About Blade of the Samurai
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books (July 15, 2014)
.June, 1565: Master ninja Hiro Hattori receives a pre-dawn visit from Kazu, a fellow shinobi working undercover at the shogunate. Hours before, the shogun’s cousin, Saburo, was stabbed to death in the shogun’s palace. The murder weapon: Kazu’s personal dagger. Kazu says he’s innocent, and begs for Hiro’s help, but his story gives Hiro reason to doubt the young shinobi’s claims.
.When the shogun summons Hiro and Father Mateo, the Portuguese Jesuit priest under Hiro’s protection, to find the killer, Hiro finds himself forced to choose between friendship and personal honor. .
.The investigation reveals a plot to assassinate the shogun and overthrow the ruling Ashikaga clan. With Lord Oda’s enemy forces approaching Kyoto, and the murderer poised to strike again, Hiro must use his assassin’s skills to reveal the killer’s identity and protect the shogun at any cost. Kazu, now trapped in the city, still refuses to explain his whereabouts at the time of the murder. But a suspicious shogunate maid, Saburo’s wife, and the shogun’s stable master also had reasons to want Saburo dead. With the shogun demanding the murderer’s head before Lord Oda reaches the city, Hiro and Father Mateo must produce the killer in time . . . or die in his place.
.Blade of the Samurai is a complex mystery that will transport readers to a thrilling and unforgettable adventure in sixteenth-century Japan.
Praise for Claws of the Cat:
.“While Spann demonstrates admirable attention to detail in her ninja detective debut, it’s the contemporary tone of her prose that makes this intriguing 16th-century historical so accessible. Laura Joh Rowland fans will like this book for the time period, but the ‘buddy tone’ is reminiscent of Ian Morson’s ‘Nick Zuliani’ series and Gary Corby’s ‘Athenian Mysteries’ series.”—Library Journal (starred review, mystery debut of the month)
.“Spann’s debut provides an absorbing look at Japanese culture along with a sharp mystery.”—Kirkus Reviews
.“Spann matches period detail with a well-developed whodunit plot in her promising debut, the first in a new series set in 16th-century Japan.”—Publishers Weekly
.“Different enough from Rowland’s and Parker’s popular series and set in a mostly untapped period of Japanese history, the book should do well with fans of those writers.”—Booklist
.“Claws of the Cat is an excursion into 16th century Japan where exotic locales take on a familiar flavor as a samurai investigates a murder….It’s an intriguing tale with dramatic descriptions and vivid characterizations, revealing that love, jealousy, and greed not only are universal emotions, but also remain unchanged by the centuries.”—New York Journal of Books?
.“Spann displays her knowledge and expertise while presenting a fascinating and complicated mystery. This is fun, historically entertaining and a very good book.”—RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
.Check out the first six chapters HERE.
Purchase Links
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About Susan Spann
Susan Spann is a transactional publishing attorney and the author of the Shinobi Mysteries, featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori and his Portuguese Jesuit sidekick, Father Mateo. Her debut novel, CLAWS OF THE CAT (Minotaur Books, 2013), was named a Library Journal Mystery Debut of the Month. Susan has a degree in Asian Studies from Tufts University, where she studied Chinese and Japanese language, history, and culture. Her hobbies include cooking, traditional archery, martial arts, and horseback riding. She lives in northern California with her husband, son, two cats, and an aquarium full of seahorses.
Connect with Susan
Susan Spann’s TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS:
Monday, July 14th: Reading Reality
Wednesday, July 16th: Back Porchervations
Monday, July 21st: Quirky Bookworm
Wednesday, July 23rd: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Tuesday, July 29th: The Reader’s Hollow
Thursday, July 31st: Open Book Society
Monday, August 4th: Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Wednesday, August 6th: Wordsmithonia
Thursday, August 7th: Nerds in Babeland
Monday, August 11th: Book Dilettante
Wednesday, August 13th: 5 Minutes for Books
Monday, August 18th: ebookclassics
Thursday, August 21st: Jorie Loves a Story
Monday, September 8th: 50 Books Project
Wednesday, September 10th: Broken Teepee