Recently, my pal JJ asked me if The Inugami Curse, the 1951 mystery written by prolific crime writer Seishi Yokomizo and expertly translated by Yumiko Yamazaki, took place over a span of several months and, if so, was it my intention to read the damn thing in real time? Har, har, JJ, it is to … Continue reading A REAL HEAD-SCRATCHER
shin honkaku
THE REPRINT THAT JJ WILL LOVE: The Honjin Murders
Right now, we are in the throes of Kate’s Second Annual Best Reprint of the Year poll, and Kate has roped some of her fellow bloggers to post one or two selections from which all readers can select a winner. If, for some uncanny reason, you have decided not to vote for my first selection, … Continue reading THE REPRINT THAT JJ WILL LOVE: The Honjin Murders
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I’M MOVING TO JAPAN!!!
Okay, I’m not moving to Japan! That was what we writers call a tease. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. Ever. Trust me. However, Soji Shimada’s introduction to Takemaru Abiko’s debut mystery, The 8 Mansion Murders, offers many attractive reasons for me to do so. First there’s the architecture. According to Zillow.com, the 910-sq.ft. condo I … Continue reading SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: I’M MOVING TO JAPAN!!!
BRING IT ON, CHINA: Death in the House of Rain
One of the surer signs that GAD crime fiction is coming back in a big way is the rising availability of detective novels from other lands. And I couldn’t be happier about it! From the British Library’s recent collection Foreign Bodies to the explosion of Scandanavian crime fiction (some of it legit!), we’re starting to … Continue reading BRING IT ON, CHINA: Death in the House of Rain
LETTER TO TEACHER: Learning About Shin Honkaku
Dear Miss Crabtree, Here is my twenty five hundred word essay that you are making me write as punishment for not following the instructions of our last assignment properly. the Tuesday Night Bloggers wanted us to write about murders that take place in academia, which means school, and I meant to do that but I … Continue reading LETTER TO TEACHER: Learning About Shin Honkaku
Ah Sweet Mystery! 