Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor

The Problem This Book Solves

Most accounts of Pearl Harbor focus on the surprise attack itself—the battleships, the casualties, the declaration of war. But a critical piece of the puzzle has remained hidden for decades: the shadow war of espionage that unfolded in the months and years before December 7, 1941. Who was watching Hawaii? Who was watching the watchers? And how did a Japanese American naval intelligence officer and a Japanese spy become entangled in a high-stakes game that would decide the fate of the Pacific?

Ghosts of Honolulu solves this gap by bringing to light the untold true story of Douglas Wada, a Japanese American counterintelligence agent for U.S. Naval Intelligence, and Takeo Yoshikawa, the Japanese spy who infiltrated Pearl Harbor. This book answers the question: What really happened in the intelligence war before the bombs fell?

About Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor

Ghosts of Honolulu is a narrative nonfiction book by Mark Harmon (actor and producer) and Leon Carroll (former NCIS technical advisor) that uncovers the secret history of Japanese espionage in Hawaii before World War II. Published by Harper Select in 2023, this meticulously researched work draws on declassified files, personal interviews, and long-buried historical records to reconstruct a story that has been overlooked by mainstream history.

The book centers on two men: Douglas Wada, a Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) who served as a spy hunter for U.S. Naval Intelligence, and Takeo Yoshikawa, a Japanese naval intelligence officer who posed as a diplomat and gathered critical intelligence on the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Their paths never crossed directly, but their stories are interwoven in a narrative that reveals the invisible war of intelligence that raged beneath the surface of pre-war Hawaii.

Who Should Read This Book?

This book is essential reading for several distinct audiences:

• World War II history enthusiasts who want to go beyond the standard narrative of the Pacific War and understand the intelligence dimension
• Espionage and intelligence buffs who appreciate real-life spy stories with high stakes, double agents, and moral ambiguity
• Japanese American history readers interested in the overlooked contributions and sacrifices of Nisei during a period of intense prejudice
• True crime and mystery fans drawn to the detective work of tracking spies and uncovering hidden identities
• Military professionals and strategists seeking case studies in counterintelligence and the consequences of intelligence failure
• General readers of narrative nonfiction who want a gripping, character-driven story that reads like a thriller

Skills You Will Gain

By reading Ghosts of Honolulu, you will gain a deeper understanding of the hidden war before the war. Here are the most important takeaways:

• How Japanese intelligence operated in Hawaii — the methods, networks, and cover stories used by spies to gather information on the U.S. fleet
• Who Douglas Wada was and why his story matters — a Japanese American who risked everything to serve his country while facing suspicion from both sides
• The real identity and methods of Takeo Yoshikawa — the spy who provided the intelligence that made Pearl Harbor possible
• The failures of U.S. counterintelligence before December 7 — why warnings were missed and how bureaucratic turf wars hindered detection
• The untold role of Japanese American loyalty and sacrifice — a perspective rarely included in mainstream histories of the attack
• The post-war aftermath for the spies and spy hunters — what happened to the key players after the war ended
• How this history was uncovered — the research process, declassified documents, and the challenges of reconstructing a secret history

Why Choose This Edition

Most books on Pearl Harbor focus on the military attack, the political decisions, or the broader Pacific strategy. Ghosts of Honolulu fills a critical gap by zeroing in on the human intelligence war—the spies, the double agents, and the intelligence officers who operated in the shadows. Unlike standard histories that treat espionage as a footnote, this book makes it the central drama.

Compared to titles like At Dawn We Slept or Day of Infamy, which cover the attack itself in exhaustive detail, Ghosts of Honolulu offers a fresh, character-driven perspective that reveals the prelude to the attack from the inside. It also stands apart from other espionage histories like Spycraft or The Secret Life of Bletchley Park because it focuses specifically on the Pacific theater and the unique challenges of intelligence work in a racially charged environment.

The book’s dual narrative structure—following both the spy and the spy hunter—gives it a dramatic tension that most historical accounts lack. And because it is written by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll, both with deep ties to the NCIS world (Harmon as the star of the show, Carroll as its technical advisor), the book benefits from a storytelling sensibility that balances accuracy with narrative drive.

Behind the Book

Mark Harmon is best known for his 18-year role as Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS, but his interest in military and intelligence history is long-standing. His father, Tom Harmon, was a decorated World War II pilot and Heisman Trophy winner, giving Harmon a personal connection to the war. Harmon’s production company has also developed historical content, and his collaboration with Leon Carroll brings authenticity to the project.

Leon Carroll served as a technical advisor on NCIS for years, drawing on his own background as a former Naval intelligence officer. His expertise in counterintelligence and his access to declassified files and veteran networks were instrumental in uncovering the story of Douglas Wada. Together, Harmon and Carroll combine Hollywood storytelling with real-world intelligence experience to produce a book that is both compelling and credible.

The publisher, Harper Select, is an imprint of HarperCollins, one of the world’s largest and most respected publishing houses. Harper Select specializes in narrative nonfiction and history, and its editorial standards ensure that the book meets rigorous fact-checking and research requirements.

The Bottom Line

For readers interested in World War II, espionage, or the untold stories of Japanese American service, Ghosts of Honolulu is absolutely worth the investment. It offers a perspective that is rare in the Pearl Harbor literature: the story of a Japanese American who served his country while facing suspicion, and the story of a Japanese spy who executed his mission with chilling precision. The book is meticulously researched, drawing on primary sources that have been overlooked for decades, and it is written with a narrative flair that makes it accessible to general readers.

Where the book truly excels is in its humanity. Rather than reducing the intelligence war to a series of bureaucratic failures or tactical successes, Harmon and Carroll focus on the individuals involved—their motivations, their fears, and their choices. This approach makes the history feel immediate and personal, and it helps the reader understand the moral complexities of intelligence work in a time of war.

The only potential drawback is that the book is relatively short (around 300 pages) and focuses narrowly on the pre-war period. Readers looking for a comprehensive history of Pearl Harbor or the entire Pacific War will need to supplement this with other works. But as a deep dive into a specific, under-explored aspect of the attack, it is unmatched.

Download Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor Now

If you are a history enthusiast, a student of military intelligence, or simply someone who loves a well-told true story, Ghosts of Honolulu belongs on your shelf. This 2023 release from Harper Select offers a fresh, essential perspective on one of the most pivotal events of the 20th century—a perspective that has been hidden for too long. Order your copy today and discover the untold story of the spies and spy hunters who shaped the course of World War II. Add to cart now and gain access to a piece of history that has been waiting to be told.