A Suffocatingly Lonely Death, Band 1

降り積もれ孤独な死よ [Furitsumore Kodoku na Shiyo] #1

by Hajime Inoryū (Writer), Shōta Itō (Illustrator)

Der Polizist Jin Saeki begibt sich nach einer Meldung über einen Einbruch zu einem Herrenhaus. Bei seinen Nachforschungen stößt er jedoch auf ein derart entsetzliches Video, dass nicht nur er, sondern auch alle anderen Ermittler völlig geschockt und fassungslos sind. Dies ist der Beginn eines unbeschreiblich spannenden Krimis voller Leidenschaft, Wehklagen und blutigem Wahnsinn.

Genres: Manga, Thriller, Mystery, Comics, Crime, Graphic Novels, Japan

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 22, 2021

Reviews

[jay]

4.0
dark reflective tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Loveable characters: Yes

Mr. Saeki, do rules exist to be followed? Or is their real purpose to serve as guideposts to help us do the right thing?


Another masterpiece by Hajime Inoryu, this time delving into the psyche of broken children and the unlikely homes they made - even with their wounds.

This first volume is a phenomenal introduction to the series, as it establishes early on the eerie atmosphere and tragic events, with a beautifully intricate artstyle. The tone is off-kilter early on, already giving the reader a sense of dread and trepidation. Hoping to read the following volumes, as this was such a gripping read.

Big thanks to the publisher for providing me this ARC via NetGalley. This does not in any shape or form influence my review on this book.

[Mark]

(Thanks to Netgalley and Kodansha for an ARC of this manga in exchange for an unbiased review)

[CW: Child abuse]

This solid little crime story opens up with one of the most effective starts I’ve seen in some time. Jin Saeki, self-proclaimed ace detective, arrives on the scene of a wrecked mansion that quickly becomes something much worse.

Watching Jin do his thing (which he’s admittedly not bad at) and being cocky while doing it is the perfect contrast to the horror that he discovers concealed in the dwelling. That reveal is really effective and disturbing, emphasized by how fast Jin’s persona deflates.

The owner of the mansion, Juzo Haikawa, is quickly tied to multiple deaths and the manhunt begins. But what actually happens is several other children who lived at the mansion coming out of the woodwork and suggesting that Juzo isn’t responsible.

The story is very dialled in on child abuse of all sorts and it has touched almost all of the main characters in some form or another. Juzo had a habit of taking in children who were being mistreated and teaching them to survive.

Some of this involves shoplifting and I definitely got an Oliver Twist vibe at a couple of points, although Juzo teaches a lot more than that. Most of this is conveyed through Kanon, who becomes our viewpoint character for Juzo in the past.

Everything has that slightly off-kilter feeling that makes the story feel extra unsettling, from the way people talk to their perceptions of how events are playing out. It’s good, but not the easiest read.

And some of it is a bit thinner than I would like. I get why Jin having ties to the mansion would make his involvement more personal, but it doesn’t feel very real all the same. It’s narratively wobbly, at best.

Parts of it feels silly too - the whole thing with the hamsters is meant to make a point but doesn’t quite shock as much as it should. Maybe that’s the cynic in me talking; entirely possible. The point is to keep the vibe weird, but it’s easy to overdo that.

There’s also the way that suddenly all the children show up again in the present and it just happens to be the ones that Kanon knew in the past. That feels entirely too on the nose. Little details like that get under my skin a bit.

It makes the point that found families can care about you in a way that blood relations might not. Yet it also wants to look at the effects of abuse - some of these children are clearly scarred and the implication is that one of them is something even more than that.

There’s more suspense here than there is mystery and the vibe definitely carries it forward a couple of times. Still, it’s not a bad set-up and that first chapter in particular is a cracking opening. The rest is slower but it still has some good bits.

4 stars - not to everybody’s taste, but a decent start to a series. I’ll be interested in seeing where it goes and definitely plan on coming back for more.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small]

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow Volume 1 is a mystery, thriller, detective manga graphic novel where we follow the detective, Jin Saeki, as he investigates a strange case with multiple dead bodies involved in the basement of a huge mansion. The owner of the mansion is suspect number one as is missing. When his 'daughter' comes to the station with information about her father and the home she grew up in and to protest his innocence, things begin to feel even more unsettled.
This was a very well written manga, and the unease throughout was palpable. The ending has made me want to continue the series as I'm very curious as to where the case will go.
Do check trigger warnings for this.

[whatkhloehreads]

Detective Jin Saeki of the Fujiyama South police precinct heads to a mansion in the hills after receiving an innocuous report of a burglary…but as the investigation unfolds, a horrific discovery sends shockwaves through the department and beyond. Thus begins a dark, heady suspense manga unlike any other, pulsing with raw emotion, as Detective Saeki is forced to confront the blood-soaked face of true madness—

I was thrilled to receive an early copy of this manga and couldn’t wait to dive in. Marketed as a more adult title, it wasn’t exactly what I had anticipated—perhaps because the most graphic series I’ve previously read is Attack on Titan. Even so, the experience was compelling in ways I hadn’t expected.

As someone who loves both manga and mysteries, I was immediately intrigued. The mix of sharp storytelling and suspense works beautifully, creating an atmosphere that feels tense and immersive from the get go. Initially, I wasn’t sure I would warm to Saeki as a character, but that quickly faded. His little sarcastic comments here and there add a layer of charm that balances the darker elements of the story.

One particular panel stands out for its unsettling impact. It’s amazing how something so visually simple can bring out such a strong emotional reaction. That moment lingers long after you turn the page, underscoring the creator’s skill in building discomfort and tension.
As the investigation unfolds, the narrative delivers intriguing twists and subtle turns that keep you guessing. The pacing steadily builds anticipation, leaving me genuinely eager to see where the story heads next.


A huge thank you to Netgalley and Kodansha for the advanced readers copy.

Usually my reviews are a few incohesive sentences scrambled together but I thought it wouldn't do the book justice, so I'm trying something new.

[Janina]

Das war jetzt genau das richtige für mich. Ich hab nichts, was ich irgendwie bemängeln könnte. Toll gezeichnet, interessante Geschichte, die Figuren sind okay. Hat definitiv Potenzial für eine gute Story und ich werde auf jeden Fall weiterlesen. Freue mich auf Band 2!

tw/cw: Mord, Verhungern, häusliche Gewalt, Diebstahl, Mord an Tieren

[Logan]

The artwork in this manga is beautiful, let’s start there. The linework is incredible, the panels are clean, and characters’ faces are all very distinct from one another.

The pacing was quite fast, and while I’m glad we didn’t linger overly long in the quiet moments, I did feel like some of the tension was released too quickly for the more unsettling scenes. Like there are two big reveals in the back half of the volume, and both of these, in my opinion, could’ve been seriously delayed to build more tension. It makes me wonder what new source of tension the mangaka will set up in volume 2, and it also makes me wonder if all tension going forward will be as uneven and short-lived as this felt to me.

Lastly, characterization. I found Jin to be a likable enough protagonist, but the humor? While it landed for me, I couldn’t help but feel like it took some of the gravity away from an otherwise serious story.

All that said, I would still read a second volume before calling it quits. Thanks to Kodansha and NetGalley for the ARC!

[Johnny il.cacciatore.di.libri]

Primo numero che mi è piaciuto molto! Non vedo l’ora di vedere come proseguirà la storia!

Tavole molto belle e scene inquietanti super coinvolgenti!

[on storygraph (macclown)]

Starts off with a bang, has some very dark topics so fair warning before you dive in. It's built up enough tension for me to stay intrigued so I'm definitely going to read more.

My only gripe really is the dialogue feels off, and I know that's likely a translation problem but it just makes a lot of the scenes feel almost cheesy or clunky. Still, it's not put me off. It just means it's not quite as hard hitting as it could be.

[Luka]

「 “𝙼𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚛𝚝𝚎 𝚍𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚎. 𝚁𝚘𝚋𝚊𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚊 𝚜𝚘𝚋𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚛. ¿𝙲𝚞𝚊́𝚕 𝚍𝚎 𝚕𝚊𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚜 𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚎𝚜?” 」

💀 Me ha gustado mucho este primer tomo y la historia de suspense que encontramos en sus páginas 🤲🏻

💀 Se nos presenta una prometedora historia de crímenes e investigación policial donde la realidad del caso se entrelaza con los sentimientos y la vida privada del detective protagonista 🧐

💀 También presenta un profundo componente emocional y humano al explorar temas delicados como el maltrato y la pobreza infantil 😢

💀 Con una atmósfera intensa y perturbadora, donde nada es lo que parece 🤯

💀 Todo ello acompañado con un dibujo fabuloso, mezclando un estilo muy realista y duro ✍🏼

[Nikki M.]

Thank you NetGalley, Kodansha Comics, and Hajime Inoryu for this e-ARC.

I flew through this one because I just kept wanting to find out what happened next. Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow is a great start to a horror detective story. I was originally drawn in by the beautiful simplicity of the cover and was not disappointed by the rest of the illustration throughout the book. Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow was the perfect amount of disturbing and I’m excited for the next volumes.

5/5

[Jamie]

All of the kids saying the father didn’t do it yea we know because everyone saw what you little freaks did to those hamsters!! I would lock them all up a danger to society the lot of them are smh 🤦🏻‍♀️

[BlaireReadsTheThings]

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this volume.

An abandoned house. Thirteen dead children. Six living children all saying that their foster father did not hurt those kids. So who did then?

I like this John Wayne Gacy type murder mystery. I would definitely read Vol. 2.

[Liv Knight]

ok i am so hooked on this. from the start i was drawn in. literally on the edge of my seat the entire time. this was so well done and genuinely so good. i cannot wait for the next volume of this

i read this a minute ago and forgot to copy my review onto here oops (once again thank you kondasha for the arc ily)

[Sarah]

sehr spannend, mhmhm

[Dan P]

A twisty murder mystery that seems like it can't wait to shock and surprise me in the coming volumes 🙏

[Bunny]

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for letting me read the ARC copy of this volume.

First, I would like to apologize for being late in my review; I was planning to upload it on the day of release but I had a sudden death in my family.

Now onto the review, Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow Volume 1 by Hajime Inoryu was an interesting beginning to a series. The mystery grabbed my attention and the art was gorgeous. I find the detective to be an enjoyable character and find him believable. The six “children” are very interesting as well; I’m curious about them and wonder if one of them is the true culprit to the crime.

While the content in this story is mature, I don’t find it to be overly done or too explicit, but I do think people should prepare themselves for content involving childhood trauma and abuse.

My rating is ⭐️⭐️⭐️, it’s a good start and I’m looking forward to the next volume. I love a psychological thriller/mystery series.

[Eros Rubbuano]

Volume introduttivo carino. L’ho letto davvero tutto d’un fiato. Vediamo se dal prossimo volume mi prende un po’ di più

[Marianna Rainolter]

Un manga thriller, misteri da svelare scavando in un doloroso passato fatto di abbandono e violenza. Questo è Cold Lonely Death, il nuovo manga del duo Hajime Inoryu e Shota Ito che ci ha già deliziato con The Killer Inside, uscito sempre per Planet Manga. Questa nuova opera ci trascina fin dalle sue prime pagine in un terribile caso. Seguiamo l’ispettore Jin Saeki mentre indaga in una villa abbandonata dal suo proprietario. In quella casa trova un macabro video che rivela che nel seminterrato si trovano i cadaveri di 13 bambini. Ha inizio così una caccia all’uomo, al proprietario di quella villa, Juzo Haikawa. Chi altri potrebbe essere il colpevole se non lui, fuggito via e impossibile da rintracciare?

Presto nelle indagini si presenta davanti a Jin una giovane ragazza, Kanon Hasumi. Lei rivela che ha avuto un forte legame con Juzo Haikawa, è un padre per lei. E’ stato mentore di Kanon e di altri ragazzi abbandonati dai genitori e della istituzioni. In una situazione al limite, tra la protezione e legalità, misteri e segreti, famiglie vere e create tra persone che condividono una stessa solitudine, siamo solo agli inizi di una indagine che riserverà parecchie sorprese. Cold Lonely Death vede Jin e i suoi colleghi della polizia indagare su chi siano i ragazzi morti e quelli con cui Kanon ha vissuto, capire se sono vivi o morti. Ma sopratutto scoprire chi era Juzo: un uomo buono che non avrebbe mai ucciso i ragazzi che riteneva dei figli oppure un efferato assassino. E se non fosse lui, chi altri potrebbe essere il colpevole di questi omicidi?

Cold Lonely Death è un thriller manga incredibile, molto avvincente e intrigante. La sua struttura è piena di mistero, non si sa cosa aspettarsi dalla pagina successiva. Aiuta lo stile di disegno realistico che sa essere anche inquietante e accresce il mistero della storia, lo svelamento del passato di Kanon che cambia tutta la prospettiva sulla storia ma non la risolve. Anzi si infittisce il mistero, il lettore si chiede di chi fidarsi, se Kanon è sincera o mente, che fine hanno fatto gli altri ragazzi, se è colpevole Juzo o uno di loro. E sopratutto perché è stato commesso questo crimine?

Kanon è un personaggio femminile pieno di mistero, all’apparenza innocente, ma in realtà molto determinata. Scoprendo la sua infanzia difficile capiamo il suo tormento e il suo voler difendere Juzo. Ma nonostante tutto rimane il dubbio sulla sua sincerità, se dietro non ci sia altro e se sta nascondendo altro agli investigatori.

Anche Jin è un personaggio ben caratterizzato. Si dimostra fin da subito capace nel suo lavoro anche se inizialmente pare un po’ sbruffone e impreciso. Anche lui ha un passato difficile con cui convive, il motivo che l’ha spinto ad entrare in polizia. Questo nuovo caso lo scuote anche perché scopre che un suo famigliare è coinvolto e ciò lo porta ad agire anche contro i suoi superiori.

Si dimostra un buon poliziotto che sa fare il suo lavoro molto bene e senza tralasciare dettagli e informazioni, ma non tralascia la sua umanità, il suo cerare di capire la persona e il suo animo. Finora mantiene il suo focus sull’indagine ma aggiungendo nuovi elementi forse non potrebbe mantenere la sua lucidità. Sarà interessante leggere nei prossimi volumi di Cold Lonely Death come si evolverà il suo personaggio e come si svelerà questo mistero e la sua indagine.

La storia mi ha molto sorpresa e appassionato. Personalmente mi ha dato le stesse vibes di Monster di Naoki Urusawa. Mi ha ricordato la prima volta che ho letto questo manga capolavoro. Mi ha trasmesso la stessa tensione e mistero della storia del maestro Urusawa. Il mistero che intreccia magistralmente passato e presente, i personaggi ben presentati ma che mantengono molti misteri e lati nascosti da esplorare e scoprire se dicono la verità o no.

Un primo volume praticamente perfetto, che riesce davvero a catturare il lettore fino alla fine e lasciarlo con la voglia di proseguire la lettura. E scoprire la verità, per quanto crudele e fredda possa essere.

Recensione scritts per il sito ComicsNerdc e che potete leggere anche al seguente link: https://www.comicsnerdc.it/2024/02/29...
#gifted #paninireview

[Elaine White]

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley

~

Lonely Deaths Lie Thick As Snow, Vol. 01
by Hajime Inoryu and Shota Ito
★★★★★

Content Warning: mass murder; child murder, starvation, abuse, captivity and cannibalism; mentions of animal cruelty


Lonely Deaths Lie Thick As Snow is a mix of murder mystery, thriller, and family drama. The story begins in 2006, with a young hotshot detective Jin Saeki arriving at a crime scene. Despite being called for a burglary, there's also rumour that the owner of the house is a missing person. But as Jin delves into the abandoned building, he finds some disturbing evidence in the basement that leads to a multiple murder investigation. In total, they discover the bodies of 13 child victims.

As the investigation begins, we're led into the mirky world of Juzo Haikawa who apparently owned the mansion the bodies were found in, but also had a habit of taking in homeless, abused children off the street. We see one witness who offers flashbacks to 1994. There's mentions of how Juzo would find these children and teach them how to steal or commit other crimes, then he would take them in as if they were his own children. Juzo is a bit of a Fagin character, but he's mysterious enough in this volume that it's hard to tell if he's the Fagin or Bill of the story.

Along the way, we also discover that Jin himself was a child subjected to violence and abuse from his father. There's also a mention by another detective that someone has been conducting break-ins that end with them beating abusive fathers nearly to death. The hint is strong enough that I suspect Jin may be involved, but if not than maybe he was saved by a similar person.

The story is quite dark. There's a lot of family drama stuff talked about, both within the investigation and Jin's personal life, form abuse to fractured family relationships and the repercussions of growing up as an abused child.

In terms of the art, it was beautifully drawn. Everyone was expressive, individually recognisable, and there was just enough detail without getting messy. I loved that each character had their own visual style, as well as a clear characterisation even in just the way their faces or hand gestures were drawn.

I loved the story element. It was dark but well written, with a lot of mystery and uncertainty. The storyline itself was clever and well paced, with plenty of twists and it ended on a pretty interesting cliffhanger. I would definitely read more, but I do feel like this one was just starting to pick up speed when it stopped.

[Weinlachgummi]

Band: 1
Status: laufend 6+
Genre: Drama, Mystery

Die Reihe The Killer Inside ist bestimmt vielen ein Begriff, ich habe sie noch nicht gelesen, habe aber viel Positives drüber gehört. Dies und der Klappentext haben mich dazu bewogen, mir diesen Neustart genauer anzusehen.

Ein altes Herrenhaus, ein grausiger Fund, eine Handvoll Verdächtige oder doch nur einer? Noch dazu ein persönlicher Bezug, der Polizist Jin Saeki hat es nicht leicht mit diesem fürchterlichen Fall.

Am Anfang konnte mich Jin nicht so recht von sich überzeugen, zu arrogant und selbstbezogen, doch nach ein paar Seiten legte sich das. Wobei ich glaube, er wird mir noch einige Probleme machen mit seinen Entscheidungen^^.

Die Geschichte gefällt mir sehr, mysteriös und undurchsichtig, obwohl sie eigentlich zu Beginn ganz klar wirkt. Ich habe ja so meine Vermutung, aber bin mir sicher, es wird noch einige Überraschungen geben. Die Atmosphäre ist wirklich toll und ich kann es gar nicht erwarten weiter zu lesen.

Die Zeichnungen fand ich tatsächlich eher mittelmäßig. Nicht so ganz meins, mit den eher starren Gesichtern, oft die gleiche Mimik und dem Stil der Hintergründe. Aber die Story hat mich überzeugt, weswegen ich auf jeden Fall weiter lesen werde.

An dieser Stelle eine CW, es gibt Gewalt gegenüber Tieren und explizit gegen Kinder. Die Szenen fand ich ziemlich heftig, bzw. das Kopfkino dazu.

Fazit:
Ein atmosphärischer Neustart.
Düster, bedrückend und mysteriös.
Ich bin mega gespannt, wie es weiter geht.

[Shiritaku]

Ooookay, I’m hooked! 😱
Gleich zu Beginn mega spannend und ich will am liebsten sofort weiterlesen! Alles beginnt an einem Schauplatz, bei dem von einem Einbruch ausgegangen wird. Der Hausbesitzer ist nicht anzutreffen oder zu erreichen, das Haus teilweise verwüstet. Der zuständige Detective findet eine DVD ohne Beschriftung oder Ähnliches und geht davon aus, dass es sich um eine harmlose Sache handelt… aber was auf dem Video zu sehen ist, schockiert ihn bis ins Mark.. und so beginnt dieser Thriller, bei dem 13 tote Kinder im Keller gefunden werden, alle extrem ausgehungert, verdurstet und nur noch Haut und Knochen. Kurz nachdem darüber berichtet wird, taucht eine junge Frau auf dem Revier auf und erzählt, dass sie bis vor ein paar Jahren in diesem Anwesen gewohnt hat, gemeinsam mit 18 anderen Kindern! So erzählt sie von ihrer Vergangenheit und was sie dort und zuvor erlebt hat. Ebenso bekommt man kurze Einblicke in ein paar der anderen “Geschwister”. Gleichzeitig gibt's auch ein paar Infos zum Detective , so dass man sich recht früh in die Charaktere hineinversetzen kann, gleichzeitig umgibt sie aber auch ein großes Mysterium. Das Artwork ist mega - sehr detailliert, ausdrucksstark und intensiv! Die Atmosphäre kommt so gut rüber, in jeder einzelnen Szene. Ich bin echt extrem angetan und werde mir sicherlich die Reihe auf deutsch holen, denn bei uns läuft sie unter dem Namen »A Suffocatingly Lonely Death« bei Carlsen.

[Sam]

My Selling Pitch:
Solid crime manga with Dexter vibes

Pre-reading:
The cover reminds me of that Hotel Dusk video game.

(obviously potential spoilers from here on)
Thick of it:
Immediately yes. They're adorable. I fear I love copaganda.

The gotta be porn panel is crazy.

That other case…is it vigilante him? Or his brother? Because who was crying in the background of his panels?

Called it!

That was fabulous!

Post-reading:
A really solid crime manga with an aggressively likable protagonist and beautiful, eerie art. The twists are predictable, but satisfying. The pacing is excellent. The story progresses at a steady clip and lingers appropriately during the darker moments. You can almost hear the strings that would score the TV show version. I will definitely be picking up the next volume.

Who should read this:
Darker crime story fans
Dexter fans

Ideal reading time:
Winter

Do I want to reread this:
I think I'll remember it.

Would I buy this:
If the rest of the series is good, I would love to have this in my collection.

Similar books:
* You’ll Do Bad Things by Tyler Boss-graphic novel, meta fiction, crime, revenge thriller
* Lynx by Samuel Sattin-manga, dystopian, crime, queer
* No Man’s Land by Szymon Kudranski-graphic novel, historical, crime, revenge thriller

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Dimitri Cullipher]

Thank you to NetGalley, Hajime Inoryu, and Kodansha Comics/Vertical Comics for a free copy for review.

Content Warnings: Death, Child Death, Animal Death, Abuse, Starvation, Cannibalism, and Gaslighting.

"Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow" is a police procedural/mystery manga with gorgeous art and an interesting, page-turning story that left me craving more. It isn't often these days that I go out and purchase manga volumes (I have very little room on my bookshelves), but for "Lonely Deaths," I think I am going to make an exception.

Jin Saeki is a detective working with the police force in Fujiyama, Japan. He finds himself swept up in a blood-soaked mystery after discovering a video tape while investigating a supposed break-in at a seemingly abandoned mansion. Thirteen children of various ages were filmed slowly starving to death in a dark basement under the mansion. There could only be one person who locked those children away--the owner of the mansion, who has disappeared.

I highly recommend "Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow," even if you aren't really into mysteries with dark tones. The art alone is beautiful enough to make you want to keep reading. This is one manga I sincerely hope isn't made into an anime, only because there is no way the art could be animated properly without spending a ton of money on it. It's perfect as is.

[Dxdnelion]

It might be another masterpiece by Inoryu and Itou sensei. The story begins when there's a burglary report at a big mansion on a mountain, only for them to find 13 children's corpses lying around in the basement. The one who owns the mansion is Haikawa Juuzou, who is currently nowhere to be found. 

The plot thickens when someone claims Juuzou as their father and defends that their 'papa' would never do such things. Although I've only read the first volume, I already feel like this series would be another favorite of mine. Their previous work, My Dearest Self with Malice Aforethought, was excellent. And I believe this series would uncover the depth of the human psyche and behavioral patterns once again, just like My Dearest manga.

With a stunning yet gruesome art style, this manga presents us with a disturbing theme, and this time it involves children. I am looking forward to how their story goes from now on. Volume 1 ended with such an exciting turn, leaving more curiosity. It has such a strong premise and eerie and unsettling vibes. Overall 4 ⭐️

[Siina]

Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow is an interesting mystery shounen manga. It's already eleven books long, which makes me wonder how the plot can last that long, but it seems it can. This felt like seinen though. Jin Saeki is a detective and as the police investigates a burglary in a mansion, they soon find a lot of bodies. The bodies of children. The story behind the man and the children in the mansion is intriguing as we only get glimpses and we cannot really trust the few still alive. There's even cannibalism. The whole things is very realistic and odd at the same time, which makes this very interesting. The beginning is slightly too "all over the place", but the focus intensifies when Kanon Hazumi enters the picture. Then it gets better.

The art looks very realistic and the setting is quite grave too. The detective is a bit boring, but perhaps that's his role as opposed to the grave crimes. Perhaps it evens out that aspect? Knowing this is a longer series, I surely would like to know what happens. And how. Why? Mystery manga series that are unpredictable are something else.

[Michelle]

Thank you Kodansha for the NetGalley eARC

This ended up being an incredibly quick read and I'm absolutely going to check out further volumes. That being said, I would absolutely caution anyone interested in reading this to mind that child abuse is intrinsically tied to the premise and the backgrounds of many central characters.

This first volume did very well in getting across the basics of murders that our lead Jin will be investigating, the presumed main suspect and a the beginnings a cast of young adults that further act as an extended pool of additional suspects. It kept me engaged and consistently questioning the information presented to Jin, the small details we get of himself as a character and the beginnings of our understanding with the main suspect.

I am wondering if the particularly suspicious looking design of the main suspect is meant to be subverted later. Hoping that the rest of the series can capitalize on the strong start!

[Ella]

First I would like to thank NetGalley, the Author and Artist and the Publisher for this ARC.

Dear Sun Goddess....

This is dark.
Like real Dark.

It starts of strong with the gruesome discovery of a pile of starved, mangle and death bodies that turn out to be 13 children between the ages of 10 and 20.
They later find out that the group originally consisted out of 19 children between those ages.
They also discover that the first child died 2 years ago... the rest followed after...
The person who "owns" the house is our main suspect.
But right after the second chapter you start getting the creeps and you know something is of.
Way of...
There is more going on that what we see, read and know.
And the surviving children.... They might not be so innocent as they want you to think.

This is something I want in my collection.
It is dark, realistic and there is depth and mystery here and I want to know more!
This had me hooked from page one!

[Tiffany Seward]

Manga | Disturbing | Child Abuse

Thank you to Kodansha Comics for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

•Plot: Lonely Deaths Lie Thick as Snow 1 opens with a crime scene investigation of a house break-in, which turns out to be more alarming is the mystery behind the inhabitants of the house.
•What I liked: The art style is very mature and realistic. The pacing is fast.
•What didn’t work for me: The story itself is interesting, but there’s a lot of mentioning of abuse, as all the main characters in it have dealt with it at some point in time, and are trying to live their life past it.
•Themes / Ideas: Child Neglect/Abuse, Cannibalism, Theft, Foster Family & Mystery
•Who I’d recommend it to: Adults

Overall/Thoughts: The 1st volume does a great job introducing all the characters and ends on a strange cliffhanger. I’m curious as to what happens in the next volumes, although the antagonist seems kind of obvious unless it’s actually a red herring.

[Waldkauzz]

A police case of an apparently regular burglary turns into the discovery of multiple dead children. Our protagonist, a police officer, is investigating, but multiple twists, like his brother's involvement, the homeowner's mysterious lifestyle, a cute young woman who grew up with the victims, hold the tension in a dreadful grip.

This was a great first volume! It sets up multiple pieces of interest, but many new revelations after each other keep up the pace, making this a quick but interest-graping read. Some aspects appear a bit convoluted or ask for the reader's imagination, but surely the follow-up volumes will delve deeper into them.
A good start, but with a story like this, I fear only future developments will show if it is worth it. I personally am just happy that this manga didn't start like the author's previous work 'The Killer Inside' (with a random panty shot).

Seems promising! Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for an ARC for an honest review.

[Sarah Anderson]

A speedy page turner that had me gripped 'til the last page, as were introduced to the case of a morally ambiguous and eccentric rich man 'adopting' nineteen abused children running away from home, with thirteen of their bodies later found in his basement. So the guy must be guilty, is the automatic assumption. And yet the manga is laying seeds for this man to be taking the fall for someone else's sake, with the mystery of what happened to those children gaping wide like a hungry maw by the end of this first volume.

Intriguing dialogue too. To paraphrase, "do you have to follow rules that have not protected you and you had no say in deciding" sure is a thing to tell a child struggling to feed herself. (And that's another point toward how weird this mysterious father is, being well off and yet. He's had skills that come from living a hard life).

Have no idea where this could be going next but I am seated for the ride.