BOOK REVIEW
鈥楽he Walks at Night鈥� a gripping Japanese murder mystery
Pushkin Press brings Seishi Yokomizo鈥檚 1973 whodunit to English readers
鈥淗e appeared to be in his early forties and was of stocky build. The haori and hakama he wore over his kimono were of decent quality; his head was clean-shaven, and his features by no means ugly. Still, there was something oddly lifeless about his expression. His eyes were dull and unfocused, there was a slackness about his mouth, and his plump, almost childlike cheeks had an oily sheen. As he grinned vaguely and glanced around the room, his lips trembled as if he were about to drool.鈥� 鈥� 鈥淪he Walks at Night鈥� by Seishi Yokomizo
Pushkin Press has been translating Seishi Yokomizo鈥檚 mystery novels since 2019. Yokomizo wrote 77 novels, and Puskin just released 鈥淪he Walks at Night,鈥� which was originally published in Japan in 1973. Currently, the press has published eight of his novels.
Seishi Yokomizo (1902-1981) was a legendary mystery pioneer in Japan. Originally, he was a pharmacist and then started writing mystery stories for a popular magazine in Japan. His first novel was published in 1935 but was immediately censored by the authorities. After World War II, his work became very popular, and he developed a very large following.
鈥淪he Walks at Night鈥� is a fantastic stand-alone murder mystery set in the midst of the Musashino countryside. A detective novelist, Kosuke Kindaichi, gets roped into going to his friend鈥檚 house to observe some mysterious happenings with the aristocratic Furugami family.
The father is a sword-wielding drunk named Tetsunoshin. He lives with his cold, aloof wife, their illegitimate adult daughter and other family members. Shortly after Kindaichi鈥檚 arrival at the estate, a gruesome murder takes place. 鈥淪he Walks at Night鈥� reveals family feuds and secrets that make the mystery harder to solve.
For all the mystery lovers out there, grab yourself a copy of 鈥淪he Walks at Night.鈥� It鈥檚 a fantastic whodunit mystery. I鈥檓 looking forward to reading Yokomizo鈥檚 other books.
鈥淚n fact, that evening, she really was a sight to behold. In stark contrast to her earlier outfit, she wore a jet-black evening gown, her only accessory a string of pearls. It was an ensemble whose simplicity only accentuated her elegance. Her skin possessed an uncanny luster that easily rivalled that of the pearls, like the pale underbelly of some reptilian creature. The silence dragged on.鈥�
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