Order of Sano Ichiro Books
Sano Ichiro is the protagonist in a series of historical mystery/detective fiction novels by American novelist Laura Joh Rowland. The series is set in 17th century Edo, Japan (now Tokyo). Sano Ichiro is a samurai who has difficulty following the bushido code. He must balance serving his master as well as his wife, Ueda Reiko. The novel stays true to historical details, while taking some creative license with some characters.
Laura Joh Rowland began her Sano Ichiro historical mysteries series in 1994 with the novel Shinju, which was also her debut novel. The series is currently ongoing. Below is a list of Laura Joh Rowland’s Sano Ichiro books in order of when they were originally released (which is the same as their chronological order):
Publication Order of Sano Ichiro Books
| Shinju | (1994) |    |
| Bundori | (1996) | |
| The Way of the Traitor | (1997) | |
| The Concubine's Tattoo | (1998) | |
| The Samurai's Wife | (2000) | |
| Black Lotus | (2001) | |
| The Pillow Book of Lady Wisteria | (2002) | |
| The Dragon King's Palace | (2003) | |
| The Perfumed Sleeve | (2004) | |
| The Assassin's Touch | (2005) | |
| Red Chrysanthemum | (2006) | |
| The Snow Empress | (2007) | |
| The Fire Kimono | (2008) | |
| The Cloud Pavilion | (2009) | |
| The Ronin's Mistress | (2011) | |
| The Incense Game | (2012) | |
| The Shogun's Daughter | (2013) | |
| The Iris Fan | (2014) | |
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Sano Ichiro Synopsis: In Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland, a wealthy woman and a lower class artist are found drowned together in a double suicide (known as a shinju), it is believed that the reason was because their love was forbidden – by everyone except for Sani Ichiro, who has newly been appointed as yoriki (feudal lord). He is of the opinion that this is not infact a shinju, but a double murder. He must risk his family’s name and his own life in order to search for a murderer.
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