain from Nagasaki where he learns about chopsticks and onsen. Then something happens. When the trading ship leaves to return to London, Gabe is given something and, the Japanese start pursuing them all the way back around Africa then onto Plymouth and London. Will Gabe outwit his pursuers, stay alive and hang onto what he’s been given? This chase is all very enjoyable, historically inaccurate as Japanese ships weren’t ocean-going long voyage types, but good fun. Yes, the outcome is a given but the more interesting part is how it comes about and what it all has to do with Gabe’s replacement doctor (useless and obnoxious) who’s found murdered.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

1605. Dr Gabriel Taverner signs on as ships surgeon and travels to Japan, with events leading to disaster. Meanwhile the replacement he chose is intensely disliked but soon there is a murder. Unfortunately the time in Japan was not that interesting but the mystery was okay .
An ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the last book in what has been a very good series, with strong characters, compelling plots, and an interesting early 17th century setting. Series readers will know that Gabriel Taverner has gone back to sea as a ship’s surgeon, leaving his sister, friends, and potential love interest very abruptly at the end of the preceding book. This one picks up from there as those left behind deal with his long absence and his unpleasant replacement. The death of that new doctor in ways that appear related to Gabriel’s travels are the driver for the book, which manages to resolve the mystery while tying up other loose ends from the series. The whole series is well worth a read, and this one is a strong ending to it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy. All views are entirely my own and offered voluntarily.

The Chrysanthemum Tiger was a good read, but it wasn't really a mystery. Call it an adventure or a thriller, but the are only brief moment when readers find themselves puzzled. I like the Gabriel Tavener mysteries and enjoyed spending more time with Taverner: Living in King James' England, a former ship's doctor, then village doctor, and once again a ship's doctor heading back toward the village.

The Chrysanthemum Tiger does introduce a new character to the series that I look forward to seeing more of—and meeting that individual at the start sets up the likelihood that I'll get the most out of future volumes —but I'm hoping the next volume will be more of a mystery than this one was.

I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.