Mas Arai leaves his home in warm California to travel across the country to the chill and strangeness of New York City, responding to his daughter Mari's call for help. A gardener by trade, Mas doesn't take well to the huge, cold city that has barely any green space for gardens.

Mas has no idea what to expect once he reaches his daughter's home. Since she was a child, she was gasa-gasa -- always moving around, never sitting still. Not until he arrives does he learn that Mari and her husband, Lloyd (also a gardener), need his help with a huge garden that Lloyd is in charge of. There has been extensive vandalism -- but the problems escalate when Mas arrives at the garden to find a dead body there. In addition, Mas finds out that his newborn grandson, whom he has never met, is so sick with jaundice that he may need blood transfusions.

Ms. Hirahara has created an excellent look into the Japanese culture with this second mystery in her series. (The first was SUMMER OF THE BIG BACHI and also featured Mas.) Mas is an attractive character with much depth. It is fascinating to be in his head and see what he is thinking, because he says very little. Like most parent/child relationships, Mari and Mas have to struggle to communicate, but it's always clear that they love each other.

I really enjoyed this book, partly for its mystery elements, but mostly for the characters and their relationship to each other.