A Samurai Never Fears Death (The Samurai Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Dorothy Hoobler (Author), Thomas Hoobler (Author)

Book Description

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

For Seikei, the adopted son of the famous samurai Judge Ooka with a knack for solving mysteries, a trip home to see his real family isn’t cause to celebrate. His brother has become mixed up with local criminals who use the family’s tea shop as a front for a smuggling operation. His sister, meanwhile, has fallen in love with an apprentice to a puppet master who stands accused of murder. Somehow, Seikei senses the two are connected. His loyalties divided between his new family and his old, Seikei must find the real killer before it is too late.

Set against the eerie backdrop of the old Japanese puppet theaters, where life-sized marionettes were controlled by black-cloaked men, Edgar Award-winners Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler render their most satisfying mystery to date.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–9—In this sequel to The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (Philomel, 1999), Seikei, the adopted merchant-class son of a great samurai, Judge Ooka, is now 16. He finds himself in the midst of trouble when he and the judge visit the teen's hometown, where his brother appears to be involved in unethical activities. His sister is in love with a puppeteer who is arrested for the murder of the manager of the theater in which he works. Seikei tries to solve this crime and other murders in the puppet theater without bothering Judge Ooka. Much of the novel is based on historical figures, including those who worked as puppet masters in ancient Japan. The world of puppetry is vividly described, especially the use of the plays to convey messages about the politics and restrictive class system of the time. Seikei continues to be a dogged detective who often stumbles into situations that help him solve the case while struggling to live up to his adoptive father's ideals.—B. Allison Gray, John Jermain Library, Sag Harbor, NY
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

This continues the fine series featuring 16-year-old Seiko, a tea merchant's son adopted by Judge Ooka, who is a samurai. Seiko is now a samurai, too, and that makes things awkward when he sees his family for the first time in several years. Once again the Hooblers ably weave in background information, and then move swiftly into their story, which this time involves several murders and Seiko's own family. As always, the vivid description of eighteenth-century Japan is one of the best things about the book. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399246096
• ISBN-13: 978-0399246098
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #910,570 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very authentic and endearing story, October 14, 2008

By 

Lisa Brandt (Sacramento, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Samurai Never Fears Death (The Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I am a retired lover of historical fiction, and this is a youth book, but I loved it nevertheless. (I confess I have also read all of the Harry Potter books.) Good writing for the youth market can be very good indeed, even if the language lacks complexity, because it needs to grab and hold a reader who is likely to lack patience.

The authors' "Samurai Mysteries" are extremely authentic, and the youthful hero is easy to like. He is sufficiently complex for adult readers, and the authors' infusion of Japanese history is never preachy or artificial.

This is a quick and enjoyable read, and had someone given me a book like this around age 12, I would have been immensely pleased.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my favorite books, April 2, 2008

By 

Joey (Kirkland, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Samurai Never Fears Death (The Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

In the first book the hero was a 14-year-old boy named Seikei who was born into a merchant family. He was made fun of because of his dream to become a samurai. While on a business trip with his father there was a stolen jewel. Seikei helped a famous Shogun's official named Judge Ooka solve the mystery. Because of his bravery and wit his dream came true and he was adopted by the judge. This made him a samurai.

Now, two years later he travels back to Osaka where he was born and visits his brother Denzaburo and his sister Asako. Denzaburo had taken over the family business from Seikei's aging father. The business was prospering. They go to a puppet theater where a narrator was strangled to death right before they arrived. Seikei must uncover the mystery of his death.

Later Seikei learns that the theater had been using a play to signal a gang of thieves, telling them what to steal for the merchants who know about their charade. Seikei is shocked to discover that his brother's business is doing so well because he is working with the gang too.

Seikei follows clues to the gang's hideout but is attacked and knocked out. When he wakes up he finds himself on a boat with the gang. One of the Shogun's ships spots them and starts chasing. The gang pushes Seikei into the sea in order to escape. The Shogun's ship stops to rescue Seikei.

When he gets back to shore he decides to investigate the theater further. When he gets there he hears a voice. Is it a ghost or the killer? Will Seikei survive?

If you like Japan, mysteries, samurai, and suspense then you got to read A Samurai Never Fears Death. It is a one of my favorite books!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars suspenseful, January 4, 2009

By 

pk - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mysteries) (Paperback)

A nice book. I enjoyed every chapter of this book and again 5 out of 5. I recommend this book to anyone who likes mysteries and want to learn more about Japanese culture. (it doesnt focus enterly on Japanese culture but gives you the basic defenation).