Absolutely brilliant.

First serialized in 1946 and set a few years earlier in 1937, this locked room mystery takes place at an old mansion (honjin - an inn for nobility) in rural Japan in the depths of winter. The sights and sounds are rich and dramatic: the twang of the traditional koto, the deep red of freshly painted walls, the blood drenched crime scene, the katana stabbed into the crisp white snow.

The writing surprised me. First, the psychological explanation of the characters’ development, behaviors, and interpersonal relationships is key to the entire mystery. It is a complex and nuanced analysis. Second, the meta references to the author himself and other detective novels add a delightful tongue in cheek joke to the whole plot. And a final note about the writing voice: if you have read a lot of translated Japanese, you start to notice that it has a certain brisk but engaging quality to it that gives it a sincere and modern tone. I love it.

There is a 70s movie adaptation that I’m dying to see, but I think this would make for an incredible stage play and I would love to see that pulled off.