I got this fair-condition softcover (originally distributed by the Vermont Humanities Council) from a local Goodwill thrift store. It's based on a historical character from Edo era Japan, and deals with crime-solving in samurai days.

The setup introduces us to 14-year-old Seikei, who is on the road with his merchant father. They wind up at an inn where a samurai lord and his entourage have already been housed. Seikei dreams of being a samurai even though he knows that his birth and situation mean it can never be possible, but he's still fascinated by the samurai in the inn - and when he is sent by his father to deliver some tea to the man, he hopes to witness the fabled nobility in action. He finds, however, that this particular samurai lord is casually cruel, and much less sophisticated than he thinks himself to be.

Rendered sleepless by this setback to his vision of samurai, Seikei is awake when a strange figure appears at the door of his room - something demonic and eerie, which vanishes into the darkness when he dares to follow it.

Later on, the samurai lord declares that someone has stolen the valuable ruby he was showing off to everyone who came near, and he's on the point of having a young girl and her father convicted of the crime on the spot when the magistrate, a samurai called Judge Ooka, turns up and starts a proper investigation. And Ooka gets Seikei to help him out, finding a tunnel that could have been used by the mysterious "demon" to carry away the prize. This leads to a quest for the truth, with Seikei finding himself increasingly responsible for life-or-death decisions - and increasingly aware of Ooka's talent for getting at the truth.

The story moves along well, and introduces the reader (and Seikei) to many aspects of life at that time and place, including a stint with a traveling theater troupe. Seikei learns the true cost of the samurai vows of honor and loyalty, but will it change his desire to follow that path?

[There's a short TV Tropes page on the book.]

I'm adding this book to the Far East bookbox, which will be on its way to its next stop soon. Enjoy!

Took this out of the bookbox. Looks like a children's book, a quick, easy read, which I don't mind at all!

Quite interesting, a teen whodunnit set in feudal Japan. While the "who" is resolved fairly early on, the "why" isn't disclosed till the end, though a good amount of hints are dropped along the way. There are also lots of information about life in Japan during that period, which adds interest.

I've given this book to a friend who will be travelling in Europe, so he can enjoy it during the trip.

Will be leaving this in the cafe area.

I hope whoever find this will enjoy a good read, and join BookCrossing.

I left it in baixa terrace hostel in faro portugal