Naomi Hirahara

2 series 6 books in order

Naomi Hirahara is the Edgar® Award-winning author of the Officer Ellie Rush Mysteries, including Grave on Grand Avenue and Murder on Bamboo Lane (which received the T. Jefferson Parker Mystery Award). Born and raised in Pasadena, Naomi received her bachelor’s degree in international relations from Stanford University and studied at the Inter-University Center for Advanced Japanese Language Studies in Tokyo. She worked as a reporter and editor of The Rafu Shimpo in downtown Los Angeles. She is also the author of the Mas Arai Mysteries (including Summer of the Big Bachi, Gasa-Gasa Girl, and Snakeskin Shamisen) and the middle-grade novel 1001 Cranes, and has written, edited, and published several nonfiction books, largely about the Japanese American experience. She lives with her husband in Southern California.

Known for: A Japantown Mystery, Mas Arai

Series by Naomi Hirahara

A Japantown Mystery

3 books in order · 2021–2026

Clark and Division

2021 · Naomi Hirahara

A New York Times Best Mystery Novel of 2021 Set in 1944 Chicago, Edgar Award-winner Naomi Hirahara’s eye-opening and poignant new mystery, the story…
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Evergreen

2023 · Naomi Hirahara

A Japanese American nurse's aide navigates the dangers of post-WWII and post-Manzanar life as she attempts to find justice for a broken family in…
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Crown City

2026 · Naomi Hirahara

In turn-of-the-century California, two Japanese amateur detectives uncover the dark underbelly of their multicultural city—from the Mary Higgins…
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Mas Arai

3 books in order · 2004–2006

Summer of the Big Bachi

2004 · Naomi Hirahara

In the foothills of Pasadena, Mas Arai is just another Japanese-American gardener, his lawnmower blades clean and sharp, his truck carefully tuned.…
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Gasa-Gasa Girl

2005 · Naomi Hirahara

From the time she was a child, Mas Arai’s daughter, Mari, was completely gasa-gasa–never sitting still, always on the go, getting into everything.…
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Snakeskin Shamisen

2006 · Naomi Hirahara

From Summer of the Big Bachi to Gasa-Gasa Girl, Naomi Hirahara’s acclaimed novels have featured one of mystery fiction’s most unique heroes: Mas…
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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Naomi Hirahara written?

We list 6 books by Naomi Hirahara across 2 series, published between 2004–2026 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Naomi Hirahara's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Clark and Division.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Naomi Hirahara's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.

Book descriptions, author biographies, award records and review quotes on this page are courtesy of Penguin Random House.