The Demon in the Teahouse (Samurai Detective) - Softcover

Hoobler, Dorothy; Hoobler, Thomas

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1490901124 ISBN 13: 9781490901121

Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub, 2013

Synopsis

Someone is setting fires in the city of Edo, capital of Japan. The shogun sends samurai Judge Ooka and his newly adopted son Seikei to find the firestarter. The trail leads them to Yoshiwara, the “floating world” where beautiful geishas perform nightly for rich and powerful men. Seikei must discover secrets in this mysterious place that take him to the brink of a burning roof—and death.

About this title

About the Author:

Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler have written almost 100 books, for children, young adults, and general audiences. The third book in their Samurai Detective series, "In Darkness, Death" won an Edgar for the Best YA novel of 2004. Mystery writer Michael Connelly called the Hooblers' most recent nonfiction book, "The Crimes of Paris," "a book you can't put down. I found it to be irresistibly engrossing." You can read more about the Hooblers on their website HooblerAuthors.com.

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.

About this edition

• Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1490901124
• ISBN 13: 9781490901121
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 135