or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
 
More Buying Choices
50 used & new from $0.01
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Express Checkout with PayPhrase
What's this? | Create PayPhrase
Sorry!
X
In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries)
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book
Tell the Publisher!
I’d like to read this book on Kindle

Don’t have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here.
 
  

In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) (Hardcover)

~ (Author), (Author) "It was the hour of the rat; throughout the castle only shadows moved..." (more)
Key Phrases: writing kit, paper butterfly, judge nodded, Lord Inaba, O-Miwa Shrine, Yamato Province (more...)
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
List Price: $16.99
Price: $11.55 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $5.44 (32%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.

20 new from $6.00 27 used from $0.01 3 collectible from $16.80

Also Available in:

 List Price: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover     Order it used!
Paperback     44 used & new from $0.01
Library Binding $15.99 $15.99 Order it used!

Frequently Bought Together

In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) + The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) + Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery)
Price For All Three: $24.53

Show availability and shipping details

  • This item: In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) by Dorothy Hoobler

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) by Dorothy Hoobler

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

  • Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery) by Dorothy Hoobler

    In Stock.
    Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.
    Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery)

Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery)

by Dorothy Hoobler
4.7 out of 5 stars (3)  $6.99
The Sword That Cut the Burning Grass (The Samurai Mysteries)

The Sword That Cut the Burning Grass (The Samurai Mysteries)

by Dorothy Hoobler
4.0 out of 5 stars (2)  $6.99
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (The Samurai Mysteries)

The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (The Samurai Mysteries)

by Dorothy Hoobler
4.6 out of 5 stars (37)  $6.99
Seven Paths to Death

Seven Paths to Death

by Dorothy Hoobler
5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  $7.99
Blue Fingers: A Ninja's Tale

Blue Fingers: A Ninja's Tale

by Cheryl Aylward Whitesel
4.4 out of 5 stars (13)  $10.20
› Explore similar items

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8--This fine mystery set in 18th-century Japan continues the adventures of Judge Ooka and his 14-year-old adopted son, Seikei. This time, they are asked to investigate the death of Lord Inaba, who was murdered under the watchful eye of the shogun. Their only clue is a bloodstained origami butterfly. The judge sends Seikei to a distant town in the care of the enigmatic ninja Tatsuno to find out who bought the paper from which the butterfly was made. This leads them to a remote monastery and, unwittingly, right into the killer's hiding place. The plot falters a bit when Seikei takes it upon himself to argue the case of starving peasants to the local lord, known to be ruthless, and is thrown in jail. He is much too smart to be so naive about the morals of the local ruler. However, this development illustrates his big heart, and readers will easily forgive this minor flaw considering the story's solid suspense, fast-paced action, and authentic setting. Overall, a satisfying mystery that's sure to please fans and likely to win a few converts.--Karen T. Bilton, Somerset County Library, Bridgewater, NJ
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


From Booklist

Gr. 7-10. This is the third installment in the authors' series of intriguing mysteries set in eighteenth-century Japan, beginning with The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (1999). In this book, 14-year-old Seikei and his adopted father and mentor, Judge Ooka, set out to discover who murdered a powerful warlord. Signs point to a ninja, a hired assassin. But who procured the services of the ninja? Judge Ooka orders Seikei to travel to a northern town with the seemingly inept Tatsuno, who turns out to be a ninja himself. Eventually, Seikei's journey takes him to a sacred mountain, where he has brushes with the supernatural and a dangerous encounter with the murderer, who reveals the name of the man who hired him. Although the mystery plot itself is not as elaborate as those in the other novels in the series, this is a great adventure story, featuring lots of action, authentic period details, and an evocative, shadowy atmosphere. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 9-12
  • Hardcover: 208 pages
  • Publisher: Philomel (March 30, 2004)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0399237674
  • ISBN-13: 978-0399237676
  • Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,977 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

More About the Authors

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

Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
It was the hour of the rat; throughout the castle only shadows moved. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
writing kit, paper butterfly, judge nodded, wooden sword
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lord Inaba, O-Miwa Shrine, Yamato Province, Etchu Province, After Seikei, Tokaido Road
New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 1 book:
 
4 books cite this book:

Books on Related Topics (learn more)
 
 

What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries)
74% buy the item featured on this page:
In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) 4.6 out of 5 stars (5)
$11.55
The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries)
8% buy
The Demon in the Teahouse (The Samurai Mysteries) 4.6 out of 5 stars (16)
$5.99
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (The Samurai Mysteries)
8% buy
The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn (The Samurai Mysteries) 4.6 out of 5 stars (37)
$6.99
Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery)
6% buy
Samurai Never Fears Death (Samurai Mystery) 4.7 out of 5 stars (3)
$6.99
Explore similar items

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 
(1)

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more
 

Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.6 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars The Japanese Sherlock Holmes, his 14 year old adopted son Seikei and their ninja associate together seek the daiymo's assassin, June 8, 2009
This review is from: In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) (Paperback)
Synopsis:
Samurai Lord Inaba is murdered in his sleep while under the protection of the Shogun. Judge Ooka and his adoptive son, Seikei, attempt to investigate with a bloodstained origami butterfly as their sole clue. Judge Ooka enlists the aid of a "retired" ninja, Tatsuno, to accompany Seikei as he travels across Japan searching for the maker of the origami butterfly.

Their travels lead Seikei and Tatsuno to meet impoverished farmers, wary monks, and powerful daimyos. While Tatsuno attempts to warn Seikei to rein in his idealistic fervor, Seikei's code of honor win Tatsuno's respect. In the end, Seikei must flee from false imprisonment and face a dangerous and powerful ninja to find the truth behind the assassination.

Review:
In Darkness, Death introduces another interesting character in the series. Tatsuno, the "retired" ninja is cynical and resists having to accompany the young Seikei. Though Tatsuno could have abandoned Seikei numerous times, we find that Tatsuno follows a strict code of honor of his own. I enjoyed learning about Tatsuno and the lives of ninjas during the 1700s, their relationship to the monks and to the local farmers.
This adventure shared the wonderful balance of action and insight into Seikei's personality. His slow realization of the plight of the farmers, the power of the daiymo and the role of the Shogun and his officials was sad but very interesting. The dilemmas that he faced added further depth to fourteen year old Seikei's character.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best in the series, January 4, 2009
This review is from: In Darkness, Death (The Samurai Mysteries) (Paperback)
This book is one best one in the series. Its filled with mysteries. This is one of their best work.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An incredible mystery, May 17, 2004
By Kidsreads.com (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
It's the eighteenth century in Japan and Lord Inaba, the most powerful lord in the country, has just been killed. If that's not devastating enough, the murder happened right under the noses of two guards. They ask the famous Judge Ooka and his fourteen-year-old foster son and apprentice Seikei to figure out who did it. A paper origami butterfly stained with blood is their only lead.

Judge Ooka and Seikei begin to ask servants and villagers about the night of the murder. They all insist that they saw nothing and weren't involved. Then they ride to a guard's palace and capture Tinsuno, a ninja, and talk with him about the murder. The judge then asks Tinsuno to go with Seikei to see a papermaker named Bakkoro in Minnowa about the butterfly. Tinsuno agrees, and the journey begins.

When they get to Minnowa to see Bakkoro, they find out that the paper was made for the O-Miwa shrine at the base of Miwayama and that the shrine is forbidden; it has no shelter for the Kami to reside in because he lives on a sacred mountain. They next go to Etchu Providence to question Lord Inaba's enemies.

Upon their arrival, they find out that Lord Inaba had many foes. He murdered children and ordered farmers to pay full taxes on their crops, causing families to starve. Seikei decides to help the farmers get a petition of their complaints to the new Lord Inaba, Yotoro. But the petition is denied and Seikei is held as a prisoner. He escapes and goes to the governor's house alone.

While at the governor's house, Seikei and his father talk with the Kannushi about the murder. The Kannushi asks Seikei to perform one very dangerous task: to climb on Miwayama Mountain and confront the ninja who they believe committed the murder. Will the ninja confess to the crime, or will the mystery remain unsolved?

IN DARKNESS, DEATH is a must read for mystery fans because it will keep you guessing all the way to the end. When I discovered who the murderer was, I wasn't surprised. Can you guess who it is?

--- Reviewed by Ashley Hartlaub

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars In Darkness Death
In Darkness Death
This is the best book hat I have ever read and finished. Read more
Published on November 15, 2006

4.0 out of 5 stars My favorite "Judge Ooka" book
This third novel in the Judge Ooka mystery series is my fave cuz it involves a ninja, Tatsuna. The characterizations aren't deep or tremendous, but somehow that's OK in a... Read more
Published on June 28, 2004

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   

Product Information from the Amapedia Community

Beta (What's this?)

Look for Similar Items by Category

Look for Similar Items by Subject

Search Books by subject:
















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...
 

Feedback

If you need help or have a question for Customer Service, contact us.
 Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
Is there any other feedback you would like to provide?

Your comments can help make our site better for everyone.


Your Recent History

 (What's this?)

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.