The Ninja's Illusion

A Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery, Book 5

By: Gigi Pandian

Narrated by: Allyson Ryan

A fabled illusion performed by a stage magician who claims to possess real supernatural powers. A treasure from the colonial era in India when international supremacies vied for power. A phantom trading ship lost over 200 years ago. And a ninja whose murderous intentions in present-day Japan connect the deeds of a long-dead trader who was much more than he seemed....

When Jaya travels from San Francisco to Japan with her stage magician best friend Sanjay - a.k.a. The Hindi Houdini - for his Japanese debut, she jumps at the chance to pursue her own research that could solve a tantalizing centuries-old mystery.

With the colorful autumn leaves of historic Kyoto falling around her, Jaya soon loses sight of what's real and what's a deception. A mysterious ninja attempts sabotage on Sanjay's trick, along with Japan's most controversial magician, Akira. Ancient folklore blurs the lines between illusion and reality when a magician's assistant appears to be a kitsune, a mythical fox spirit. As tricks escalate to murder, Jaya and her friends must unravel secrets hidden in the ancient capital of Japan, before one of their own becomes the next victim.

©2017 Gigi Pandian (P)2017 Tantor

Did not disappoint!

Super good and i can't wait for the next book! As usual through this book we are able to explore history and another culture. All while experiencing a a thrilling mystery with fun twists and turns.

Great

I love the 4th Maya Jones book. I wish the hallmark murders and mysteries channel would pick it up

Not as good

I have listened to all of Gigi Pandian's audible books and enjoyed them all. Unfortunately this one just wasn't as good as the others. I also find books that end on a cliff hanger to be extremely irritating. I may listen to the next one only because I have enjoyed the others so much. I hope it will be back to her standards.

HISTORY, MYSTERY, AND MAGICIANS,OH MY!

I am loving this series and all the great characters that keep showing up again. What a treat it is to have so many characters fleshed out so fully that you feel part of their gang.
The culture and history that is so skillfully woven into the mystery makes me wish that I had had teachers who could bring it all to life as well as Gigi does, every time. I hope Hiro shows up again, soon.
Allyson does a great job with the many characters, and I look forward to more from her, but I wish she could edit out the New York accent that keeps creeping in. Words like “foe erd” for forward, for example, are jarring.
I also love the peeks behind the curtains into the world of magicians.
Gigi’s books are so much fun, because they are endlessly unpredictable.
Now I’m plugging in book 6, “The Glass thief” and heading off with Jaya again. I can’t wait!

Quite Entertaining

I listened to the first two books and enjoyed them very much. I was short on credits and cash so I chose the best reviewed one out of the remaining 3 and bought this one. I’m glad I did. I always pay attention to reviews and in my experience with over 1,300 audible books, most are on the money. There are some reviewers I have completely disagreed with but I went with my gut.
This was a great adventure and a slowly evolving mystery, with a wonderful ending. Jaya is getting, smarter, bolder, stronger and hearing her grow and evolve as a professor and woman is wonderful!
All the usual characters are present, some more than others and the ending was a perfect set up for the next adventure, NOT a cliffhanger, you will no doubt be satisfied.
Now for Allyson Ryan. I have discovered via this series a new favorite reader. She is wonderful. She pronounces and enunciates wonderfully and accents, at least to my ears are fairly genuine. She reads life into every character no ambiguities. Ms. Ryan and Ms. Pandian a very dynamic duo indeed!