Kobunsha (光文社) – Inhae's blog

Book review: 『寝台特急殺人事件』by Kyotaro Nishimura

Inhae March 14, 2024

I really love Kyotaro Nishimura’s train series: the nostalgia of old sleeper trains coupled with an engrossing mystery…

Cover of 殺人現場は雲の上. The cover is black with just the title and name of the author printed in a big white font across the cover.

Book review: 『殺人現場は雲の上』by Keigo Higashino

Inhae February 6, 2024

A collection of linked short stories with an overall light tone. Maybe my least favourite Higashino read so far, but still a relaxing and entertaining read.

Cover of 白光. Cover illustration: a background of blurred leaves with white light coming through them and pink flowers on the foreground.

Book review: 『白光』by Mikihiko Renjo

Inhae February 6, 2024

A really great book if you like mysteries that deal with psychology and family secrets.

Cover of 天山を超えて. There is a drawing of a desert with a dune of sand on the foreground. On top of the dune, there is a man riding a camel. There are other characters riding camels visible behind the dune and coming towards us. In the background, a mountain range covered in snow.

Book review: 『天山を越えて』by Koshi Kurumizawa

Inhae February 6, 2024

Though 天山を越えて won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, it belongs more to the adventure genre than the mystery genre, and it was a bit of a disappointment to me.

Book review: 『Wの悲劇』by Shizuko Natsuki

Inhae March 11, 2024

『Wの悲劇』, whose title is an homage to Ellery Queen, is certainly one of the most famous works by Shizuko Natsuki, but I did not enjoy it as much as I expected.

Cover of 蒸発. It is a yellow cover with the drawing of a rose int he middle. The flower is a mauve/blue colour.

Book review: 『蒸発』by Shizuko Natsuki

Inhae March 11, 2024

『蒸発』won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1973 and belongs to Shizuko Natsuki’s most famous novels.

Cover of “Terminal satsujin jiken”. On the cover is a picture taken by night of Ueno Station.

Book review: 『終着駅殺人事件』by Kyotaro Nishimura

Inhae March 11, 2024

An engrossing murder mystery revolving around the sleeper train linking Aomori and Ueno stations. Also one of my favourite winners of the Mystery Writers of Japan Award.

Book review: 『黒い白鳥』by Tetsuya Ayukawa

Inhae September 22, 2023

A social/mystery novel that won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, 『黒い白鳥』gives a realistic portrait of its time while giving the readers a complex murder mystery resolving around train timetables.

Book review: 『四万人の目撃し』by Yorichika Arima

Inhae February 6, 2024

This detective novel won the Mystery Writers of Japan Award, but I found it underwhelming and not satisfactory.

Book review: 『完全犯罪に猫は何匹必要か？』by Tokuya Higashigawa

Inhae February 6, 2024

This is the third book of the Ikagawa series, and it’s very good if you like mystery novels with a lighter tone and a lot of humour that still delivers an engrossing detective case .