Blends mythology and anthropology to trace the history of the warriors with extraordinary skills in combat, climbing, deception, disguise, and camouflage from their first appearance in feudal Japan to the present.

Originally published: London : Bantam, 2012.

Introduction: Ghosts of the shadow warriors --Origins -- How to be a shadow warrior/1: Mind and spirit -- Anti-ninja: The samurai -- How to be a shadow warrior/2: Deception -- and charm -- A world of violence and undercover ops -- How to be a shadow warrior/3: Magic -- Building the ninja heartland -- The rise of the conqueror -- The calm before the storm -- The end of the old ninjas -- Nobunaga's end, Ieyasu's rise -- The final battles -- Shadows in retreat -- The Nakano spy school -- To Japan, with love -- The last of the ninjas.