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Susan Spann

Goodreads Author

Born

in Santa Monica, CA, The United States

Website

http://www.susanspann.com

Twitter

susanspann

Genre

Mystery, Historical, Crime

Member Since

March 2012

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/susan_spann

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Author of the Hiro Hattori Novels (Shinobi Mysteries), featuring ninja detective Hiro Hattori and his Portuguese Jesuit sidekick, Father Mateo.

CLAWS OF THE CAT (Minotaur Books, 2013)
Library Journal Mystery Debut of the Month
Silver Falchion Finalist: Best First Novel

BLADE OF THE SAMURAI (Minotaur Books, 2014)

FLASK OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER (Minotaur Books, July 2015)

THE NINJA'S DAUGHTER (Seventh Street Books, August 2016)

BETRAYAL AT IGA (Seventh Street Books, July 2017) ...more

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Susan Spann’s books

Average rating: 4.07 · 2,941 ratings · 659 reviews · 12 distinct works • Similar authors

	Claws of the Cat (Shinobi Mystery, #1) 3.89 avg rating — 942 ratings — published 2013 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Blade of the Samurai (Shinobi Mystery, #2) 4.08 avg rating — 466 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Ninja's Daughter (Shinobi Mystery, #4) 4.13 avg rating — 340 ratings — published 2016 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Betrayal at Iga (Shinobi Mystery #5) 4.26 avg rating — 302 ratings — published 2017 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Flask of the Drunken Master (Shinobi Mystery, #3) 4.02 avg rating — 304 ratings — published 2015 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Trial on Mount Koya (Shinobi Mystery #6) 4.18 avg rating — 248 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Ghost of the Bamboo Road (Shinobi Mystery #7) 4.18 avg rating — 162 ratings — published 2019 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Fires of Edo (Shinobi Mystery, #8) 4.45 avg rating — 132 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Climb: Leaving Safe and Finding Strength on 100 Summits in Japan 4.06 avg rating — 35 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Betrayal at Iga: A Hiro Hattori Novel (A Shinobi Mystery Book 5) 4.67 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Susan Spann…

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Susan Spann's Blog

The Samurai’s Octopus: An Interview With Jonelle Patrick

Today, I’m lucky to be hosting Jonelle Patrick, a friend who also happens to be one of my favorite mystery authors. She’s here to talk with us about her new historical mystery novel, THE SAMURAI’S OCTOPUS – which also happens to be the best new book I’ve read in at least a year, and one I absolutely recommend.

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Published on April 24, 2026 06:00

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Series by Susan Spann

Shinobi Mystery (8 books)
by

Susan Spann (Goodreads Author)

4.07 avg rating — 2,895 ratings

Susan is Currently Reading

Susan Spann is currently reading

The Branson Beauty (Sheriff Hank Worth, #1)

by Claire Booth (Goodreads Author)

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Sep 24, 2024 02:40AM

Susan Spann is currently reading

Gilded Lives, Fatal Voyage: The Titanic's First-Class Passengers and Their World

by Hugh Brewster

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Mar 29, 2016 07:27PM

Susan Spann is currently reading

Kansai cool: a journey into the cultural heartland of Japan

by Christal Whelan (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

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May 13, 2014 01:29AM

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Susan’s Recent Updates

Susan Spann wrote a new blog post The Samurai’s Octopus: An Interview With Jonelle Patrick Today, I’m lucky to be hosting Jonelle Patrick, a friend who also happens to be one of my favorite mystery authors. She’s here to talk with us about h Read more of this blog post »
Apr 25, 2026 01:43AM · like

More of Susan's books…

Quotes by Susan Spann (?)

“If your imaginary friends are at all like mine, they’re better off dead.”
― Susan Spann

tags: imagination, writing

1 likes

“Small-minded men had large opinions that left no mental room for any ideas but their own.”
― Susan Spann, Trial on Mount Koya

0 likes

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
2026 Reading Chal...: LynnE's 2014 Challenges	26	110	Aug 27, 2014 09:00AM
Cozy Mysteries : Title and Author Game, Round 2	15570	1211	Mar 21, 2016 09:15AM
Cozy Mysteries : August 2016	8	75	Aug 15, 2016 10:19AM
SA Book & Challen...: Carolien's 2016 Reading Goals	7	26	Dec 31, 2016 09:29PM
The Life of a Boo...: Carolien's Murder is Everywhere 2016 challenge	38	108	Jan 20, 2017 06:04AM
Cozy Mysteries : Title and Author game, Round 3	13653	562	Apr 03, 2017 09:53AM
Cozy Mysteries : July 2017	3	123	Jul 02, 2017 11:49AM
The Life of a Boo...: July is, 'All Things Japanese' Month	16	45	Jul 18, 2017 12:46PM
The Seasonal Read...: Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD	2921	514	Aug 31, 2017 09:01PM

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Susan’s Quotes

“We need very strong ears to hear ourselves judged frankly, and because there are few who can endure frank criticism without being stung by it, those who venture to criticize us perform a remarkable act of friendship, for to undertake to wound or offend a man for his own good is to have a healthy love for him.”
― Michel de Montaigne

tags: criticism, friendship, judgement, judgment

30 likes