Kenji Takahashi. Oyabun of the Takahashi-kai Syndicate. A Yakuza boss with a taste for ritual, revenge, and very creative origami.
The job: eliminate him cleanly, no collateral, and get it done before the last paper lantern hits the river.
It was supposed to be simple—sneak in, kill the guy, cash out.
Instead, I’m neck-deep in family drama, ancient grudges, and more blood-soaked honour than a samurai soap opera.
My on-ground contact is a man named Ren. Quiet. Efficient. Not exactly friendly—but there’s something under the surface that doesn’t sit right. He’s not just a pretty face with a tragic past. He’s a wildcard with a katana and unfinished business.
I came here to kill one man. Turns out, Kyoto has other plans.
If you like thrillers steeped in tradition, deadly elegance, and assassins with trust issues and very sharp blades, Crimson Little Dragon delivers a killer Obon you’ll never forget.
Joan De La Haye writes dark and twisted thrillers featuring dangerous women, cold-blooded assassins, and survivors who turn the tables—violently. Her stories push boundaries and revel in the kind of justice that doesn’t play by the rules. Her characters don’t wait for permission—they take control, exact revenge, and refuse to be victims.
If you enjoy thrillers with bite, grit, and unapologetically fierce heroines, you’ve just found your new favourite author.