Dedicated with affection to my Friends Manuel Alfonseca Jorge Saez Criado, and to the all people in love
I think that there is not a best way to celebrate Saint Valentin that I write a review in this case about a novel that I read in the of December. The truth is that in me convulse career of reader I have known all kind of detectives. I have known (catholic priest as Father Brown, and Roger Dowling were created by G.K. Chesterton, and Ralph McInerny), professors (Gideon Fell, inspired in the beloved Chesty and the hilarious Gervase Fen they were created by John Dickson Carr, and Edmund Crispin), gossips (
the old man in the corner was created by the baroness Orczy) Chemist (Sherlock Holmes it is unnecessary to say the author) journalist (Rouletabille was created by Gaston Leroux), paranormal detectives (Flaxman Low, and Odd Thomas were created by Kate O`Brien&Hesketh Pritchall, and Dean Koontz) Prince (Zaleski was created by M.P. Shiel), witches (the detectives was created by Gladys Mitchell), son of Dukes (Peter Wimsey and Albert Campion were created by Dorothy Leigh Sayers and Margery Allingham), teens (the nice Vicky, and Gonzalo the sleuths of the transition was created by the Spanish writer Manuel Alfonseca) erudite bibliophiles with darwinist, and Nietzsche trendness (Philo Vance was created by S.S. Van Dine), chubby detectives (Nero Wolfe was created by Rex Stout, besides Gideon Fell could belong to this category), Detectives of the ancient age (Marcus Didius Falcus, Gordianus Sabeusus, Aristotle were created by Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor, and Margaret Doody), Steppenwolves (Philip Marlowe, Lew Archer, and Sam Spade were created by Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald, and Dashiell Hammet), Bohemians (Auguste Chevalier Dupin was created by the immortal Edgar Allan Poe), that they do not angry with me women (Louisie Cailie, Dene Dorcas, Molly, Mrs. Marple, and Hildegard Bittte were created by Allen Grant, Robert R. Sims, Baroness of Orczy, the queen of the crime Agatha Christie, and Stuart Palmer), pedantic detectives (Roger Sheringham was written by Roger Sheringham), francophones detectives (Eugene Valmont, Hercule Popeau, and Hercule Poirot were created Robert Barr, Mary Adelaide Belloc Lowndes, and Agatha Christie) detectives who discover crimes in the past ages (Alan Grant was created by Josehine Tey), the own death (the mysterious Harley Quin was created by Agatha Christie) even, although it was not a novel children (Detective Conan inspired in Edogawa Rampo a Manga character was created by Ayosho Aoyama a tentful student is converted in a children).
I`ve seen things you would never believe, but I`ve have never seen detectives’ cats. I had seen animals like a villain gorilla in “The crimes of the rue Morgue” was written Edgar Allan Poe (The Idyll with the ape like the immortal G.K.C. defined it). The thief monkey, who appear in a Hansishi`s story (The adventures of Hansishi was published by the Spanish publishing Quaterni in two books). Sometimes they are the instrument of the providence to avenge crimes deus et machina as the horse who appeared in “Silver blaze” was written by Sir. Arthur Conan Doyle, or the Doberman of “Kennel murder case” was written by S.S. Van Dine. Occasionally they are a clue key to solve the riddle we have the cases of “The oracle of the dog” was written by G.K. Chesterton, and “The dumbing witness” was written by Agatha Christie. We have a milestone in the detective novels an unforgettable moment when Gervase Fen with an ill and half´-crazy dog look for a clue in a forest and for not losing he threw pages of the Bible, hilarious in the only rescued of “Love lies bleeding” was written by Gervase Fen, and the lasciva puella .
I had seen all, except detective animals everything but not detective animals, except Rex in a TV Serie. It had been in Japan, where the cat Holmes appeared. This is the second book published by Quaterni, but the third in the cycle. I had read the first book of cat Holmes, and I like it, but it was a guilty of my prejudices (I have it), that I could not rate a better mark. However, “The cat`s mansion: A mystery of the cat Holmes” likes me more than the first novel “The mystery of the cat Holmes”.
This book keep the ingredients of the previous book, a lot of humor. I have not read a humor detective novel since I heard to speak about “The last Trent`s case” was written by E.C. Bentley, and the stories of the nondescript Gervase Fen overall “The moving toyshop”, in this list we can include the stories of the nice catholic priest Ronald Knox.
Big part of the humor cocktail is thanked to the combination of a clumsy detective; besides he is not very manly Katayama, he is nicknamed by his copmates with the nickname of little princess. He has authentic fear to the blood, and he has a nice calico cat. To this conjunction or pandemonium, we must include the other detective Ishidzu, who appear in the second novel, who is fallen in love of the Katayama`s sister (Harumi). He is the buddy of Katayama. Although he looks more competent, and professional than Katayama like a good manga`s character (this is a novel) he has an odd phobia. He can`t stand the cats. Another handicap to the cat Holmes. Besides we have Harumi the sister of Katayama another amateur detective.
To the menu was more delicious we have a devil plot, how Jiro Akagawa purposes to the readers is based in the Japanese folklore. He used the presences of Bekenekos a ghost cat, which reclaim a revenge for the murder of her owner, she was murdered for deny selling his flat to the real estate company. This made like in the best G.K. Chesterton`s short story, or the novels of S.S. Van Dine, or Natsuhiko Kyogoku “The summer of the Ubume” (it was also published by Quaterni) it looks has a supernatural plot, but after like a good detection novel has a rational explanation.
Other strong point of the novel a part of the surrealistic dialogues, which offer confuse situations, is the structure of the novel. Every part close in false the case. I have not seen anything similar, only I can compare this structure with in my opinion best Dashiell Hammet`s novel “The Dain Curse”.
This thing added it an interest to the novel. And this thing allow that the plot of the novel did not decline.
The main characters of this story concluded to steal the heart of the readers, though Katayama was a detective with defaults. I agree with her sisters he inherited the detection in the blood. But his capacity is minuscule if we compare with here master the cat Holmes. Other success of the novel is that I could not guess who was the murderer of the novel until his discovering. The supernatural plot is believable, besides the neurosis of the town.
We speak briefly about the mistakes. We have not an explanation that why one of the characters escaped of the hospital, and she behaved like a cat. Other wrong like in his previous novel there are a lot of corpses. One of the possible reasons, maybe the limitation to the cat Holmes, despite the intelligence she being an animal and the men languages is not allowed. Katayama and Ishidzu are not assisted, and the reader has this impression.
I have a theory except in case that the detective incorporates to the investigation late, or the criminal was a serial killer, who kills without following a method. I have the idea that if there are more than four murders the detective is an authentic useless. We must avoid the case of Jardiel Poncela (in this case the idea is make laugh to the reader he can be forgiven), and S.S. Van Dine, where at finally only remains the murderer and the detective, and then he discovers who is the murderer.
Despite this small mistakes we find in a sublime novel, with a exciting beginning in a train Kyushu to Tokyo and the amuse ending suitable with the register of the novel.
I cheer up to the readers who get fond to the lovely cat, who enter my articular feline pantheon with Doraemon, and the Natsume Soseki`s cat (in the case of Natsume Soseki I do not like his novel ).
To conclude I must say congratulations to the publishing Quaterni, not only for the cat Holmes, but also for the unpaid service to the detection novel`s fans. They have discovered jewels like Nakamura Fuminori, Okamato Kido, Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Go Osaka, Edogawa Rampo, Byomkesh Bakshi (although he was from India ), Seishi Yokomizo they have rescued a classic like Van Gulik the creator of the Judge Ti, however for me the best is Miyuki Miyabe. To this name, although it had not been discovered by Quaterni we should add it the names of Keigo Higashino, and Natsuo Kirino.
I have the impression, that if the Asian detection novels had the broadcast, and the mass media overall the Japanese detection novels. They will finish with the prestige of Norse boom, and the south American magic realism. The throne of the detection novel is empty and the novels of Japan are worth to seat in this position. I wish that Quaterni continue bringing treasures of the sun rising country, until the stars fell of the sky Aslan dixit.