The icy cold inscrutable impassive blindingly beautiful chillingly restrained woman at the heart of the mystery.
The diabolical vindictive teeth-chattering spine-tingling insane evil oh so evil string of gruesome horrible heartless vicious eye-burning soul-churning murders. I really love adjectives in general, but sometimes there's a limit and this novel went waaay past that limit! He probably shouldn't have messed about with the Inugami Clan because that's one bad-to-know clan, no matter how rich they are. It was fun, in its way.
Yokomizo has a calm, even dry style - except for the over the top way the murders and especially his characters are described, often when they are all just sitting in a room talking and listening to each other. In the novel's favor: There were a couple things that I quite liked. The gay stuff, because that was surprising.
And that one heir who wears a creepy mask designed to look like his own face. That creepy mask sure was frightening, eerie, disturbing, sinister, weird, hair-raising, menacing, threatening, unsettling, spooky, scary, freaky and just plain [enter adjective here]. View all 5 comments. Jun 18, Mizuki rated it it was amazing Shelves: The Inugami Clan is probably one of Japanese detective novelist Seishi Yokomizo's most famous and most widely adored detective novels, the novel has been adapted into movies for at least twice--the first time done masterfully , but the second time of the adaptation was done horribly , by the same director.
Here's the outline of the story: In the s Japan, the wealthy patriarch of the Inugami Clan died due to old age, but the old man left behind a highly unusual or even bizarre The Inugami Clan is probably one of Japanese detective novelist Seishi Yokomizo's most famous and most widely adored detective novels, the novel has been adapted into movies for at least twice--the first time done masterfully , but the second time of the adaptation was done horribly , by the same director.
In the s Japan, the wealthy patriarch of the Inugami Clan died due to old age, but the old man left behind a highly unusual or even bizarre last will.
He was also often called the "Japanese John Dickson Carr" after the writer whom he admired. Yokomizo also frequently reminds the reader who certain people are by using expressions such as 'Furute the lawyer', which I found unnecessary. Everybody was kinda guilty untik the end and Kindaichi is seriously a interesting detective. Dec 09, Irais Elvira rated it really liked it Shelves: Paco Ignacio Taibo II. Why was Sahei so cold towards his daughters?
In his last will, the head of the Inugami Clan revealed the new heir to be no other than an orphaned young woman who was adopted into the family her late grandfather was the old man's best friend and benefactor , instead of one of the old man's own flesh and blood e.
Also according to the last will, the beautiful young orphan must in turn decide who would become the next family leader by marrying a man from the Inugami direct bloodlineone of the late patriarch's three grandsons. Shortly after the will was announced, members of the Inugami Clan were being murdered one by one, and Detective Kindaichi must step in to investigate.
Once you open the book, you are in for a bloodcurdling, horrifying but intriguing ride through the many secrets of the Inugami Clan 'Inugami' means 'god of dogs' in Japanese and yes, it's a family name. Reading this book may give you the feeling of reading a Gothic horror novel. The murder mystery is masterfully crafted and revealed by the novelist and don't forget the murderer's many creative and strangely beautiful methods of killing the victims!
To sum up, I think this book is a finely written detective novel with a lot of good dramas and high value of entertainment. Although it may not be Yokomizo's best of the best masterpiece most people think Hell Gate Isle is his best works , still it clearly is an outstanding and unforgettable novel. View all 11 comments. Mar 22, David rated it it was ok Shelves: It was about as bad as your average Agatha Christie The translation was a little weird. We identify koto as "zithers" but then it's important that we identify zithers as " koto " And there was a chapter where everyone kept being on a "berm".
I mean, what's a berm? Sep 25, Estibaliz79 rated it liked it. May 03, Skjam! In a manor on the shores of Lake Nasu, an old man lies dying, surrounded by his kin. But there is no sorrow for the passing of Sahei Inugami in their eyes, only greed for the vast fortune he will be leaving to his clan. It seems that the relatives will have to wait to see how much money they get, as the will cannot be opened until the missing grandson, Kiyo, returns from Burma, where he was stranded after the war. Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi is called in by an assistant of the family lawyer In a manor on the shores of Lake Nasu, an old man lies dying, surrounded by his kin.
Famous detective Kosuke Kindaichi is called in by an assistant of the family lawyer. This is only a prelude to the terrible things that will happen once the blood-colored will is read…. Kosuke Kindaichi was the most successful series character created by famous Japanese mystery writer Seishi Yokomizo, appearing in over seventy stories. It is, however, the most popular volume and the only one to be translated into English. The case itself is an old-fashioned puzzle box, and it takes several deaths before Kindaichi finally figures it out.
All of the Inugami clan are suspicious characters, especially Kiyo, who wears a mask at all times, claiming to have been disfigured in the war. Even the lovely Tamayo, who would in other stories seem to be a innocent target, shows a cold cunning from time to time. But all the characters seem to have alibis for at least one of the murders, and the bizarre pun-based staging makes it probable the same person is behind all the events. The setting of immediate post-World War Two Japan greatly shapes the story.
However, no mention at all is made of the American Occupation, or Americans in general. This and the older-fashioned writing style makes this book less than suitable to young readers; I would rate it for senior high-school and up. The translation appears to be out of print in the U.
En el Japón de mediados de los años cuarenta, Sahei Inugami, poderoso jefe del grupo Inugami, muere en su mansión a la venerable edad de 81 años. El clan Inugami/ The Inugami clan (Bolsillo) (Spanish Edition) [Sheishi El clan Inugami (Best seller) (Spanish Edition) and millions of other books are available .
Try inter-library loan for a mystery that will go well for fans of Ellery Queen and Agatha Christie-type stories. Sep 23, Danielle rated it it was amazing. This is the book! Oct 04, Bernie rated it really liked it. What a fun read! Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger, almost like the serialization of stories in Dickens' day. The family dynamics are dynamite, almost like a King Lear scenario with everyone selfishly looking out for themselves or their progeny.
Although the murders and coincidences are a bit contrived, there is a charm to this novel that reminds me of an Agatha Christie mystery - something old-fashioned and charming. And as in her novels, everyone is assembled in a room at the end, where the d What a fun read! And as in her novels, everyone is assembled in a room at the end, where the detective explains how the murder s occurred. You will probably guess at some of the situations along the way, but you will still be surprised at the twists. If you are interested in Japanese culture, family revenge stories, or old-fashioned detective stories, you should give this a try!
My story with this books was the fact that it was Xmas already and my mom wanted to give me a gift, so I saw this book and told her I really wanted that book before… So yeah, I knew nothing about it. Well, I dived into this book being totally clueless, expecting nothing at all. I have to say this book so damn good.
It had so many plot twists it was really hard for me to guess who was the killer until they said it. At the end I got a pleasant surprise. Everybody was kinda guilty untik the end and Kindaichi is seriously a interesting detective. When I review an enjoyable book reviews come out in a weird way. So, yes, this book is something I could recommend.
Feb 05, Steve Carroll rated it liked it. This is the only Kindachi Kousuke detective novel that has been translated into English as far as I know. The puzzle is interesting but like many Japanese mystery stories I've read the characterization really takes a back seat to the puzzle. I'm not sure any real person has ever acted the way the characters do in this book. Bastante entretenido e intrigante! Sep 24, Margarete rated it liked it.
What a cute detective, think Japanese Columbo! Feb 12, Kimiko-K rated it really liked it. It is important for would-be readers to be aware that this story was originally published over time in monthly magazine KINGU , catering to a general audience. The premise is simple and nothing groundbreaking - a deceased wealthy man who had left behind a wealth of a It is important for would-be readers to be aware that this story was originally published over time in monthly magazine KINGU , catering to a general audience.
The premise is simple and nothing groundbreaking - a deceased wealthy man who had left behind a wealth of assets that invariably resulted in a "desperate contest for his fortune" among his disagreeable descendants. What is unique is the symbolism of the crime and Yokomizo's ability to keep his reader guessing the real culpirit. Thankfully, he did not abuse his advantage as the World Creator with misleading and selective information - even circumstances and clues that outrightly pointed to a certain suspect were factual and hence did not feel insistent as a distraction from the real murderer.
Personally, I was left uncertain to whether the murders were an insider or outsider's job as the alibis were too well-constructed. Every detail introduced were fully utilised rather than just for shock factor or to make the story different , where its significance would only be revealed later in the story or weaved into a defining aspect of the crime e. I am especially fond of Detective Kindaichi, the eventual star of the story. As opposed to Holmes, who was from the onset depicted as a genius with godly deductive powers, Kindaichi was constantly "shocked" and taken aback by the turn of events, and did not display any particular outstanding detective prowess till the later half of the book.
He was relatively 'real' and grounded, although his defining habits compulsive scratching of his head and awkward insertion of stutters contradicted with my description of his realness. Regardless, the selling point - the crime and its ability to sustain my attention - holds itself well. The fact that it was not only published in one of the most popular magazines of its time, but subsequently adapted into multiple TV drama series, theatre works, manga Japanese comics , and even a Nintendo DS game, says for itself. With its read-worthiness established, I'll move on to some minor annoyances, which are mainly technical.
Yokomizo would frequently end chapters on an ominous note, as in, "It was as if blood were oozing from the pages of the will," and "The curtain had risen on the first act of this blood-soaked tragedy," which frankly sounded quite cheesy and slightly ostentatious, partly because such vivid descriptors were overused. It did not help that Yokomizo had to constantly his readers that the Inugami "family" members are positively brimming with hatred for one another, and none boasts a remotely redeeming quality to their hateful personalities. It felt overemphasised with the casts being reduced to one-dimensional characterisations.
I understand it was to build anticipation and assurance of an imminent crime, which did not occur as frequently as suggested by the synopsis.
However, it came off as a killjoy to be told in advance that a murder is due in the next chapter. The writer tended to overexert the function of 3rd person narrative, from a limited perspective storyteller to that of a fortune-teller, such as offering hindsight in the middle of the story before the event actually happened e. The author was also inclined to cross-media reference - a fancy way of saying he made use of his pages to advertise his other works, possibly per advice by his publisher - as in p. However, these are merely trivial annoyances, like a pebble that skidded the lake's surface and disrupted the story's flow for a second.
Nevertheless, I feel that Yokomizo succeeded in fulfilling the magazine's aim in catering to its wide audience demographic, keeping the mystery addicts guessing and even introducing a sub-romance plot to capture the interest of more females like me. I also need to mention that since this was written after WWII, I appreciated Yokomizo's mention of repatriated soldiers, firmly setting this story in a fixed time capsule of Japan's history.
Rather than glorifying the war and the bravery of the loyal soldiers, he showed the ugly and often untold side of the soldier's life - interrupted lives and scarring experience literally. I am glad at least the subsequent audience were given a more holistic picture of the war in print. On to the next book! I knew from the first several pages this story would be gripping. And I was delighted. This book was so riveting I don't know whether to give it a 4 or a 5. Some books are really satiating, aren't they, like a delicious, solid meal or snack.
I took this analogy from my baby brother, who once compared the entertainment level of movies to satisfaction from food. There were mini-mysteries surrounding the main mystery of whodunnit that kept me engrossed in the story. Who had killed all the victims? Were there multiple culprits? Mary Terror Spanish Edition. Vencer Al Dragon Spanish Edition. El viaje de doble-p. Mecanoscrito del Segundo Origen Spanish Edition. Get to Know Us. English Choose a language for shopping. Amazon Music Stream millions of songs. Amazon Advertising Find, attract, and engage customers. Amazon Drive Cloud storage from Amazon.
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