OK, it’s actually the release day for my newest Hiro Hattori novel, BETRAYAL AT IGA – but since Hiro is a ninja (who solves mysteries along with his partner-in-crime-solving, Father Mateo) I think it’s fair to declare today Official Ninja Day too!
This newest installment takes Hiro and Father Mateo into the mountains of Iga province, the real historical home of the Iga ryu–one of Japan’s most famous ninja clans:
Autumn, 1565: After fleeing Kyoto, master ninja Hiro Hattori and Portuguese Jesuit Father Mateo take refuge with Hiro’s ninja clan in the mountains of Iga province. But when an ambassador from the rival Koga clan is murdered during peace negotiations, Hiro and Father Mateo must find the killer in time to prevent a war between the ninja clans.
With every suspect a trained assassin, and the evidence incriminating not only Hiro’s commander, the infamous ninja Hattori Hanzō, but also Hiro’s mother and his former lover, the detectives must struggle to find the truth in a village where deceit is a cultivated art. As tensions rise, the killer strikes again, and Hiro finds himself forced to choose between his family and his honor.
This is my favorite Hiro Hattori mystery to date, and I hope, if you like ninjas, Japan, or mysteries, you’ll give it a try! (Although the book is the fifth in the series, I’ve written the novels to stand alone, so you don’t have to read the previous books to enjoy–or understand–this one!)
You can find Betrayal at Iga in print and ebook editions wherever books are sold–at your local bookstore, or online at Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and IndieBound (to name a few).
And if you’re in the Sacramento area, I hope you’ll join me this coming Friday, July 14 at 6:30pm at Face in a Book, (4359 Town Center Blvd. #113, El Dorado Hills, CA) for a reading and signing of Betrayal at Iga along with stories about my recent trip to Japan!