I am a huge fan of the Kindaichi series and I'm really pleased they are continuing to translate and publish these books. Death on Gokumon Island is the second in the series and it tells the tale of a series of creepy deaths on an isolated island. Kindaichi, our detective, shows up after receiving a message from a dying friend and is disturbed when the warnings seem to come true.
Of all the Kindaichi books I've read so far, this one is probably my least favourite. It has a solid premise and some cool/interesting deaths, but the writing style is less conversational than the first book and the characters seem less involved. There is less of a focus on a small, tightknit group of characters (like in The Honjin Murders) and therefore this book offers slightly less of what I enjoy about murder mysteries. However, the deaths are more intense and varied than the first book and I think there is enough of a mystery to keep people invested.
Overall, I don't think this book is worth skipping if you're reading all of them but I wouldn't suggest starting with it necessarily. The other books are stronger and while this is still a solid murder mystery, it's not the best this author or series has to offer
Overall Rating:
3/5 stars
