The Malay Mysteries books, including the fifth book in the series, The Dark Colony, are available on the Apple iBookstore and on Amazon Kindle.
Shoto Press surprised the world with its breakout hit, the graphic novella Garlands of Moonlight.
Garlands won a coveted Xeric Award for independent comics and went on to earn a nomination for a Will Eisner Comic Industry Award, the top honor for comics and graphic novels, and was favored by the Eisner Committee with a Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award nomination as well. The Malay Mysteries have also been named “Comics Worth Reading” by noted critic Johanna Draper Carlson.
The story begun in Garlands continues in the Malay Mysteries series, alternating stories of good and evil: a compelling look at the rich world of Malay folklore, monster myths, and ghost stories.
The Malay Mysteries are conceived and written by series author Jai Sen, and illustrated by Indonesian, Philippine, and American visual artists. Originally printed in specially formulated black and silver inks using high-definition imaging, the books are now available exclusively in digital format.
Marsiti and Hidayat hear a heartbreaking tale of nature gone horribly wrong. A beekeeper’s hives take on an evil aspect as her home is engulfed by their ever-growing colony. Children begin to disappear from the village after a gruesome murder. What are the bees building, and who is controlling them?
Digital edition
Written by Jai Sen. Illustrated by M. Reza Aribuwana
ISBN 978-0-9717564-7-2
74 pages
The Malay Mysteries book 4: Sita’s Shadow and Other Stories
Three tales of the supernatural: Marsiti recalls her first ghost hunting adventure, in which she was asked by a Dutch plantation owner to exorcise a ghost; a traveling merchant tells the story of a fisherman who faced the wrath of a sea goddess; and an old priest describes how a haunted shadow play forever changed the people of his village.
Featuring the work of three guest artists and a photographer, Sita’s Shadow and Other Stories is the longest and most intricate Malay Mystery created so far.
Video: author Jai Sen talks about the structure of Sita’s Shadow (1:05).
Digital edition
Written by Jai Sen. Illustrated by M. Reza Aribuwana, Randy Valiente, Anzu, and Ronny Hardyanto. Photography by Michael John Keegan
ISBN 978-0-9717564-6-5
200 pages
The Malay Mysteries book 3: Island of Glass and Ashes
A volcanic island of black sand beaches harbors a terrible secret: a hidden evil guarded by the walking dead.
Suspected of witchcraft by the crew of the merchant ship, Marsiti and Hidayat are left stranded and must face a powerful sorcerer and his undead servants. Two stories of ill-fated love and a dark temple high on the slopes of a volcano hold the keys to an ancient curse–but Marsiti’s magic may not be enough to defeat the forces trapped on the island.
The third book in the Malay Mysteries series, Island of Glass and Ashes follows the continuing adventures of the herbalist Marsiti and schoolteacher Hidayat in their unlikely alliance as traveling ghost hunters, and reveals more of Marsiti’s mysterious past.
Video: author Jai Sen discusses tragedy in Island of Glass and Ashes (1:39).
Digital edition
Written by Jai Sen. Illustrated by M. Reza Aribuwana
ISBN 978-0-9717564-5-8
190 pages
The Malay Mysteries book 2: The Ghost of Silver Cliff
The little village of Silver Cliff is a beautiful place–rich in oil palms, protected from the sea by a natural bay, and perfumed with fragrant wild jasmine. But no one who wants to live through the night goes there: legends say that the village is under the protection of a vengeful spirit. The crew of a merchant ship comes to Silver Cliff to trade for some palm oil and discovers the horrifying secret behind the old tales.
Continuing the story begun in The Malay Mysteries book 1: Garlands of Moonlight, the second Malay Mystery follows the further adventures of medicine woman Marsiti and skeptical schoolteacher Hidayat.
Video: author Jai Sen talks about love in The Ghost of Silver Cliff (1:06).
Digital edition
Written by Jai Sen and Eric Bryden. Illustrated by Rizky Wasisto Edi
Marsiti the medicine woman knows that something is wrong in what appears to be an ordinary village.
Silent and merciless, a creature of darkness has come to prey on the unsuspecting. Babies vanish, mothers are murdered, and the threat of evil grows with each night. Meanwhile, a Dutch colonial governor has taken over the province. The village becomes a battleground as the onrush of the twentieth century clashes with tradition–and the restless spirits of the island’s mythical past.
Video: author Jai Sen discusses hidden themes in Garlands of Moonlight (1:53).
Digital edition
Written by Jai Sen. Illustrated by Rizky Wasisto Edi
Shoto Press surprised the world with its breakout hit, the graphic novella Garlands of Moonlight.
The Malay Mysteries book 5:
The Malay Mysteries book 4:
The Malay Mysteries book 3:
The Malay Mysteries book 2:
The Malay Mysteries book 1: