Akimitsu Takagi (1920–1995)

An old seaside mansion. Dark gothic atmosphere. An exotic setting. Sinister locked-room mystery. Depraved and broken characters. A public prosecutor in search of the truth. Unreliable narrators.
Japan, unsettled nation during the aftermath of WWII. Multiple elaborate murders. Elegant, refined prose. An outstanding translation.
Eerieness creeps through the pages like the seaside mist underlying the story.
Historical murder mystery, social commentary, character study, domestic thriller, gothic literature.
Maybe the perfect book for the perfect time exists. The Noh Mask Murder has it all.

Thank you, NetGalley and Pushkin Press, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! All viewpoints are entirely my own.… (mer)

Would I read another book by this author?
Yes.

Would I recommend this book?
Yes.

Who would I recommend this book to?
Anyone who enjoys golden age murder mysteries.

Did this book inspire me to do anything?
I have a handful of other Japanese murder mystery books and I am now likely to read them sooner that later as a result of this book.

This is a locked-room murder mystery set in Japan in 1947. The book is interesting not simply because of its murder mystery nature, but also because it is set in post WWII Japan and gives a glimpse of life in Post-war Japan. It was interesting to read about the cultural norms in Japan in relation to greeting people, visiting their homes, and general politeness.

In terms of culture, the position of women in Japanese homes was highlighted. One quote that brought it home to me is:

The three men shared a light meal of rice, miso soup with tofu and straw mushrooms, grilled butterfish, and various savory side dishes. (Daiyu's wife Mariko, as was customary, served them in silence, the ante later by herself in the kitchen.)

The approach to murder mystery involved setting the scene, describing the scene, setting out the evidence as gleaned from various interviews and investigations, and then the build up to the big reveal.

I found the characters engaging and the story held my interest and attention. There was a slight slowing of pace in the third quarter of the book and that has led me to give the book 3.5 stars rather than 4.… (mer)

This book was fascinating - set and written in Japan in the 1940s, it gave me so many fascinating insights about this time period. I also liked the lively depictions of several characters. The mystery itself was "obviously" quite convoluted, and not sure I was convinced by the back and forth of point of views at the beginning. The translation itself was interesting, probably challenging to do. It read as more "modern" than the 1940s and while it helped me get into the book more quickly and read it fast, it was also a bit jarring at times. But it's really hard to do :)

I want to thank NetGalley and Pushkin Press for a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.… (mer)