About the Author

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and beloved mystery writers, best known for creating the legendary detective Kosuke Kindaichi, who featured in more than 70 stories, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders, the first Kosuke Kindaichi novel, is regarded as one of Japan's great mystery novels and won the inaugural Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1948. The Inugami Curse, The Village of Eight Graves, Death on Gokumon Island, The Devil's Flute Murders, The Little Sparrow Murders, Murder at the Black Cat Cafe and She Walks at Night are also available or forthcoming from Pushkin Vertigo.

Reviews

Plenty of golden age ingredients... with a truly ingenious solution
*Guardian, Best New Crime Fiction*

Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis... Ingenious and compelling
*Economist*

At once familiar and tantalisingly strange... It's an absolute pleasure to see his work translated at last in these beautifully produced English editions
*Sunday Times*

With a reputation in Japan to rival Agatha Christie's, the master of ingenious plotting is finally on the case for anglophone readers
*Guardian*

An iconic slice of classic Japanese crime fiction
*Tom Hindle, author of Murder on Lake Garda*

The Japanese Agatha Christie
*Sara Cox, on BBC2's Between the Covers*

The perfect read for this time of year. Short and compelling, it will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie looking for a new case to break
*Irish Times*

A classic murder mystery... Comparisons with Holmes are justified, both in the character of Kindaichi and Yokomizo's approach to storytelling - mixing clues, red herrings and fascinating social insight before drawing back the curtain to reveal the truth
*Japan Times*

The premise alone is dazzling [and] the solution to this mystery came as a complete surprise - exactly what I asked for
*New York Times*

For lovers of classic mystery and mayhem, these newly translated offerings are a must
*Tokyo Weekender*

A delightfully entertaining locked room murder mystery... There are plenty of twists, red herrings, and suspects in this monkey puzzle of a story... An ideal book to curl up with on a winter's night
*NB Magazine*

A classic locked room mystery... Its intricate thrills just as exciting as they were 70 years ago
*CrimeReads*

Essential reading for fans of detective and historical fiction... [the] solution to the whole mystery does actually make your jaw drop
*Deccan Herald*

A wickedly fun time. Its short length, quirky cast of characters, engaging mystery, and theatrical setting and plot make for a fantastic murder mystery tale.
*Books and Bao*

The master of Japanese crime
*Tuttolibri*

The perfect gift for any fan of classic crime fiction or locked room mysteries
*Mrs Peabody Investigates*

A perfect puzzle... Doesn't fail to deliver in its extremely fun and chilling premise. You'll be reading way past your bedtime!
*Litreactor*

Think you got a Sherlock Holmes knack for crime puzzles? Then have a try at Yokomizo's clever mystery riddle
*Metropolis Magazine, The Best Japanese Mystery Novels to Read in 2025*

This Golden-Age Japanese mystery reminded me of Twin Peaks, with a mysterious three-fingered man, the perfect couple of newlyweds, and the perfect crime: a locked room that literally no one could have entered
*Anna Fitzgerald Healy, author of 'Etiquette for Lovers and Killers'*

It's steeped in the traditions of locked-room mystery, and is one of the most fiendish examples of the 'impossible murder' I've read
*Tim Major, author of Jekyll & Hyde*

An absolute hoot
*Ross Montgomery, author of 'Murder at Worlds End'*