the honjin murders review

by Pushkin Vertigo. An English translation of the masterful Japanese mystery author Seishi Yokomizo, one of Japan's most beloved mystery writers. There is some family dispute about the match, with Katsuko not being seen as of a good enough background for Kenzo. Seishi Yokomizo. So, it is with great anticipation that I began reading The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo. -- NB Magazine 'The master of Japanese crime.' Is The Honjin Murders, however, a truly good detective and murder mystery story? In this book we meet the main star of the series, detective Kindaichi, who solved murder and other crimes (I hope) in next 70 something (!) A couple are slain on their wedding night, and a mysterious three-fingered man is implicated, though the room the … December 24, 2020 jamesscottbyrnside. While it’s impossible to discuss them without giving the ending away, the theme of class, hierarchy, and familial responsibility within Japanese society is certainly there to be picked apart and mulled over long after the story ends. 4.0 out of 5 stars The Honjin Murders. Yokomizo proves here to be a master of pacing and setting: he knows what is important and what isn’t. Then there is an unwinding that, for me, was well done. Its short length, quirky cast of characters, engaging mystery, and theatrical setting and plot make for a fantastic murder mystery tale. I found myself a willing reader as the narrator presented the various stages of the crime: characters and setting involved, set up of events and the deaths themselves. Particularly of interest are the hierarchies within society and within the family unit The eventual explanation for. I love crime fiction and nothing thrills me more in this genre than the locked room mystery. The Honjin Murders. The fun that’s to be had with this book is in the interactions between the characters and the setting, as well as simply sitting back and enjoying the detective character of Kosuke Kindaichi with all of his eccentricities. If you ask us, it's always the perfect time to lose yourself in a page-turning mystery. The Honjin Murders, Seishi Yokomizo, trans. The Honjin Murders reads as any good Agatha Christie novel would. Some readers desperately attempt to work out the solution to the crime and figure out whodunnit long before the end, like the novel is a puzzle box. books. To help you sleuth out a new read, we asked the... To see what your friends thought of this book, I don't understand your question. An ideal book to curl up with on a winter’s night.’ This sensational case marked the debut of the eccentric young detective genius Kosuke Kindaichi. This Japanese murder-mystery is set in the 1930’s and involves the marriage of Kenzo, the proud, eldest son of the Ichiyanagi family, with Katsuko, a schoolteacher. Originally published in 1946, it is the first book in the renowned […] Now I am going to do an about face and say I enjoyed this example of the genre quite a bit for those rules or conventions it breaks or stretches quite widely. February 5, 2021 aliceb Leave a comment. I would love to see the reenactment of the murder on screen as I had a hard time visualizing it completely. The Honjin Murders is a wickedly fun time. Translated by Louise Heal Kawai.Pushkin Vertigo; 192 pages; $14.95 and £8.99. While Yokomizo wrote 76 stories featuring the intrepid detective, only two have been translated into English to date (the second is. I not long ago read a book that I marked down a bit for being a locked room mystery. While I didn’t anticipate all of the reveals that make up the final act, not every twist and turn had the impact that was intended. 3.75 stars. Unfortunately Goodreads has a strange policy o. I don't understand your question. Now I am going to do an about face and say I enjoyed this example of the genre quite a bit for those rules or conventions it breaks or stretches quite widely. By Seishi Yokomizo. The rest of the household report hearing the twanging of a koto (traditional Japanese instrument) and such an instrument is found missing a bridge and string. Conclusion. It was a magnificent sight: an entire library of detective novels.”, https://pushkinpress.com/books/the-honjin-murders, Detective Kosuke Kindaichi (English Translation Order) #1. While he mentioned quite a few of the staples of this literature and touched on the general mechanism behind these cases, it's a (relatively) good thing that he managed to only spoil one Sherlock Holmes story, as I plan to look these up later. Reply. We specialise in unique travel guides, delicious culinary experiences, and everything art and literature related. S EISHI YOKOMIZO was one of … The Honjin Murders (Detective Kosuke Kindaichi, #1), “A locked room murder, a red ochre-painted room and the sound of the koto...”. Upon finishing it, I can't say I loved it, though. It was published in 1948 making it a silver-age era mystery but with a deliciously different perspective. The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (August 2020), Meet the Authors of Spring's Biggest Mysteries. The Honjin Murders …is a classic locked-room murder mystery…The premise alone is dazzling…. And so, The Honjin Murders – the first book in a legendary series of Shōwa period Japanese detective stories by Seishi Yokomizo – is quite a place to properly jump into the genre. Its short length, quirky cast of characters, engaging mystery, and theatrical setting and plot make for a fantastic murder mystery tale. It's an ingenious and deceptive mystery. Rather than this being a novel in the traditional sense, it is instead an author explaining his novel to us. A newly married couple are murdered on their wedding night within hours of the final sale ceremony. The Honjin Murders is a classic Japanese murder mystery, first published in 1946 as a serialized publication. The locked-room murder mystery, though cleverly conceived, left me cold and the reason for it…. Here there is the murder of two people, seemingly impossible as there was no means of escape for the murderer, though no trace can be found of the culprit. It’s an ingenious and deceptive mystery. etc. Join our Patreon Community for exclusive content and bonuses. I found the elements of this book that are uniquely Japanese fascinating - the house, garden and everything in it, the way of life in Japan just before WWII, the formality and feudalism that persisted until then. I even considered that variation on the locked room murder theme of Roger Scarlett’s Murder Among the Angells.”, “There was the whole collection of Arthur Conan Doyle, Maurice Leblanc’s Lupin series, and every translated work that the publishers Hakubunkan and Heibonsha had ever released. Who killed the newlyweds; is it someone we know or a stranger; what is their motivation; how did they get in and out? A short murder mystery under 200 pages but with interesting characters adding to the plot. Although her Uncle Ginzo is worried about the match, he accepts the marriage. Yokomizo introduces his detective also, Kosuke Kindaichi, who actually goes on to feature in another 76 stories.. but this one, a reissue from the wonderful. The Ichiyanagi family are a proud, wealthy, high-class family, and one of their sons, Kenzo, is due to marry the young Katsuko. A classic of the honkaku genre, 'The Honjin Murders' is the first of Yokomizo's mysteries to feature the perennially scruffy but ingenious investigator, Kindaichi Kōsuke. This, at least to me, doesn’t matter. The Honjin Murders might be read as a rather scathing commentary on the rigid systems put in place, not only in Japanese society, but in cultures around the world, especially during the 19th and early 20th centuries. What perhaps sells us on The Honjin Murders even more than Kindaichi does is the setting and how it is crafted and presented to us. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Seishi Yokomizo’s The Honjin Murders is a bloody locked-room whodunnit containing a lot of the typical tricks of our favorite murder mysteries. It's a who done it, closed room mystery. 8 thoughts on “ The Honjin Murders Review ” May Wrap Up 2020 – India Reads says: 15th June 2020 at 12:01 pm […] The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo (5 stars and FAVOURITE) […] Like Like. In the character of Kosuke Kindaichi – first introduced here in The Honjin Murders (originally published in 1946) – Yokomizo invented his own Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately, it appears Seishi Yokomizo also loved detective stories growing up and went on to become an accomplished author in his own right. Then there was the Japanese section: it began with nineteenth-century novels by Ruiko Kuroiwa, and also featured Edogawa Ranpo, Fuboku Kozakai, Saburo Koga, Udaru Oshita, Takataro Kigi, Juza Unno, Mushitaro Oguri all crammed in together. Yokomizo Seishi (1902-1981) was a Japanese mystery novelist. Set in early 1930s Japan, it features the baffling murder of two newlyweds on their wedding night. We help to expand your horizons with reviews of the latest fiction and poetry from around the world and showcase cultural adventures that inspire. Copyright © 2021 Books and Bao | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, How Phones Allow the Freedom to Work From Anywhere (Phones Are Good). This is a classic ‘locked-room’ mystery from 1946, set in Japan though it pays homage to the classics of American and British crime writing. There are no prints in the snow, no signs of escape as every entryway is locked. ‘The Honjin Mysteries is beautifully writing and highly descriptive, rich in period detail and local custom. He cuts the fat and keeps a sharp focus on the story and events. What follows is the dismantling, by amateur sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi, of a rich family dynasty whose chequered history is in part responsible for the deaths. The Honjin Murders is a masterpiece of stage magic by a man who had absorbed the lessons taught by writers like John Dickson Carr and was confident enough to believe he could take them on at their own game. The Honjin Murders is the first (of 77!) The Honjin Murders: Classic Japanese murder mystery. what can I say, only in Japan perhaps. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. In short, he is a delightfully charming detective who fits the role and never becomes overly frustrating. etc. Not because this island is full of traps and dark alleyways, and the murder rate is alarmingly high, but simply because we all have genres that we gravitate towards and detective stories were never mine, save for my big collection of Sherlock Holmes stories that I’ve dipped into because I feel like I should. I can defintely see why this is a classic murder mystery in Japan, I really enjoyed it! Unfortunately Goodreads has a strange policy of considering all translations in all languages the same book, so you will find reviews of other language translations in this thread.

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