In the months since their last perilous quest, a fragile calm has settled over Edo. Daijiro dedicates his days to training the first pupil of his quiet riverside dojo, while his father Kohei a famed swordsman whose name still inspires awe drifts through an uneasy retirement, his razor-sharp mind too restless for leisure. But such peace never lasts long in the shogunate.

One chill autumn night, Kohei is set upon by a band of tsujigiri lawless street slashers who test their blades on the innocent. To his astonishment, the gangs leader proves to be no mere rogue, but in fact one of the most important officials in the land. What begins as a chance encounter soon blooms into a deadly game of pursuit, vengeance and, finally, siege, as father and son are dragged into the citys pitch-black heart.

Other adventures soon follow, including the task of bringing to justice their most evil adversary yet, a villain of monstrous proportions . . .

The second instalment in Shotaro Ikenamis bestselling historical fiction series, The Samurai Detectives: The Killer on the Streets is a perfectly coiled mystery as well as a profound portrait of honour and justice in the twilight of the Shoguns world.

Format: Paperback
Published: UK, 2026
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Pages: 240
Language: English
ISBN 10: 1405975784
ISBN 13: 9781405975780

Author: Shotaro Ikenami

Historical mysteries

Published on 26 February 2026 by Penguin Books Ltd in the United Kingdom as part of ‘The Samurai Detectives’ series.

Paperback | 240 pages
197 x 129 x 17 | 172g

RETURN TO THE WORLD OF THE SAMURAI DETECTIVES, THE MULTI-MILLION COPY BESTSELLING SERIES OF THRILLING ADVENTURE AND INSCRUTABLE MYSTERYIn the months since their last perilous quest, a fragile calm has settled over Edo. Daijiro dedicates his days to training the first pupil of his quiet riverside dojo, while his father Kohei a famed swordsman whose name still inspires awe drifts through an uneasy retirement, his razor-sharp mind too restless for leisure. But such peace never lasts long in the shogunate.

One chill autumn night, Kohei is set upon by a band of tsujigiri lawless street slashers who test their blades on the innocent. To his astonishment, the gangs leader proves to be no mere rogue, but in fact one of the most important officials in the land. What begins as a chance encounter soon blooms into a deadly game of pursuit, vengeance and, finally, siege, as father and son are dragged into the citys pitch-black heart. Other adventures soon follow, including the task of bringing to justice their most evil adversary yet, a villain of monstrous proportions . . .

The second instalment in Shotaro Ikenamis bestselling historical fiction series, The Samurai Detectives: The Killer on the Streets is a perfectly coiled mystery as well as a profound portrait of honour and justice in the twilight of the Shoguns world.