Where did your inspiration to write a murder mystery in feudal Japan come from? I have become fascinated in the time period and I was wondering what caught your eye about the period and locality.

Susan Spann I'm so sorry I'm just now seeing this!! I've loved feudal Japan since I saw the SHOGUN miniseries back in 1980 (I can't believe it's been over 30 years...). The inspiration for the series came from a combination of my love for Japan and an idea that popped into my head one morning while I was getting ready for work. Out of nowhere, I thought: "most ninjas commit murders, but Hiro Hattori solves them." I knew immediately that was such a cool idea, I just had to write it. From there, I picked the time period because the mid-16th century was the height of real ninja activity in Japan, and also the time when the Jesuits were present - allowing me to create a Holmes and Watson feel to the books.

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