The first book in the legendary Japanese detective series that has thrilled millions of readers worldwide with its vibrant historical detail, underworld schemes, and intricate mysteries—available at last in the US.

It has been half a year since Akiyama Daijiro became a samurai; half a year since he left his father, Kohei—the wisest swordsman in the land—to set up his own blade school by the cool of the river. Ever since, amid the swaying bamboo groves, he waits patiently for his first disciple.

But his serenity is soon disrupted by a mysterious samurai with a dishonorable offer: a vast sum of gold in exchange for attacking and injuring the daughter of the Shogun's most senior counselor. Troubled by the proposal, Daijiro, alongside his father and Mifuyu, a female warrior without match, soon set out into the underworld of Edo-era Japan to uncover the conspiracy, before quickly finding themselves embroiled in a series of increasingly perilous adventures…

Blending ingenious mysteries with vividly realized historical detail, the Samurai Detectives series has captivated generations of readers and remains one of Japan's most beloved works of historical fiction.