The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review.

The Inugami Curse is the story of a wealthy family who gets thrown into disarray when the contents of the patriarch's will get revealed. To the family's shock, the money gets left to a seemingly unrelated female guest of the house, with additional caveats that she must marry one of the grandsons within a set time period. The only way to escape this clause is if all three grandsons die, or if the woman herself dies.

The setup to this book is a lot more complicated than the Honjin Murders, though this also allows for a lot more interpersonal conflict and character interactions. It is an intriguing mystery once you get into the swing of it, with lots going on and plenty of dramatic reveals throughout. I particularly enjoyed the sense of threat throughout. It's like an Agatha Christie with more bite, with the rich family members all treating each other with suspicion and gruesome deaths round every corner.

Overall, I am thoroughly enjoying these translated mysteries and I really hope for more in the future. They're a great way to branch out your murder mystery tastes, and it's always good to read more detective fiction from the golden age

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The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review.

This was the first Japanese murder mystery I'd ever read, and I wasn't sure how I would feel about it. I tend to be a 'married to Agatha Christie' girl in terms of my mysteries, but I am so glad I branched out here.

The Honjin Murders is a fascinating tale of a newly-wed husband and wife, who both die violently on the night of their wedding. Just days before, a mysterious man was seen outside the house. The Ichiyanagi family are rich and proud, and adding to the mystery is the fact that the room the deaths occurred in appears to be locked with no way for a murderer to escape.

This book was an absolute joy to read. The writing/translation is fantastic and very entertaining. I loved the characters, particularly the detective Kosuke Kindaichi. The chapters are short and quick to read, which means it has a similar pacing to a Christie book. The mystery itself is very intriguing, with the surrounding characters and clues making for an enjoyable time.

I absolutely recommend this book if you are a fan of the genre. I have subsequently read almost all the translated books by this author, and they are all brilliant reads. I am so glad this book has been chosen for translation, and I can only hope more will follow.

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The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

 

I received an ARC of this book thanks to NetGalley and publisher Pushkin Press in exchange for an honest review.

I am loving this recent boost in translating Japanese murder mysteries, and The Mill House Murders is no exception. I read and loved The Decagon House Murders last year, and this book had a similar setup but with a completely different mystery and feel, which I really appreciated.

The Mill House Murders is the story of a strange group of people who gather every year in the same house to view a collection of prestigious paintings. One year though, a horrible string of events results in two people dead. The following year, people gather as usual but are joined by a detective who wants to solve the mystery of what really happened a year ago.

This book is told across two time points, the past and the present. The main character linking these together is Fujinuma Kiichi, a man who hides his face behind a rubber mask due to an accident which left him disfigured long ago. This style of narration/structure works quite well. I found I didn't often get confused about what time period it was, something which the distinct characters also helped a lot with. It was interesting seeing the mystery unfold in 'real time' whilst also getting the investigation of the present day.

In terms of tone, this book excellently captures that kind of Christie-esque vibe. I was surprised (perhaps naively so) how culturally accessible it was from that standpoint. I thoroughly enjoyed the creepiness of the mystery, the intrigue of the characters and the overall premise and solution.

Overall, I strongly recommend this book if you enjoy traditional murder mysteries. The plot is captivating, the characters intriguing and the writing/translation is very entertaining. An enjoyable read all round!

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