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The Honjin Murders

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( 28,833 ratings, 3,966 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Set in the winter of 1937 in the village of Okamura, The Honjin Murders follows the grand Ichiyanagi family as they prepare for a wedding. Strange rumours of a masked man investigating the family soon prove ominous when a scream and eerie music herald a shocking murder. A bloody samurai sword found in the snow offers a chilling clue. Amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi tackles this seemingly impossible crime in a gripping locked-room mystery.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

A great choice for fans of classic crime and thriller novels, especially those who enjoy locked-room mysteries and detective stories inspired by Golden Age crime fiction. Readers looking for atmospheric, clever plotting with a unique Japanese setting will find this book particularly appealing.

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One of Japan's greatest murder mysteries.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a daughter of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour - it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions about the Ichiyanagis around the village.

Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiniyagi family are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music - death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house. The murder seems impossible, but amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Town & Country Magazine named it one of β€œ20 of the Best Classic Murder Mystery Books of All Time.” The New York Times Book Review praised its surprising solution. The Guardian compared Seishi Yokomizo's genius to Agatha Christie’s, while the Economist hailed the series as ingenious and compelling. The Irish Times recommended it as a perfect short, atmospheric read for fans of classic whodunits.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781782275008

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 05 December 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pushkin Vertigo

Contributors:

  • Translated by Louise Heal Kawai

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 192

About the Author

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and best-loved mystery writers. He was born in Kobe and spent his childhood reading detective stories, before beginning to write stories of his own, the first of which was published in 1921. He went on to become an extremely prolific and popular author, best known for his Kosuke Kindaichi series, which ran to 77 books, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders is the first Kosuke Kindaichi story, and regarded as one of Japan's great mystery novels. It won the first Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1948 but has never been translated into English, until now.

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