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御手洗潔 #2
Murder in the Crooked House - Pembunuhan di Rumah Miring
Rumah Miring itu bertengger di tebing berselimut salju yang menghadap ke lautan es di ujung utara Jepang yang terpencil. Tempat yang aneh, tetapi di situlah sang jutawan Kozaburo Hamamoto membangunnya. Banyak labirin lantai yang miring dan tangga-tangga di tempat yang tidak biasa, juga topeng-topeng dan boneka seukuran manusia yang seram. Ketika seorang pria ditemukan mati dibunuh di salah satu kamar, polisi dipanggil, tapi mereka tak mampu memecahkan teka-teki itu. Lantas korban-korban lain berjatuhan. Maka dipanggillah Kiyoshi Mitarai, si detektif terkenal yang pernah memecahkan misteri kasus Pembunuhan Zodiak. Kalau bukan Mitarai, siapa lagi yang bisa? Tetapi mungkin Anda bisa mendahului Mitarai dalam memecahkan kasus ini? Semua petunjuknya dibeberkan dengan gamblang. Jadi, silakan ikut mencobanya.
400 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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6939 people want to read
About the author
Sōji Shimada
180 books289 followersJapan language profile here 島田 荘司
Russian language profile here Содзи Симада
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 848 reviews
January 6, 2020
Murder in the Crooked House sets the scene in the snowy northern tip of Japan, in a maze-like house with slanted floors and strange staircases, full of unnerving masks and dolls. The eccentric and wealthy owner Kozaburo gathers a small group of friends and acquaintances to celebrate the holidays. When a guest is found murdered in a locked room, it is only the beginning of a bizarre string of occurrences. The police are called, but they are soon stumped.
The investigation and the subsequent events are all very entertaining and kept me guessing. Having read a lot of mysteries, more often than not, I'll start to get an inkling of what's going on, but not with this book. At no point did I figure out anything, which was great fun. It all builds up to a solution that is so unusual and unique, that even though all the clues are there, there's no way I could've foreseen it.
This is a translation from Japanese, and so there's a lot of Japanese cultures and norms in here. For sure their culture is more hierarchical and formal, so I'd sometimes find myself startled by the reasons people would take offense or the things they'd say. It was definitely enlightening and interesting, but also a little odd at times.
This looks to be an older series that is slowly being translated into English, and I'm definitely going to keep reading. I started with the second book, and it didn't feel like I've missed anything by not reading the books in order. I thoroughly enjoyed how different this story is from all the other murder mysteries I've read, and I look forward to checking out more books in the series.
The investigation and the subsequent events are all very entertaining and kept me guessing. Having read a lot of mysteries, more often than not, I'll start to get an inkling of what's going on, but not with this book. At no point did I figure out anything, which was great fun. It all builds up to a solution that is so unusual and unique, that even though all the clues are there, there's no way I could've foreseen it.
This is a translation from Japanese, and so there's a lot of Japanese cultures and norms in here. For sure their culture is more hierarchical and formal, so I'd sometimes find myself startled by the reasons people would take offense or the things they'd say. It was definitely enlightening and interesting, but also a little odd at times.
This looks to be an older series that is slowly being translated into English, and I'm definitely going to keep reading. I started with the second book, and it didn't feel like I've missed anything by not reading the books in order. I thoroughly enjoyed how different this story is from all the other murder mysteries I've read, and I look forward to checking out more books in the series.
August 23, 2019
A while ago, when I reviewed The Decagon House Murders, I found the most interesting aspect of the book not to be the story itself, but the introduction by Soji Shimada in which he details the history and rules for a “Honkaku” mystery. This subgenre is what typically would be referred to in English speaking countries as a “locked room” or “fair play” mysteries; meaning all clues are given, so despite the improbability of the crime, you, the reader, could in theory solve it as well. I particularly liked the bit of info where he discussed that it’s looked less as a literary genre and more like a game between author and reader.
Keeping Shimada’s intro to the other book in mind, I went into this one expecting less of a story and more of a duel of wits between myself and the author. As such, I found myself having a lot of fun with this read. I like that he included diagrams, and layouts for the crime scenes. I liked that there was a logical reason behind many of the seemingly random bits in the crime, and as I also went in expecting less from the literary standpoint, I was pleasantly surprised by the gothic atmosphere he built up and the personality of the detective Kiyoshi Mitarai, who like many classic golden age detectives, is quite eccentric with his personality quirks, but quick witted and doesn’t miss a thing.
So, did Shimada play by his own rules as presented for Decagon’s intro? Yes and no.
From a stylistic point of view, I found many of the characters to be two-dimensional and cliché (which didn’t bother me too much, because again, I viewed this is less as a classic novel and more as a game based on the rules set prior) and was disappointed that the most interesting doesn’t show up until close to the end. I also had issue with the main police detectives and how they kept everyone under house arrest for the entire investigation. Maybe I just don’t understand how Japanese investigations work (though, I must say that I’ve read quite a few Japanese mysteries and have never encountered this before), but it seemed like a lazy way of keeping it a “closed circle” investigation. Usually in such cases, it requires a blizzard, or that the murder took place on an island or some such thing, but here the police close the circle, allowing for multiple murders simply by saying, “Alright, no one’s allowed to leave until the investigations over.” This seems shockingly forced.
Overall, I enjoyed myself with this one. The explanation was clever (though I feel the logic leaps needed to get all the clues to be just on the border of fair play, I concede he does at least give them to you), but the motive could have been worked upon (that one IS impossible to solve until it is given to you). 3/5 stars.
Keeping Shimada’s intro to the other book in mind, I went into this one expecting less of a story and more of a duel of wits between myself and the author. As such, I found myself having a lot of fun with this read. I like that he included diagrams, and layouts for the crime scenes. I liked that there was a logical reason behind many of the seemingly random bits in the crime, and as I also went in expecting less from the literary standpoint, I was pleasantly surprised by the gothic atmosphere he built up and the personality of the detective Kiyoshi Mitarai, who like many classic golden age detectives, is quite eccentric with his personality quirks, but quick witted and doesn’t miss a thing.
So, did Shimada play by his own rules as presented for Decagon’s intro? Yes and no.
From a stylistic point of view, I found many of the characters to be two-dimensional and cliché (which didn’t bother me too much, because again, I viewed this is less as a classic novel and more as a game based on the rules set prior) and was disappointed that the most interesting doesn’t show up until close to the end. I also had issue with the main police detectives and how they kept everyone under house arrest for the entire investigation. Maybe I just don’t understand how Japanese investigations work (though, I must say that I’ve read quite a few Japanese mysteries and have never encountered this before), but it seemed like a lazy way of keeping it a “closed circle” investigation. Usually in such cases, it requires a blizzard, or that the murder took place on an island or some such thing, but here the police close the circle, allowing for multiple murders simply by saying, “Alright, no one’s allowed to leave until the investigations over.” This seems shockingly forced.
Overall, I enjoyed myself with this one. The explanation was clever (though I feel the logic leaps needed to get all the clues to be just on the border of fair play, I concede he does at least give them to you), but the motive could have been worked upon (that one IS impossible to solve until it is given to you). 3/5 stars.
June 27, 2019
Thanks to Netgalley and Pushkin for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not entirely sure how to rate this book. I enjoyed certain aspects of it - the remote and uniquely interesting setting, the challenge of the locked rooms, the snow piling up and trapping the guests, the Agatha Christie feel of it all - but I also disliked a lot of things. I didn't like that the main/brilliant detective didn't show up until well past the halfway mark. I didn't like the shift in perspective from third person to first person (into the brilliant detective's friend's POV). I didn't like the wildly improbable (yet still intriguing) explanation of the murder. I also didn't like the feeling that something vital was being lost in translation, nor the fact that the formatting of the ARC meant I didn't get copies of the illustrative figures that were used within the story to show how things were laid out. I feel like that made me miss some necessary pieces of the puzzle.
I will say that, while I didn't guess the method of the murders or solve how the murders took place in locked rooms, I did guess the culprit correctly. Just an inkling I had at one specific point that really nailed it down for me, but I spent the rest of the book wondering HOW, and after that ending, there was absolutely no way I could have guessed.
So overall, I loved the nostalgic Christie feel and the twisty mystery and the fantastic setting, but didn't like the late arrival of the real protagonist, the shifts in perspective, or the completely unguessable method of murder.
I guess I'll rate it right down the middle then!
---
A few positives, a few negatives, and an overwhelming sense that much was lost in translation. Still entertaining overall. Review to come upon release.
I'm not entirely sure how to rate this book. I enjoyed certain aspects of it - the remote and uniquely interesting setting, the challenge of the locked rooms, the snow piling up and trapping the guests, the Agatha Christie feel of it all - but I also disliked a lot of things. I didn't like that the main/brilliant detective didn't show up until well past the halfway mark. I didn't like the shift in perspective from third person to first person (into the brilliant detective's friend's POV). I didn't like the wildly improbable (yet still intriguing) explanation of the murder. I also didn't like the feeling that something vital was being lost in translation, nor the fact that the formatting of the ARC meant I didn't get copies of the illustrative figures that were used within the story to show how things were laid out. I feel like that made me miss some necessary pieces of the puzzle.
I will say that, while I didn't guess the method of the murders or solve how the murders took place in locked rooms, I did guess the culprit correctly. Just an inkling I had at one specific point that really nailed it down for me, but I spent the rest of the book wondering HOW, and after that ending, there was absolutely no way I could have guessed.
So overall, I loved the nostalgic Christie feel and the twisty mystery and the fantastic setting, but didn't like the late arrival of the real protagonist, the shifts in perspective, or the completely unguessable method of murder.
I guess I'll rate it right down the middle then!
---
A few positives, a few negatives, and an overwhelming sense that much was lost in translation. Still entertaining overall. Review to come upon release.
June 14, 2021
A few firsts for me with this book, first Japanese Author, first locked room murder and I'm left with mixed feelings.
I loved the concept of this, I felt like I was at a murder mystery dinner as its written in this context. Friends have dinner, they go to bed, someone gets murdered. You have the clues, can you solve it? I loved how the author gave a few warm up riddles with the dinner table conversations to get my mind warmed up, I felt I was ready for the task of solving this crime.
But honestly, from the clues there is no way on this planet (or any other) that you can guess how it was all done surely! For me it was ridiculous. From a book I couldn't put down to start with, I'm left feeling like I've been part of a TV show that no one watches with B rated celebrities.
I'm also not sure how this is in Japanese but the English is super simple and basic. Felt like a children's book at times.
Two stars, a decent rewrite on the conclusion and perhaps a better translator would make all the difference in my opinion.
I loved the concept of this, I felt like I was at a murder mystery dinner as its written in this context. Friends have dinner, they go to bed, someone gets murdered. You have the clues, can you solve it? I loved how the author gave a few warm up riddles with the dinner table conversations to get my mind warmed up, I felt I was ready for the task of solving this crime.
But honestly, from the clues there is no way on this planet (or any other) that you can guess how it was all done surely! For me it was ridiculous. From a book I couldn't put down to start with, I'm left feeling like I've been part of a TV show that no one watches with B rated celebrities.
I'm also not sure how this is in Japanese but the English is super simple and basic. Felt like a children's book at times.
Two stars, a decent rewrite on the conclusion and perhaps a better translator would make all the difference in my opinion.
March 30, 2019
What an unusual and creative locked room mystery! This book plays with the distinction between public and private face (honne - "true sound", and tatemae - "built in front") in Japanese culture: The characters who gather in Kozaburo Hamamoto eccentric maze of a mansion behave a certain way towards each other, but if you look closely, their façades slip from time to time to reveal their true desires. When one of Hamamoto's guests is murdered in a closed room, the police detective who tries to solve the case has to look very closely in order to perceive the clues as what they really are...
This book is full of descriptive prose and theorizing, and it probably has to be considering the genre. Unfortunately, I guess I am not the ideal reader for this kind of text, but this is not the book's fault: Even for me, a brute when it comes to thrillers and mysteries, it is apparent why this book is a classic. It is smart, different and reflects the time and the setting.
This book is full of descriptive prose and theorizing, and it probably has to be considering the genre. Unfortunately, I guess I am not the ideal reader for this kind of text, but this is not the book's fault: Even for me, a brute when it comes to thrillers and mysteries, it is apparent why this book is a classic. It is smart, different and reflects the time and the setting.
May 7, 2023
3.5 stars - As a puzzle, this was so fun and really delightful for those who like an isolated setting or a locked room mystery. I think the character development let me down and that's why it wasn't a bigger hit with me
July 5, 2019
more at my reading journal, where there are absolutely NO spoilers. You really don't want to know much of anything about this novel before you start.
http://www.crimesegments.com/2019/07/...
A few years ago I read and loved Shimada's The Tokyo Zodiac Murders so it was a no-brainer as to whether or not to buy his newest, Murder in the Crooked House. As in The Tokyo Zodiac Murders, at one point in the action, everything comes to a full stop as the author throws out a challenge to his readers, letting us know that at this point in the game we have everything that we know to solve the mystery. The question is "Can you solve this case?" The answer: no, not I. I did manage to figure out the who but not the why and for sure not the how, and even that small victory came only after making my way through a wriggling school of red herrings thrown in throughout the story. To those of you who solved it by the time the "challenge to the reader" is thrown down, I would love to have your brains, because I was kept in the dark pretty much throughout. But actually, that's okay. I would rather be completely stumped and outwitted because I'm reading an author who knows his craft.
In the long run, this is a book where it is best to know next to nothing about the story before starting it. I loved the eerieness of the setting in this book, which added an atmospheric quality to the novel. Combining a bizarre, remote location, the winds that howl during a blizzard, and the greyness of the sea during the winter with the fact that the people in the house are all pretty much trapped there until the mystery is solved gives the story a claustrophobic feel that only heightens the strange events that take place.
In comparing Shimada's earlier book with the present one, I have to say that Murder in the Crooked House is much more reader friendly, moving much more quickly through to the solution than was the case in Tokyo Zodiac Murders; I also felt that this time around I had to keep myself in the state of suspension of disbelief a bit longer than while reading the first book. When all is said and done, I had a lot of fun with this novel and certainly recommend it, most especially to people who find pleasure in reading locked-room/impossible crime novels, which are in many ways a very different breed than your average crime/mystery novel and may take a bit of getting used to.
http://www.crimesegments.com/2019/07/...
A few years ago I read and loved Shimada's The Tokyo Zodiac Murders so it was a no-brainer as to whether or not to buy his newest, Murder in the Crooked House. As in The Tokyo Zodiac Murders, at one point in the action, everything comes to a full stop as the author throws out a challenge to his readers, letting us know that at this point in the game we have everything that we know to solve the mystery. The question is "Can you solve this case?" The answer: no, not I. I did manage to figure out the who but not the why and for sure not the how, and even that small victory came only after making my way through a wriggling school of red herrings thrown in throughout the story. To those of you who solved it by the time the "challenge to the reader" is thrown down, I would love to have your brains, because I was kept in the dark pretty much throughout. But actually, that's okay. I would rather be completely stumped and outwitted because I'm reading an author who knows his craft.
In the long run, this is a book where it is best to know next to nothing about the story before starting it. I loved the eerieness of the setting in this book, which added an atmospheric quality to the novel. Combining a bizarre, remote location, the winds that howl during a blizzard, and the greyness of the sea during the winter with the fact that the people in the house are all pretty much trapped there until the mystery is solved gives the story a claustrophobic feel that only heightens the strange events that take place.
In comparing Shimada's earlier book with the present one, I have to say that Murder in the Crooked House is much more reader friendly, moving much more quickly through to the solution than was the case in Tokyo Zodiac Murders; I also felt that this time around I had to keep myself in the state of suspension of disbelief a bit longer than while reading the first book. When all is said and done, I had a lot of fun with this novel and certainly recommend it, most especially to people who find pleasure in reading locked-room/impossible crime novels, which are in many ways a very different breed than your average crime/mystery novel and may take a bit of getting used to.
February 6, 2017
Although the characterisation was not particularly strong and the setting was a bit hard to believe, I highly enjoyed this book and admire the author's logical explanation for the crime - wow I did not see that coming at all and it was quite cool! The dialogues, especially when related to the characters' perceptions of power and human relationships, were very sarcastic and funny haha. I highly enjoyed the parts in which the female characters bitched against each other hahahaha. Compared to Yukito Ayatsuji whose book I read just before this one, Soji Shimada is definitely the master of this type of crime novels which I think is called Shin-Honkaku in Japanese.
I read this book in Vietnamese because there is no English translation. Also, my husband went to Vietnam for a wedding and when he returned to Singapore, he brought me a bunch of fiction books in Vietnamese yay! A Detective Conan manga volume in English costs SGD$10 in Singapore, but the same copyrighted volume in Vietnamese costs SGD$1. So why not?
I read this book in Vietnamese because there is no English translation. Also, my husband went to Vietnam for a wedding and when he returned to Singapore, he brought me a bunch of fiction books in Vietnamese yay! A Detective Conan manga volume in English costs SGD$10 in Singapore, but the same copyrighted volume in Vietnamese costs SGD$1. So why not?
April 19, 2021
The plot was interesting but the story was so frustrating. And the way the murders were committed was far-fetched, I didn't buy it.
October 25, 2020
I adored The Tokyo Zodiac Murders, a British Golden Age mystery transferred to Tokyo between the wars, a more grisly version of an Agatha Christie classic. Murder in the Crooked House follows suit, except that this sequel is set in modern-day Hokkaido, Japan; it also follows suit in recalling Agatha Christie, only this time, unfortunately, what comes to mind is her Taken at the Flood. That novel suffers because detective Hercule Poirot arrives too late. Murder in the Crooked House likewise suffers because the flamboyant sleuth Kiyoshi Mitarai doesn’t arrive until two-thirds of the way into the book. By that point, I was almost past caring. The only reason I was still reading was hoping that things would pick up when he arrived, and thinking that — surely — he’d be along soon! No such luck!
Business tycoon Kozaburo Hamamoto lives in a mansion that’s equal parts Tudor manor and Victorian Era folly; in a move out of an Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh novel, Hamamoto hosts a country house party for eight guests for a week. Readers won’t be surprised that someone ends up dead and that there are motives galore. In fairness, as always, author Sōji Shimada plays extremely fair, giving you every clue you need to beat fortune-teller and amateur sleuth Kiyoshi Mitarai to unraveling the crime. And in fairness, the novel really takes off once Kiyoshi appears. However, the motive is so far-fetched that it doesn’t raise the novel from two stars.
Only the two Kiyoshi Mitarai novels I’ve read have been translated into English. Shimada wrote 15 more novels, waiting to be translated. I’m not sure I’ll be waiting for them myself.
Business tycoon Kozaburo Hamamoto lives in a mansion that’s equal parts Tudor manor and Victorian Era folly; in a move out of an Agatha Christie or Ngaio Marsh novel, Hamamoto hosts a country house party for eight guests for a week. Readers won’t be surprised that someone ends up dead and that there are motives galore. In fairness, as always, author Sōji Shimada plays extremely fair, giving you every clue you need to beat fortune-teller and amateur sleuth Kiyoshi Mitarai to unraveling the crime. And in fairness, the novel really takes off once Kiyoshi appears. However, the motive is so far-fetched that it doesn’t raise the novel from two stars.
Only the two Kiyoshi Mitarai novels I’ve read have been translated into English. Shimada wrote 15 more novels, waiting to be translated. I’m not sure I’ll be waiting for them myself.
March 25, 2021
Kasus pembunuhannya lumayan banyak mengecoh pembaca. Trik & taktik tersangka lumayan tdk terduga utk pembunuhan yg dilakukan di lingkungan tertutup.
Dari pertengahan mau ke akhir cerita , aku bored banget sampai ngerasa udah gak enjoy lagi sama ceritanya huhu.
Agak sayang kalau DNF, ya udh dihabiskan. Harusnya pembunuhnya udh tertebak ya dari awal. Narasi nya memusingkan dengan tetek bengek detail mengenai rumah ini. Mungkin krna bacanya via digital , jadi agak susah mau balik ke halaman yang ada gambar denah rumahnya.
Dari pertengahan mau ke akhir cerita , aku bored banget sampai ngerasa udah gak enjoy lagi sama ceritanya huhu.
Agak sayang kalau DNF, ya udh dihabiskan. Harusnya pembunuhnya udh tertebak ya dari awal. Narasi nya memusingkan dengan tetek bengek detail mengenai rumah ini. Mungkin krna bacanya via digital , jadi agak susah mau balik ke halaman yang ada gambar denah rumahnya.
February 9, 2019
Review to follow.
December 10, 2020
Có lẽ kì vọng hơi cao sau khi đọc xong Tokyo Hoàng đạo án nên mình có chút thất vọng với cuốn sách này. Nếu ở cuốn Tokyo Hoàng đạo án điều làm nên sự đặc biệt của câu chuyện với mình là cách gây án và sự thú vị của nhân vật thám tử điều tra Kyoshi thì ở cuốn này... sự đặc biệt đó đã biến mất.
Hai trope được sử dụng trong cuốn sách này là án mạng phòng kín (locked room mystery) và nơi biệt lập (close circle mystery) đều làm mình khá hứng thú. Nhưng mình có hơi chưng hửng khi nhận ra là Kyoshi không xuất hiện cho đến tận 1/3 truyện cuối cùng. Phần lớn cuốn sách là tác giả kể cuộc hội tụ gặp gỡ của gia đình ông nhà giàu lập dị với bạn bè tại ngôi nhà Lưu Băng Quán, một ngôi nhà có kiến trúc kì quặc gồm phần nhà chính và một tháp nghiêng. Tác giả giành khá nhiều dung lượng từ ngữ để miêu tả chính xác Lưu Băng Quán, phòng ốc thế nào, cầu thang, vị trí sắp xếp các phòng trong nhà, bởi vì kiến trúc kì lạ của Lưu Băng Quán đóng vai trò quan trọng trong vụ án.
Ban đầu mình nghĩ các vị khách trong nhà sẽ thi nhau phá án và nêu ra các giả thiết, nhưng ai ngờ được chính các viên cảnh sát đầy kinh nghiệm lại đóng vai trò chủ chốt điều tra vụ án. Tuy vậy thì họ không thể hình dung nổi cách hung thủ gây án thế nào, và động cơ gây án lại càng khó tồn tại. Các nạn nhân bị giết không có một mối liên hệ gì với nhau, ngoại trừ đều quen biết chủ nhà (là ông giàu có xây Lưu Băng Quán). Mình công nhận cái giỏi của các ông cảnh sát là nắm vững và hình dung được khá rõ ràng cấu trúc rắc rối trong nhà để có thể thử nhiều hướng suy luận khác nhau, trong khi mình càng đọc càng thấy rối tung. Mình không thể nào nhớ nổi các chi tiết trong thiết kế đặc biệt của ngôi nhà nên cũng không ý định tham gia vào suy luận cùng nhân vật.
Các nhân vật trong truyện đều khá là khó ưa, đặc biệt là cô thư kí mè nheo nhõng nhẽo, “sugar baby” của lão chủ tịch, và cô con gái tiểu thư kiêu căng của ông chủ nhà giàu có. Các nhân vật còn lại mình thấy đều mờ nhạt, tuy họ cũng là các thủ phạm tiềm năng. Mới đầu mấy ông cảnh sát cũng chỉ ra nghi phạm này nọ, nhưng rồi chính cái thiết kế của ngôi nhà khiến các nghi phạm đó khó có khả năng gây án được. Đây cũng là điều trớ trêu của vụ án, kiến trúc của Lưu Băng Quán vừa tạo cơ hội cho vụ án mạng hoàn hảo xảy ra cũng vừa ngăn chặn việc tìm nghi phạm.
Như mình nói thì 1/3 cuối cùng, Kyoshi mới xuất hiện và mới thể hiện cái tài phá án của mình. Nhưng đáng tiếc là tính cách của anh không thể hiện được hết trong một phần ngắn ngủi như vậy. Chính tính cách ngông nghênh của anh có hơi phần giống Sherlock Holmes (mà anh rất ghét Sherlock Holmes) đã thu hút mình, vậy mà Kyoshi trong cuốn sách này tương đối là nhạt nhoà. Phần phá án thì chính miệng thủ phạm khai ra và Kyoshi chỉ đóng góp một phần nhỏ là lập bẫy nhử thủ phạm.
Mình thất vọng ở một điểm nữa là động cơ giết người quá là không thuyết phục. Mình càng thấy khó tin hơn là để giết người mà phải thực hiện một kế hoạch ngông cuồng đến vậy, với xác suất thất bại là khá cao. Thực sự thì cho dùng có giải thích cặn kẽ thế nào thì mình cũng không thể tin được động cơ giết người. Sức mạnh mẽ của động cơ đó không đáng để thủ phạm phải mất quá nhiều công sức thực hiện án mạng liên hoàn gần như là bất khả thi như vậy, thậm chí là mình thấy động cơ gây án còn hơi lố bịch nữa. Bên cạnh đó thì thủ pháp gây án cũng khiên cưỡng, mình có thể hình dung được cách gây án nhưng mà cảm giác vẫn thấy không được logic với nhau ấy.
Hai trope được sử dụng trong cuốn sách này là án mạng phòng kín (locked room mystery) và nơi biệt lập (close circle mystery) đều làm mình khá hứng thú. Nhưng mình có hơi chưng hửng khi nhận ra là Kyoshi không xuất hiện cho đến tận 1/3 truyện cuối cùng. Phần lớn cuốn sách là tác giả kể cuộc hội tụ gặp gỡ của gia đình ông nhà giàu lập dị với bạn bè tại ngôi nhà Lưu Băng Quán, một ngôi nhà có kiến trúc kì quặc gồm phần nhà chính và một tháp nghiêng. Tác giả giành khá nhiều dung lượng từ ngữ để miêu tả chính xác Lưu Băng Quán, phòng ốc thế nào, cầu thang, vị trí sắp xếp các phòng trong nhà, bởi vì kiến trúc kì lạ của Lưu Băng Quán đóng vai trò quan trọng trong vụ án.
Ban đầu mình nghĩ các vị khách trong nhà sẽ thi nhau phá án và nêu ra các giả thiết, nhưng ai ngờ được chính các viên cảnh sát đầy kinh nghiệm lại đóng vai trò chủ chốt điều tra vụ án. Tuy vậy thì họ không thể hình dung nổi cách hung thủ gây án thế nào, và động cơ gây án lại càng khó tồn tại. Các nạn nhân bị giết không có một mối liên hệ gì với nhau, ngoại trừ đều quen biết chủ nhà (là ông giàu có xây Lưu Băng Quán). Mình công nhận cái giỏi của các ông cảnh sát là nắm vững và hình dung được khá rõ ràng cấu trúc rắc rối trong nhà để có thể thử nhiều hướng suy luận khác nhau, trong khi mình càng đọc càng thấy rối tung. Mình không thể nào nhớ nổi các chi tiết trong thiết kế đặc biệt của ngôi nhà nên cũng không ý định tham gia vào suy luận cùng nhân vật.
Các nhân vật trong truyện đều khá là khó ưa, đặc biệt là cô thư kí mè nheo nhõng nhẽo, “sugar baby” của lão chủ tịch, và cô con gái tiểu thư kiêu căng của ông chủ nhà giàu có. Các nhân vật còn lại mình thấy đều mờ nhạt, tuy họ cũng là các thủ phạm tiềm năng. Mới đầu mấy ông cảnh sát cũng chỉ ra nghi phạm này nọ, nhưng rồi chính cái thiết kế của ngôi nhà khiến các nghi phạm đó khó có khả năng gây án được. Đây cũng là điều trớ trêu của vụ án, kiến trúc của Lưu Băng Quán vừa tạo cơ hội cho vụ án mạng hoàn hảo xảy ra cũng vừa ngăn chặn việc tìm nghi phạm.
Như mình nói thì 1/3 cuối cùng, Kyoshi mới xuất hiện và mới thể hiện cái tài phá án của mình. Nhưng đáng tiếc là tính cách của anh không thể hiện được hết trong một phần ngắn ngủi như vậy. Chính tính cách ngông nghênh của anh có hơi phần giống Sherlock Holmes (mà anh rất ghét Sherlock Holmes) đã thu hút mình, vậy mà Kyoshi trong cuốn sách này tương đối là nhạt nhoà. Phần phá án thì chính miệng thủ phạm khai ra và Kyoshi chỉ đóng góp một phần nhỏ là lập bẫy nhử thủ phạm.
Mình thất vọng ở một điểm nữa là động cơ giết người quá là không thuyết phục. Mình càng thấy khó tin hơn là để giết người mà phải thực hiện một kế hoạch ngông cuồng đến vậy, với xác suất thất bại là khá cao. Thực sự thì cho dùng có giải thích cặn kẽ thế nào thì mình cũng không thể tin được động cơ giết người. Sức mạnh mẽ của động cơ đó không đáng để thủ phạm phải mất quá nhiều công sức thực hiện án mạng liên hoàn gần như là bất khả thi như vậy, thậm chí là mình thấy động cơ gây án còn hơi lố bịch nữa. Bên cạnh đó thì thủ pháp gây án cũng khiên cưỡng, mình có thể hình dung được cách gây án nhưng mà cảm giác vẫn thấy không được logic với nhau ấy.
July 4, 2021
Lần đầu tiên cảm thấy KHÓ cho việc riviu 1 cuốn sách đến thế.
Nên mình sẽ đi từ Đầu tới Đuôi.
Cách bắt đầu đậm về Kiến Trúc, từ đó dẫn đến Lưu Băng Quán, công trình thiết kế kỳ dị và là nơi diễn ra án mạng.
Những ai đã quen với Tokyo Hoàng đạo án (Mitarai Kiyoshi quyển #1), hẳn sẽ nhận ra phong cách mô tả quen thuộc với Đầy Đủ (thậm chí Dư Thừa) dữ kiện để độc giả có thể tự tìm ra Thủ phạm và thủ pháp gây án.
Hokkaido Mê trận án (Mitarai Kiyoshi quyển #2) giữ chân người đọc bằng các vụ án mạng trong phòng kín, khiến cho tất cả không thoát ra được không gian rùng rợn và rít rát điên cuồng ấy.
Để khi, đáp án được hé lộ..
...Bất ngờ, Ngỡ ngàng, Xúc động
Trong tôi trào dâng vô vàn cảm giác kính trọng thật tâm dành cho ngài ấy (xin phép không tiết lộ tên). Vì ẩn sâu tất cả, là 1 câu chuyện đẹp đẽ, đáng quý.
Một vụ án không chỉ hay mà còn cảm động, như cái cách quyển #1 gây bất ngờ.
Kẻ sát nhân không phải là quái vật máu lạnh, vì động cơ gây án là những gì rất người.
Rồi chìm theo gió bụi thời gian, ngôi nhà ấy chỉ còn là 1 dấu tích buồn, và gợi nhớ về 1 câu chuyện nhiều nuối tiếc.
Giọng kể chậm rãi, chi tiết, không gian câu chuyện thật thi vị.
---
Nếu ai đã quen với phong cách phá án nặng khoa học với pháp chứng hay phân tích tâm lý, hẳn sẽ khó quen với phong cách phá án của series Mitarai Kiyosh. Đó là phong cách phá án Cổ Điển giai đoạn thập niên 80, gây say đắm bao nhiêu độc giả với các manga, anime trình thám đình đám.
Dù có thể không hạp khẩu vị đọc của 1 số độc giả, không thể phủ nhận được độ hay của Hokkaido Mê trận án.
Vì suy cho cùng, 1 series trinh thám kéo dài hơn 30 quyển, thì không thể nào dở được.
Nên mình sẽ đi từ Đầu tới Đuôi.
Cách bắt đầu đậm về Kiến Trúc, từ đó dẫn đến Lưu Băng Quán, công trình thiết kế kỳ dị và là nơi diễn ra án mạng.
Những ai đã quen với Tokyo Hoàng đạo án (Mitarai Kiyoshi quyển #1), hẳn sẽ nhận ra phong cách mô tả quen thuộc với Đầy Đủ (thậm chí Dư Thừa) dữ kiện để độc giả có thể tự tìm ra Thủ phạm và thủ pháp gây án.
Hokkaido Mê trận án (Mitarai Kiyoshi quyển #2) giữ chân người đọc bằng các vụ án mạng trong phòng kín, khiến cho tất cả không thoát ra được không gian rùng rợn và rít rát điên cuồng ấy.
Để khi, đáp án được hé lộ..
...Bất ngờ, Ngỡ ngàng, Xúc động
Trong tôi trào dâng vô vàn cảm giác kính trọng thật tâm dành cho ngài ấy (xin phép không tiết lộ tên). Vì ẩn sâu tất cả, là 1 câu chuyện đẹp đẽ, đáng quý.
Một vụ án không chỉ hay mà còn cảm động, như cái cách quyển #1 gây bất ngờ.
Kẻ sát nhân không phải là quái vật máu lạnh, vì động cơ gây án là những gì rất người.
Rồi chìm theo gió bụi thời gian, ngôi nhà ấy chỉ còn là 1 dấu tích buồn, và gợi nhớ về 1 câu chuyện nhiều nuối tiếc.
Giọng kể chậm rãi, chi tiết, không gian câu chuyện thật thi vị.
---
Nếu ai đã quen với phong cách phá án nặng khoa học với pháp chứng hay phân tích tâm lý, hẳn sẽ khó quen với phong cách phá án của series Mitarai Kiyosh. Đó là phong cách phá án Cổ Điển giai đoạn thập niên 80, gây say đắm bao nhiêu độc giả với các manga, anime trình thám đình đám.
Dù có thể không hạp khẩu vị đọc của 1 số độc giả, không thể phủ nhận được độ hay của Hokkaido Mê trận án.
Vì suy cho cùng, 1 series trinh thám kéo dài hơn 30 quyển, thì không thể nào dở được.
August 26, 2024
Dar viena „užrakinto kambario“ klasikų klasika, ir vėl nuostabus sprendimas (kaip ir kitoje mano skaitytoje Soji Shimada knygoje – The Tokyo Zodiac Murders - Pembunuhan Zodiak Tokyo), ir vėl gana techniškas pasakojimas – atrodo, kad pasakotojas labiau stengiasi pristatyti mįslę negu padėti skaitytojui įsijausti į personažų vidinius gyvenimus. Bet kokia tai mįslė!
Šiaip pastebėjimas į šoną ir lengvas spoileris –
Šiaip pastebėjimas į šoną ir lengvas spoileris –
July 29, 2020
What... just... what.
The biggest issue with this novel is that it is just too complex. And while the method of murder was very ingenuous, I actually predicted the culprit and some other aspects of it way ahead of time. But it didn't make me feel satisfied or clever... because I felt like this novel just meandered too much and focused on the wrong things.
Sadly, this mystery wasn't fun to read. Sure, it had its funny parts, but it mainly consisted of an endless rehashing of details about the architecture of the house, about the interiors of the rooms, about what the guests were doing at what time, about how impossible this mystery is, etc. I swear I must have skimmed a hundred or so pages and yet I didn't miss anything. How is that possible?
It's a good thing that this book came with diagrams, because there's no other way that I could have understood the super complicated descriptions. Everything just gave me a headache.
The characters were very flat too. I'm fine with that, because murder mysteries usually rely on archetypes, but there was absolutely no depth to the relationships between the characters. It's like this novel is a wooden dollhouse and the characters were paper dolls being shuffled around by the author, and instead of being used to tell a story, they were used to blurt out a Wikipedia article about a weird mansion.
TL;DR Skip this one. I'm sure Shimada has better mystery novels.
The biggest issue with this novel is that it is just too complex. And while the method of murder was very ingenuous, I actually predicted the culprit and some other aspects of it way ahead of time. But it didn't make me feel satisfied or clever... because I felt like this novel just meandered too much and focused on the wrong things.
Sadly, this mystery wasn't fun to read. Sure, it had its funny parts, but it mainly consisted of an endless rehashing of details about the architecture of the house, about the interiors of the rooms, about what the guests were doing at what time, about how impossible this mystery is, etc. I swear I must have skimmed a hundred or so pages and yet I didn't miss anything. How is that possible?
It's a good thing that this book came with diagrams, because there's no other way that I could have understood the super complicated descriptions. Everything just gave me a headache.
The characters were very flat too. I'm fine with that, because murder mysteries usually rely on archetypes, but there was absolutely no depth to the relationships between the characters. It's like this novel is a wooden dollhouse and the characters were paper dolls being shuffled around by the author, and instead of being used to tell a story, they were used to blurt out a Wikipedia article about a weird mansion.
TL;DR Skip this one. I'm sure Shimada has better mystery novels.
July 6, 2019
Not recommended. It sounds great in the trailer. The execution of the characters, plot, and especially the logistics of this house! Bordered the ridiculous instead. And the main 7 or 10 (counting the women) primes never had any deep development to their core personality/ motives, IMHO. Tons of physical description to the point of not understanding the context to which they applied any longer. Graphic drawings seemed ok but also somewhat confusing too. So modular stacked?
The crimes themselves were gory and the explanations for motive so after effect that they did nothing to intrigue or cause tension during the very mass of the book. In fact, for about 100 pages in the middle I sped read- because there was next to nothing new or surprising except for an additional similarly executed death. All else was increasingly redundant. And the Golem creature was not at all scary to me on top of it. It was obvious what it was from BEFORE the partial explanations.
There is a level of Japanese "honor" related emotion in this one that doesn't translate at all into English? I'm fairly sure but I could be wrong. Because the writing pace and style were just awful.
And of course, there is only one person who could have been the cause. This was disappointing, it sounded cool and aloof as a Christie. Not!
The crimes themselves were gory and the explanations for motive so after effect that they did nothing to intrigue or cause tension during the very mass of the book. In fact, for about 100 pages in the middle I sped read- because there was next to nothing new or surprising except for an additional similarly executed death. All else was increasingly redundant. And the Golem creature was not at all scary to me on top of it. It was obvious what it was from BEFORE the partial explanations.
There is a level of Japanese "honor" related emotion in this one that doesn't translate at all into English? I'm fairly sure but I could be wrong. Because the writing pace and style were just awful.
And of course, there is only one person who could have been the cause. This was disappointing, it sounded cool and aloof as a Christie. Not!
July 8, 2021
Honkaku style ala-ala manga Jepang jadul gitu. Isinya inventigasi yang mengarahkan pembaca ikut berpikir 😆
June 17, 2017
Mình cực thích cái bầu không khí bí ẩn, lạnh lẽo bao trùm lên câu chuyện: những ngày mùa đông tuyết rơi sấp mặt, một ngôi nhà xây nghiêng kỳ dị (và đến cuối thì mình mới biết tất cả đều có dụng ý ^^), những cái chết bất ngờ trong phòng kín, những nghi ngờ, suy luận và đoán định của cảnh sát về danh tính của hung thủ... Tưởng tượng mình cũng là một trong những người khách của Lưu Băng Quán thì không biết mình có ngủ được không, khi mà trong đầu lúc nào cũng nơm nớp lo sợ không biết lần này có phải tới lượt mình bị sát hại...
Thủ đoạn gây án thì theo mình có phần hơi bị ảo quá :))) Ảo tung chảo hơn nữa là lý do gây án của hung thủ ^^ Nhưng dù sao vẫn cho cuốn này 4 sao (mặc dù cái đoạn giải thích quá trình gây án, nhiều chỗ mình theo không kịp hoặc không mường tượng ra được, bất chấp việc tác giả có vẽ hình minh họa :D Nào giờ ngu môn hình học không gian và Công nghệ vẽ bản vẽ nhà nên chịu thôi ^^). 4 sao cho cái cảm giác sợ sợ mà cuốn sách mang lại, cho cái cảm giác không dứt ra được khỏi cuốn sách, phải ráng đọc thêm, đọc thêm nữa để biết hung thủ là ai :D
Thủ đoạn gây án thì theo mình có phần hơi bị ảo quá :))) Ảo tung chảo hơn nữa là lý do gây án của hung thủ ^^ Nhưng dù sao vẫn cho cuốn này 4 sao (mặc dù cái đoạn giải thích quá trình gây án, nhiều chỗ mình theo không kịp hoặc không mường tượng ra được, bất chấp việc tác giả có vẽ hình minh họa :D Nào giờ ngu môn hình học không gian và Công nghệ vẽ bản vẽ nhà nên chịu thôi ^^). 4 sao cho cái cảm giác sợ sợ mà cuốn sách mang lại, cho cái cảm giác không dứt ra được khỏi cuốn sách, phải ráng đọc thêm, đọc thêm nữa để biết hung thủ là ai :D
September 29, 2020
The second book of Soji Shimada's that I read. Am I satisfied? Holy yes! I'm always craving for a detective story.
The difference from Tokyo Zodiac Murder is the case is narrated into the plot. The appearance of the detectives (I'm sorry I forgot the names) shows up when it's nearly ending. Well, they're there to solve the mystery and the trick that every police in the world unable to think about (really why all the police forces that I read/watch from detective stories seem to be so incompetent?)
The premise is quite complex, as expected from Japanese authors, but this time, I could figure out who the culprit is. Well, I still couldn't figure out how the trick is done due to the lack of imagination, but even for me who never guessed it right, this means the mystery is still too easy to predict.
BUT!!! It still doesn't fail to amaze me on how human's intelligence works when committing crime. My love for mystery just grows even more and I hope to read other Shimada's works in English if not in Indonesian.
The difference from Tokyo Zodiac Murder is the case is narrated into the plot. The appearance of the detectives (I'm sorry I forgot the names) shows up when it's nearly ending. Well, they're there to solve the mystery and the trick that every police in the world unable to think about (really why all the police forces that I read/watch from detective stories seem to be so incompetent?)
The premise is quite complex, as expected from Japanese authors, but this time, I could figure out who the culprit is. Well, I still couldn't figure out how the trick is done due to the lack of imagination, but even for me who never guessed it right, this means the mystery is still too easy to predict.
BUT!!! It still doesn't fail to amaze me on how human's intelligence works when committing crime. My love for mystery just grows even more and I hope to read other Shimada's works in English if not in Indonesian.
July 5, 2019
After reading Murder in the Crooked House, I have come to realize that locked room mysteries really aren’t my favorite, especially in a longer format such as this novel rather than a short story. For those who appreciate the necessary complexities of this type of novel, this story may provide more enjoyment. That’s not to say there aren’t aspects I did appreciate; there are.
The setting of the novel is unique, the titular “crooked house” that seems to affect everyone who visits. And the house itself is in a bleak and lonely area by the northern sea, in far north Hokkaido. Setting is a definite plus. The characters are to some extent unknowable and many are not sympathetic. But that is neither here nor there in this type of mystery, where form is as important as character. They do offer sharp contrasts and sounding boards for opinions. And one does wonder about motive for murder!
One aspect of the book that I found somewhat confusing was the idiomatic American English spoken by the characters. While the book obviously has to be translated to English for an English speaking audience, the use of such idiomatic language seemed to conflict with the setting and the characters at times. (This may be my personal quirk.) Perhaps it was used to suggest a casual type of Japanese speech, but I don’t know.
A problem with this specific ebook ARC was the absence of all the illustrations referred to in the text when describing the set-up of the house and the murders. No doubt these are included in the final published edition.
Lastly, there is a Sherlock/Hercule type character who does enter the action late and learn things that I doubt even the most discerning reader would be able to discover. I did correctly identify the killer fairly early on but why and how? I had no clue.
If you enjoy locked room mysteries and the challenge of trying to work out the “ how” of it, even without the why, you may enjoy this tale in all its complexity.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The setting of the novel is unique, the titular “crooked house” that seems to affect everyone who visits. And the house itself is in a bleak and lonely area by the northern sea, in far north Hokkaido. Setting is a definite plus. The characters are to some extent unknowable and many are not sympathetic. But that is neither here nor there in this type of mystery, where form is as important as character. They do offer sharp contrasts and sounding boards for opinions. And one does wonder about motive for murder!
One aspect of the book that I found somewhat confusing was the idiomatic American English spoken by the characters. While the book obviously has to be translated to English for an English speaking audience, the use of such idiomatic language seemed to conflict with the setting and the characters at times. (This may be my personal quirk.) Perhaps it was used to suggest a casual type of Japanese speech, but I don’t know.
A problem with this specific ebook ARC was the absence of all the illustrations referred to in the text when describing the set-up of the house and the murders. No doubt these are included in the final published edition.
Lastly, there is a Sherlock/Hercule type character who does enter the action late and learn things that I doubt even the most discerning reader would be able to discover. I did correctly identify the killer fairly early on but why and how? I had no clue.
If you enjoy locked room mysteries and the challenge of trying to work out the “ how” of it, even without the why, you may enjoy this tale in all its complexity.
A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
April 1, 2020
Beyond all the trappings of complex puzzles, despicable villains, cheer-worthy detectives.etc..a murder mystery is essentially a tragedy. Bigger the picture, greater the pain. That has been the case especially with the so-called locked room mysteries. All the hallowed members of that pantheon, from 'Murder in the Orient Express' to this particular novel— are harvests of pain and loss.
In this book, amidst the trappings of a fiendishly clever plot full of gothic horrors and Carrolian designs, murder happens— again and again. But as our protagonist unravels the seemingly impossible problem into logical inevitability, we rush towards the reality.
Life, even death is a journey from pain to pain— it seems.
The quality of translation was extraordinary. But, I think, I have had my fill of Soji Shimada.
Nevertheless, that shouldn’t stop you. Please, enjoy this book. You won't be able to forget it— believe me.
Recommended.
In this book, amidst the trappings of a fiendishly clever plot full of gothic horrors and Carrolian designs, murder happens— again and again. But as our protagonist unravels the seemingly impossible problem into logical inevitability, we rush towards the reality.
Life, even death is a journey from pain to pain— it seems.
The quality of translation was extraordinary. But, I think, I have had my fill of Soji Shimada.
Nevertheless, that shouldn’t stop you. Please, enjoy this book. You won't be able to forget it— believe me.
Recommended.
April 28, 2019
I like a lot locked room whodunits, but this one was really far fetched -
a few unpleasant people, together for a christmas dinner, and a season's holiday -
and what a holiday ! 3 dead people, discovered after the police had to knock the door open with an axe !!!! - enters kiyoshi mitarai, supposed to be THE famous sleuth who finds it all, and find it he will, after making himself unpopular with almost everyone -
it is a pity that he didn't appear earlier in the story, it might have been a 3.5/5, or even a 4 stars one, but as I said above in the comment = far fetched, and way too long before we get to the point
a few unpleasant people, together for a christmas dinner, and a season's holiday -
and what a holiday ! 3 dead people, discovered after the police had to knock the door open with an axe !!!! - enters kiyoshi mitarai, supposed to be THE famous sleuth who finds it all, and find it he will, after making himself unpopular with almost everyone -
it is a pity that he didn't appear earlier in the story, it might have been a 3.5/5, or even a 4 stars one, but as I said above in the comment = far fetched, and way too long before we get to the point
April 16, 2020
This book was awful. At first, I assumed the poor writing was due to a bad translation. But the ludicrous plot and flat, stupid characters quickly proved that it was just a poorly written mystery. I'm not going to pick apart everything that was wrong (SO MUCH) but I only finished it to find out how the 'perfect' locked room murders happened (insert giant eyeroll for solution). It was 100% not worth the time.
December 29, 2020
I had guessed the culprit of this book way sooner. But the execution of the plan and the motive made me give it 4 stars. I love how Japanese mysteries never have senseless killers, there’s always a moving story to explain the motive.
March 28, 2024
Racist, sexist, dragged on too long, and not as clever as it thought it was.
February 4, 2020
The premise of this book sounded somewhat intriguing when I selected it from the list of Vine ARC mysteries eight or so months ago. In those eight months I have started and stopped this so many times to pick up other books to read instead that I finally had to give myself a talking to last week. And now I have actually read this from beginning to end.
I love mysteries, but apparently not this style of mystery. This is more like one long, elaborate brainteaser/puzzle than it is a mystery novel of the type I'm used to. The emphasis here is on the "how" of the murder. The "why" is revealed in the final pages and not in a million years would I have been able to read into the lines of the preceding pages to work it out on my own.
As for the "how", I suppose if I had read everything much more carefully it would have made more sense to me. As it was, the elaborate mystery, the characters who were more like caricatures than real people, the plot, all left me cold and disinterested. If you are of a more intellectual bent than I, if you enjoy those "locked-room" murders that seem unsolvable but actually do have an explanation, you'll enjoy this much more than I.
The characters are underdeveloped and unlikable for the most part. The most developed part of the story is the description of this strange, crooked house in northern Japan, complete with nine illustrations or diagrams to help the reader understand the layout and solve the mystery.
There are a few fun moments in the story. The investigators, especially the local policemen, are a bit bungling and supply comic relief in places, and the "detective" who finally arrives to save the day is one of those omniscient, Sherlock-Holmes types who intuits solutions quickly and far better than my poor brain ever could.
This story was first published in Japan in 1982. This particular version, translated by Louise Heal Kawai, came out in June of 2019. The author, Soji Shimada, has been dubbed the "God of Mystery" by international audiences, is the author of 100+ works, and, in 2009, received the Japan Mystery Literature Award. Maybe his work is above my level of competence. YMMV.
I love mysteries, but apparently not this style of mystery. This is more like one long, elaborate brainteaser/puzzle than it is a mystery novel of the type I'm used to. The emphasis here is on the "how" of the murder. The "why" is revealed in the final pages and not in a million years would I have been able to read into the lines of the preceding pages to work it out on my own.
As for the "how", I suppose if I had read everything much more carefully it would have made more sense to me. As it was, the elaborate mystery, the characters who were more like caricatures than real people, the plot, all left me cold and disinterested. If you are of a more intellectual bent than I, if you enjoy those "locked-room" murders that seem unsolvable but actually do have an explanation, you'll enjoy this much more than I.
The characters are underdeveloped and unlikable for the most part. The most developed part of the story is the description of this strange, crooked house in northern Japan, complete with nine illustrations or diagrams to help the reader understand the layout and solve the mystery.
There are a few fun moments in the story. The investigators, especially the local policemen, are a bit bungling and supply comic relief in places, and the "detective" who finally arrives to save the day is one of those omniscient, Sherlock-Holmes types who intuits solutions quickly and far better than my poor brain ever could.
This story was first published in Japan in 1982. This particular version, translated by Louise Heal Kawai, came out in June of 2019. The author, Soji Shimada, has been dubbed the "God of Mystery" by international audiences, is the author of 100+ works, and, in 2009, received the Japan Mystery Literature Award. Maybe his work is above my level of competence. YMMV.
March 22, 2022
ভারতীয় উপমহাদেশের সাহিত্যে যত গোয়েন্দার জন্ম হয়েছে, তার সবই মোটামুটি ব্রিটিশ বা পশ্চিমা গোয়েন্দা প্রভাবিত। শুধু চরিত্রের দিক থেকে নয়, প্লট এবং সমাধানের দিক থেকেও বলা যায় সেটা সত্যি। এদিক থেকে জাপানি রহস্যকাহিনী আমার পড়া প্রায় সব রহস্যগল্প থেকে ব্যতিক্রম। এদের অনেক গোয়েন্দার মাঝেই কিছুটা হোমস বা পোয়ারো'র ছায়া দেখা গেলেও, প্লট এবং সমাধান কোন কিছুর সাথেই মেলে না। সম্ভবত জাপানি���া কখনো বিদেশি শাসনের অধীনে যায়নি বলেই এদের সাহিত্য-সংস্কৃতির অনেকটা এখনো পশ্চিমের প্রভাববলয়ের বাইরে থেকে গেছে (এগুলো অবশ্যই জেনারেল এবং সিম্প্লিফায়েড অবজার্ভেশন, গ্লোবালাইজেশনের যুগে ১০০ ভাগ স্বতন্ত্র কিছু থাকা কঠিন)। বেশ কিছু গল্পের সমাধান এতটাই অবিশ্বাস্য যে, জাপানি লোকজন এবং ওয়ার্ক কালচারের সাথে পরিচয় না থাকলে মনে হবে জোর করে মেলানো হচ্ছে, কিন্তু যারা জাপানিদের ইতিহাস, এদের অস্বাভাবিক ধৈর্য্য, অধ্যবসায় এবং একই সাথে প্রতিশপধপরায়ণতা ও রাগ পুষে রাখার ব্যাপারটা সম্পর্কে কিছুটা জানেন, তাদের কাছে গল্পের শেষে গিয়ে মনে হবে, এই সমাধানটাই স্বাভাবিক ছিল।
এমন একটা পড়েছিলাম কেএগো হিগাশিনো'র 'স্যালভেশন অভ আ সেইন্ট', আর এবার পড়লাম সোওজি শিমোদা'র 'মার্ডার ইন দ্য ক্রুকড হাউজ।' নাম খানিকটা আগাথা ক্রিস্টি ধরণের, রহস্যটাও লকড রুম মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি। জাপানের সর্ব উত্তরের প্রদেশ হোক্কাইডো'রও সর্বশেষ সীমানায় পাহাড়ের মাথায় দাঁড়িয়ে থাকা এক অদ্ভুত বাড়িতে এক ধনকুবের আমন্ত্রণ করেন কয়েকজন অতিথিকে, আর প্রথম রাত থেকেই বন্ধ রুমে খুন হতে থাকে একের পর এক অতিথি। কোন মোটিভ নেই, কোন উপায় নেই খুন করার। পুলিশ হাল ছেড়ে দেয়ার পর মন্ঞ্চে প্রবেশ ভবিষ্যদ্বক্তা ও গোয়েন্দা কিওশি মিতারাই-এর। এরপর সমাধান তো হবেই। কিন্তু সমাধানটা একেবারেই জাপানিজ ধরণের। সেটা বলে দিলে স্পয়লার হবে, তাছাড়া আমার পক্ষে লিখে বোঝানো সম্ভবও নয়। কাজেই, নিজেই পড়ে দেখে নিন, ঠকবেন না। তবে ক্রিস্টির ধরণের স্লো মিস্ট্রি যারা পছন্দ করেন না, তাদের ভাল না-ও লাগতে পারে।
এমন একটা পড়েছিলাম কেএগো হিগাশিনো'র 'স্যালভেশন অভ আ সেইন্ট', আর এবার পড়লাম সোওজি শিমোদা'র 'মার্ডার ইন দ্য ক্রুকড হাউজ।' নাম খানিকটা আগাথা ক্রিস্টি ধরণের, রহস্যটাও লকড রুম মার্ডার মিস্ট্রি। জাপানের সর্ব উত্তরের প্রদেশ হোক্কাইডো'রও সর্বশেষ সীমানায় পাহাড়ের মাথায় দাঁড়িয়ে থাকা এক অদ্ভুত বাড়িতে এক ধনকুবের আমন্ত্রণ করেন কয়েকজন অতিথিকে, আর প্রথম রাত থেকেই বন্ধ রুমে খুন হতে থাকে একের পর এক অতিথি। কোন মোটিভ নেই, কোন উপায় নেই খুন করার। পুলিশ হাল ছেড়ে দেয়ার পর মন্ঞ্চে প্রবেশ ভবিষ্যদ্বক্তা ও গোয়েন্দা কিওশি মিতারাই-এর। এরপর সমাধান তো হবেই। কিন্তু সমাধানটা একেবারেই জাপানিজ ধরণের। সেটা বলে দিলে স্পয়লার হবে, তাছাড়া আমার পক্ষে লিখে বোঝানো সম্ভবও নয়। কাজেই, নিজেই পড়ে দেখে নিন, ঠকবেন না। তবে ক্রিস্টির ধরণের স্লো মিস্ট্রি যারা পছন্দ করেন না, তাদের ভাল না-ও লাগতে পারে।
September 1, 2023
Prepare to be captivated. "The Murder in Crooked House" by Soji Shimada, a masterful tapestry of intrigue and enigma, takes you on an unforgettable journey. Having devoured Shimada's "Tokyo Zodiac Murders" before, I approached this novel with heightened anticipation – and it surpassed all expectations.
Perched upon a snowbound cliff at the tip of Japan, this masterpiece beckons you into a mansion that's more than mere architecture. Its slanted floors, uncanny staircases, and haunting masks are a prelude to an impossible murder locked within its confines. As the authorities stumble, a brilliant detective, Kiyoshi Mitarai, enters the scene, inviting you, the reader, to join the quest to decipher this cryptic puzzle.
Shimada's mastery lies in crafting an atmosphere that's as immersive as it is chilling. The labyrinthine narrative unfolds, engaging reviewers who find themselves ensnared by the relentless intrigue, defying their ability to predict the twists and turns. The complexity of the puzzle keeps minds delightfully perplexed, leading to a resolution that shatters all expectations.
This time, the journey is more gripping than ever. Shimada's evolution as an author is evident in the pacing, expertly guiding readers from start to brilliant solution. The eerie isolation of the mansion, enriched by the author's cultural insights, adds a layer of depth that seamlessly weaves into the tapestry of mystery.
"The Murder in Crooked House" emerges as a triumphant homage to the locked-room mystery, one that outshines even its predecessor. The fusion of cultural nuance, architectural enigma, and bewildering clues creates a captivating narrative that beckons to mystery enthusiasts. Shimada's craftsmanship challenges minds and spirits, offering an immersive adventure that lingers long after the final page.
For those seeking a unique mental workout and an escape into unconventional intrigue, Shimada's opus is a treasure trove. The enigmatic Crooked House, its peculiar inhabitants, and the labyrinthine puzzle threads come together to craft a tribute to the very essence of mystery.
Perched upon a snowbound cliff at the tip of Japan, this masterpiece beckons you into a mansion that's more than mere architecture. Its slanted floors, uncanny staircases, and haunting masks are a prelude to an impossible murder locked within its confines. As the authorities stumble, a brilliant detective, Kiyoshi Mitarai, enters the scene, inviting you, the reader, to join the quest to decipher this cryptic puzzle.
Shimada's mastery lies in crafting an atmosphere that's as immersive as it is chilling. The labyrinthine narrative unfolds, engaging reviewers who find themselves ensnared by the relentless intrigue, defying their ability to predict the twists and turns. The complexity of the puzzle keeps minds delightfully perplexed, leading to a resolution that shatters all expectations.
This time, the journey is more gripping than ever. Shimada's evolution as an author is evident in the pacing, expertly guiding readers from start to brilliant solution. The eerie isolation of the mansion, enriched by the author's cultural insights, adds a layer of depth that seamlessly weaves into the tapestry of mystery.
"The Murder in Crooked House" emerges as a triumphant homage to the locked-room mystery, one that outshines even its predecessor. The fusion of cultural nuance, architectural enigma, and bewildering clues creates a captivating narrative that beckons to mystery enthusiasts. Shimada's craftsmanship challenges minds and spirits, offering an immersive adventure that lingers long after the final page.
For those seeking a unique mental workout and an escape into unconventional intrigue, Shimada's opus is a treasure trove. The enigmatic Crooked House, its peculiar inhabitants, and the labyrinthine puzzle threads come together to craft a tribute to the very essence of mystery.
December 6, 2022
This was such a complicated and complex locked room mysteries that I was baffled and intrigued at the same time. It was interesting to read on the architectural perspective of the crooked house which was fascinatingly described and with the illustration, they helped to make me visualize the place better. Though i do have my suspicion and theory of the killer, was proven right because its kinda easy though the solution was so clever that I'm quite amazed by the tricks. Murder is never right but the motive for the murder to me was sad and emotional by the end, i almost teared up reading it. Im not sure why maybe because it was such a tragic past i guess and as much as i despise the murder, i cant help but felt saddened for it. It was definitely a clever story but gets draggy by the second half. I do wish Kiyoshi Mitarai, the eccentric fortune teller to be in the story more rather than an addition in the end because he was such a fun character. The cast of characters were not so fleshed out so thats a shame, and i really dont like the police detectives in here, they are just a bunch of annoying people 😂😂😂
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