Murder in the Crooked House

Murder in the Crooked House is a locked-room mystery set in a peculiar mansion on the snowy northern tip of Japan. The mansion, built by wealthy businessman Kozaburo Hamamoto, features slanted walls, confusing architecture, and a life-sized puppet collection. During a gathering of guests at the Crooked House, inexplicable murders begin to occur. Detective Kiyoshi Mitarai arrives to investigate the deaths, which take place in seemingly impossible circumstances within the strange building's confines. The investigation centers on the mansion's architectural oddities and the relationships between its inhabitants, while elements of Japanese culture and social dynamics play key roles in the mystery. The story follows both Western-style detective conventions and distinctly Japanese literary traditions. The novel explores themes of illusion versus reality and the ways physical spaces can manipulate human perception. Through its unconventional setting, it examines how architecture itself can become an active participant in criminal acts.

Readers call this an intricate locked-room mystery with elaborate architectural details and complex murder schemes. Many highlight the unique setting of the Ice Floe Mansion and appreciate the detailed floor plans included in the book. Readers liked: - The impossible crime setup and fair-play puzzle elements - Atmospheric winter setting in remote Hokkaido - Technical diagrams and architectural descriptions - Detective Kiyoshi Mitarai's deduction process Readers disliked: - Slow pacing in the first third - Too many characters introduced at once - Translation can feel stiff and mechanical - Some find the solution overly complex Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (280+ ratings) One reader noted: "The architectural details create an eerie, claustrophobic atmosphere perfect for a locked room mystery." Another criticized: "Takes too long to get going and the character introductions feel like information overload."

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🏠 The "crooked house" in the novel is inspired by real architectural oddities in Japan, particularly the concept of "yangokan" - buildings intentionally designed with strange angles and confusing layouts. 📚 Author Soji Shimada is considered one of the masters of "shin honkaku" mystery writing, a distinctly Japanese take on Golden Age detective fiction that emphasizes fair-play puzzles and complex solutions. 🔍 The book features Kiyoshi Mitarai, Shimada's recurring detective character, who also appears in his internationally acclaimed novel "The Tokyo Zodiac Murders." 🗾 Originally published in Japanese in 1982 under the title "Naname Yashiki no Hanzai," the book wasn't translated into English until 2019 by Louise Heal Kawai. 🎭 The story incorporates elements of Japanese puppet theater (bunraku), with life-sized mechanical dolls playing a crucial role in both the setting and the mystery's solution.