Seven Paths to Death (Samurai Mysteries) [Hardcover]

Dorothy Hoobler (Author), Thomas Hoobler (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up | Series: Samurai Mysteries

When a man with a tattoo covering his back is found floating in the water at the rice ceremony, Seikei and Judge Ooka know it’s a bad omen—but not how dangerous the mystery behind it is.

Soon, there are seven of these men with partial tattoos on their backs. All different, all seemingly unrelated— except for the tattoos, and the fact they keep turning up dead. It becomes apparent these men are not just carrying body art, but a treasure map…to what? And why is carrying this map so mortally dangerous? Seikei must find and assemble all seven tattoos to find the answer—and the path to a most terrifying destination.

Another sensational samurai mystery by the masters of the genre: Edgar Award–winning duo Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Hot on the heels of A Samurai Never Fears Death (2007), this latest in the Samurai Mystery series, which is set in eighteenth-century Japan, reunites adversaries Seikei, adopted son of Judge Ooka, and ninja Kitsune as they separately race toward an unusual treasure. The kicker is that each piece of the treasure map is tattooed on the back of a different man. The moral ambiguity of the ending is a surprise, but like its predecessors, this is a successful historical mystery, chockablock with adventure (including a bit of mostly offstage violence) and cultural details. An afterword fills in facts. Grades 6-9. --Stephanie Zvirin

Review

"[T]his is a successful historical mystery, chockablock with adventure and cultural details." - Booklist

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Philomel (October 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039924610X
• ISBN-13: 978-0399246104
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,590,092 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb series., March 28, 2010

By 

The Walker (McAllen, TX) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Paths to Death (Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

A wonderful young adult mystery series. These are not for the very young due to the subject manner, yet much more benign than the titles would indicate. Even into this latest book in the series, every paragraph is filled with new insight into the culture of historical Japan, enhancing the intriguing elements of the mystery that draws one into the compelling story.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Seven Paths to Death, July 19, 2011

By 

matt (the reading room) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Paths to Death (Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

I really love this series and this book, while not as action packed, is just as intriguing as the previous books. In this one, Seikei and his foster father Judge Ooka find themselves on the search of the killers of various men who had been elaborately tattooed on their backs. Some men remain alive, but for how long? And what is the connection between these men, the yakuza and their tattoos? Is this connected somehow to a plot to overthrow the shogun? And which of the lords is in the position to gain from such a plot?


Set in the 1700s, attention to historical detail is very strong and it's easy to lose yourself in the story. While it is written for middle-school readers, I am not ashamed to admit that as an adult I have really enjoyed the whole series (of which this is said to be the last). Readers with an interest in feudal Japan may also find the rest of the series a joy to read along with these titles: Musashi, Warriors of Medieval Japan (General Military) and The Bamboo Sword: And Other Samurai Tales.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars really fun books on medieval Japan, October 2, 2010

By 

cocktail sage "cocktail sage" (Oakland, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Paths to Death (Samurai Mysteries) (Paperback)

I've read them all - they are really fun. I wish there were more books in the series.

I think of these as being like a younger version of the Robert Van Gulik "Judge Dee"stories - Judge Dee was of course Chinese, while Judge Ooka is Japanese.

I lived in Japan, I've studied a lot about medieval Japan, these are well done and entertaining. The boy is wonderfully naive. The books rate fairly well in terms of historical accuracy.