Book: The Honjin Murders
Yup, straight off the back from the previous Japanese book, I chanced upon this particular one. AND I AM IN LOVE.
Why?
Because I grew up watching and reading about the young Kindaichi who is the grandson of – you guessed it – Kosuke Kindaichi the detective of this novel.
Written by Yokomizo Seishi, The Honjin Murders is the first Detective Kindaichi book and also the first to be translated to English. In total there are 77 Detective Kindaichi books of which only 4 have been translated so far. I’m definitely excited that these books are being translated. It’s my first foray into Japanese detective novels so I wasn’t very sure what to expect.
He draws a lot from and mentions quite a few famous detective novels in the book itself which has piqued my interest in the genre quite a bit. My mum was a huge detective novel fan having read most of Agatha Christie, P.D. James, James Patterson and the likes. I on the other hand have only ever read Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys when I was a kid. So admittedly, I’ve sort of moved on from the genre although this particular locked room mystery has brought me back to my younger days.
In terms of story, I felt that this novel was more of a love letter to all the detective stories the author himself has read and enjoyed before. It’s an interesting plot, but not particularly compelling or original. It might be because it’s his first novel but I also felt that the way the story was told (from a third person who is relating the story second hand) was very strange and impersonal.
Not my favourite novel, but I am going to continue to find and read the rest of his novels, at least those that are translated at least.
Living. Loving. Learning. 