The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Dorothy Hoobler (Author), Thomas Hoobler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

When a series of fires in Japan's capital points to foul-play, the famous samurai Judge Ooka puts fourteen-year-old Seikei on the case to discover who's behind them. Determined to prove his worth as a samurai, Seikei poses as a teahouse attendant to gather information, and winds up entering the mysterious worlds of geishas and revenge. Can this young boy solve the mystery all of Japan is investigating and bring peace back to Edo?

Once again, Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler have written a mesmerizing mystery infused with the history of a fascinating time. Suspenseful and teeming with adventure, this sequel is a novel that stands on its own.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-When several geishas are murdered and fires are set in the Yoshiwara district of Edo, Judge Ooka knows he must act quickly. Based on a real character in 18th-century Japan who was known for his reasoning and his ability to solve crimes, the man comes up with a plan. He strategically places his adopted son, 14-year-old Seikei, in a teahouse frequented by a popular geisha who seems to have some connection to both the fires and the murders, and he tells him to keep his eyes open. Conscientious and clever, Seikei quickly finds a number of clues, but in the process is accused of setting a fire. In and out of trouble, this feisty boy, whose greatest desire is to become a samurai, is almost killed, but in the end, he solves the mystery and learns a bit about what Bunzo, his instructor, told him in the beginning: "A samurai must possess the way of the warrior." This sequel to The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (Philomel, 1999) is a fast-paced mystery with a well-constructed plot that moves quickly and often in dramatic ways. Seikei is a likable hero, a believable detective who encounters characters of all types who add to the rousing adventure and suspense.

Barbara Scotto, Michael Driscoll School, Brookline, MA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 7-9. This second book in a series set in eighteenth-century Japan brings considerable depth to a straightforward mystery plot. First introduced in The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (1999), 14-year-old Seikei, the adopted son of Judge Ooka, one of the shogun's most trusted officials, is once again sent on a compelling mission to be the Judge's eyes and ears. Who is setting fires in Edo? And who is killing geishas in a nearby pleasure town? To learn the answers, Seikei finds employment at the Teahouse of the Falling Cherry Blossoms, where the famous geisha, Umae, captivates her gentlemen guests. There are fires and murders along a winding path that leads toward Umae, and Seikei faces danger at every turn as he valiantly tries to help the judge and prove himself worthy of the samurai mantle he hopes to assume. This is traditional mystery, with a well-conceived plot, authentic clues, and a satisfying conclusion. The hallmark is the atmospheric setting, which makes the intricacies of shogun-era Japan as intriguing as the plot. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 182 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (May 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234993
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234996
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,201,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This interesting mystery will keep the pages turning., July 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

The Demon in the Teahouse is the riveting sequel to the Ghost in the Taikado Inn. This book is irrisistable with the many suttle details all leading to different people. The books plot is seamless and all of the clues do add up in the end. I would recomend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction, mystery or suspense, or asian culture.

Before reading this book however I would recomend the Ghost in the Taikado Inn. This first book is also excellent and will help you understand everything in the second book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fires, deaths and the floating world..., March 12, 2009

By 

Michael Valdivielso (Alexandria, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

14 year old Seikei wishes to prove himself to his new father, Judge Ooka, a famous Samurai known for solving crimes. So when beautiful women are being killed he goes undercover into a teahouse to gather information. Like the first book in the series the authors are able to give us enough information to follow the plot, themes and characters without boring us or crush us under a ton of bland data. Good for both adult readers and young readers without talking down to the adults or going too fast for the youngsters. Get it used or new! Enjoy it on a rainy or slow day.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great mystery book in the world !!!!!!, April 21, 2006

By 

Jennifer Kwong "JK" (Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Demon in the Teahouse (Paperback)

The Demon in the Teahouse is a sequel to The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn and both of the mystery stories are set in Japan. Both stories are also written by historian Dorothy and author Thomas Hoobler.
The story of The Demon in the Teahouse is set in 18th -century Japan. A fourteen-year-old boy named Seikei who was adopted by Judge Ooka was sent to the Teahouse of the Falling Cherry Blossoms to collect information about the fire cases which had happened in Edo. He also found out about the demon who had killed three geishas in Yoshiwara. While Seikei worked in the teahouse, he become endangered after meeting the suspect who was a geisha named Umae. By the way, Judge Ooka was a real person who was a friend and adviser of a shogun who ruled Japan from 1717 to 1744. I think this made the story more interesting and closer to the real life.
I really liked this story. I thought this was a great mystery book. I was attracted by the cover of the book. One side shows a beautiful geishas and in the shade is a guy holding a sword. The suspenseful picture excited me. The book has a huge exciting mystery plot attracts the reader. When the plot seems to get boring, some mysterious would happen which attracts your curiosity to keep reading. You cannot stop until you have finished the story.
One of the weaknesses of this book is that it does not have any explanation for the special vocabulary used. For example, words such as seppuku and tayu are not common words used in daily life. If we do not understand the words and the book does not give us an explanation, it may become a barrier for us to understand the story.
The other weakness of this book is the plot near the ending. Near the end, there are too many details and it seems boring. The authors describe too much about the conversation between Seikei and the witness and how Seikei took the witness to see Judge Ooka. Although it is an important part of the story, it will be boring if there is too much detail in a part of the story which is not exciting. I think the book will be better if there were pictures of the characters in this book. This may help us get to know how beautiful the geishas were and also what the samurai look liked in 18th -century Japan.
I suggest every teenager to this book. You can learn what courage is by reading this book. Even when he is in danger, Seikei still works hard in the teahouse to help Ooka solve the mystery crime. Seikei wants to prove himself worthy of being called a samurai. I think he was brave for a fourteen-year-old boy. This shows that even when things are difficult, if you have determination, you will be successful.
You can learn about Japanese traditions, culture and history from reading this book. It is funny to discover new interesting things from countries you have not thought before. For example, after people had died in Japan, their head needed to be shaved and clothed in a white shroud that hid even the face. A knife must be placed on their lap. This custom allows the dead people to protect themselves against demons who might block their path to the afterlife.
This is a chance for you to learn about Japan. Read the book as soon as you can.