Maybe some other people are also interested in what reviewers and the translators behind the books have to say so I have compiled a few podcast episodes and translators blogs people might also find interesting. ( this is not homework and you will be able to enjoy all books without going extra research this is just for fun)

PODCAST EPISODES -Read Japanese literature podcast: Japanese crime and mystery writing -

She Dunnit podcast by Caroline Crampton: Honkaku Mysteries - she interviews Seishi Yokomizos grandson and the publishing director of Pushkin press ( who did a lot of these books) .

In Gad we trust podcast: episode 9 the Honjin murders with Louise Heal Kawai ( translator)

Death of the reader podcast: this one is a little different because they normally split the books into three episodes and in the middle portion they talk to an author about an unrelated book but they also offer some of the best breakdowns of mysteries and books. ( best of you are aware of genre conventions but personally found it to be such a great examoination of various mysteries and their clues) - they have interesting interview with Dr Satoshi Saito on the history of Honkaku Mysteries as a seperate episode that is really good —— they also have episodes examining

• devotion of suspect X
• Tokyo zodiac murders
• the decagon house murders ( I would listen to these episodes after reading the corresponding chapters or after the whole book as these two are scarily good at guessing what happens).

TRANSLATORS BLOGS

• Ho Ling Wong - translator or decagon house murders - https://ho-lingnojikenbo.blogspot.com/search/label/Translations?m=0

-Jim Rion - translator of strange pictures

https://jimrion.com/blog/

Hopefully this makes sense to everyone and helps them find books they would like to read. ( there is nothing I hate more when thrillers and murder mysteries are conflated as being the same thing).

I will use three detective descriptors Police detective- active member of the police Amateur detective- someone who is not professionally a detective ( often has other job) Private detective- not a police detective but still solves crimes as only employment.

Honkaku mystery- meaning orthodox, original or authentic focusing on puzzle based mystery often based on Golden age of murder mystery aka Agatha Christie or John Dickinson Carr with elaborate solutions and locked rooms often featuring

Social school- more thrillers. challenges social order ( has something to say about social issues)

Shin honkaku - new orthodox mysteries had a re-emergence in the 80s.

1928- Beast in the Shadows by Edogawa Rampo. Blends murder mystery and thriller and started its own genre of erotic grotesque- main character investigates crime as an amateur.

1948- the tattoo murder by Akimitsu Takagi, murder mystery, mix of amateur and police detectives. Honkaku

1951-the Inugami curse by Seishi Yokomizo, murder mystery and private detective. Honkaku ( author is considered the greatest of the original Honkaku authors) my favourite author but his plots are crazy.

1958- Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto- murder mystery with some social school elements it’s also a train mystery. ( Seichō Matsumoto is considered the founder of the Social School)

1959- the black swan mystery by Tetsuya Ayukawa murder mystery with some social school elements Also a train mystery and police detectives

1963- the lady killer by Masako Togawa- blend of thriller and murder mystery follows amateur detective ( lawyer). Social school

1981- the Tokyo Zodiac murders by Soji Shimada- amateur detective and murder mystery soft launch of Shin Honkaku mysteries( lots of data to go over)

1989- The decagon house murders by Yukito Ayatsuji murder mystery and launched Shin Honkaku mysteries back to main stream. Amateur detective. Homage to and then there were none.

1995-the man who died seven times by Yasuhiko Nishizawa- murder mystery with time travel elements somehow light hearted. Main character tries to solve murder while in time loop.

1997- Out- by Natsuo Kirino a dark thriller and part of the social school mystery. Would you help your coworker if she killed her husband?

2005- The Aosawa murders by Riko Onda- murder mystery with multiple POVs. Police detective and others as a multi timeline exploration occurs, part of shin honkaku but is more literary in nature. ( book within a book)

2005- the devotion of suspect X- a murder mystery Howdunnit- combination of police detective and amateur, part of shin honkaku.

2005- Bullet train by Kotaro Isaka- Assassins on a train( there is nothing else to say it’s definitely not a murder mystery though it’s just fun).

2022- Strange Pictures by Uketsu- amateur detective and murder mystery. Slight horror elements. Lots of diagrams and pictures to analyse.

2023- my grandfather the master detective by Masateru Konishi- short stories solved by a young teacher and her grandfather suffering from dementia.the closest we have to cozy crime from Japan and it includes both a murder case and the stalking of the main character. Slight romance that leaves you wanting the author to hurry up and write the sequel he is supposedly writing.

I really want to love this, but so far I’m struggling! The writing feels so-so and I’m not very interested in the story. Maybe I’m just being picky 🤪 Is it worth it to keep going?