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Astrologer, fortuneteller, and self-styled detective Kiyoshi Mitarai must in one week solve a macabre murder mystery that has baffled Japan for 40 years. Who murdered the artist Umezawa, raped and killed his daughter, and then chopped up the bodies of six others to create Azoth, the supreme woman? With maps, charts, and other illustrations, this story of magic and illusion, pieced together like a great stage tragedy, challenges the reader to unravel the mystery before the final curtain.
- Sales Rank: #598442 in Books
- Published on: 2015-09-15
- Released on: 2015-09-15
- Original language: Japanese
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 7.79" h x .82" w x 5.10" l, .81 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 320 pages
From Publishers Weekly
First published in Japan in 1981, Shimada's intriguing first novel blends metafiction with a locked-room mystery. The title refers to a (fictional) series of sensational unsolved murders committed in 1936. In 1979, freelance illustrator Kazumi Ishioka, "a huge fan of mysteries," and his moody artist friend, Kiyoshi Mitarai, a self-styled amateur detective, are intent on unraveling the decades-old ritualistic killings. Painter Heikichi Umezawa left an eerily specific note about how he wanted to create the perfect woman, his Azoth, made up of the severed parts of his six daughters and nieces. These women, all with different astrological signs, ended up dead and buried all over Japan, but it was impossible for Umezawa to be the killer, because he had been dead for days himself, murdered in his locked studio. Kazumi and Kiyoshi spend a lot of time getting up to speed on the case by simply relating facts to each other. But once Shimada enters his own narrative as an investigator, the pace picks up considerably, and readers will understand why Shimada is considered one of Japan's most fiendishly clever crime writers. (Sept.)\n
Review
'The great Soji Shimada virtually invented the "logic problem" sub-genre ' -�Guardian Top 10 Locked Room Mysteries (No. 2)
'Intricately constructed and entertainingly exotic' -�The Japan Times
About the Author
Soji Shimada is an author, designer, musician, and astrology writer. He has written over a 100 crime novels since his 1981 debut with The Tokyo Zodiac Murders. As a pioneer of the Shinhonhaku 'logic mystery' genre he is known in the Japan as the 'God of Mystery'.��
Translated from the Japanese by Ross and Shika MacKenzie.
Most helpful customer reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful.
The Tokyo Zodiac Murders
By S Riaz
This novel is being released under the new ‘Pushkin Vertigo’ imprint – which aims to re-release international crime classics written in the years between the 1920’s and 1970’s. “The Tokyo Zodiac Murders,” is the first of over two dozen novels featuring Kiyoshi Mitarai and is written in the popular Japanese Honkaku subgenre of mysteries; very much focused on plotting and clues and where the reader is drawn into participating in solving the crime before the detective.
In some ways, this book reminded me of mysteries I have read from the 1920’s, such as “The Cask,” by Freeman Wills Croft, where you are almost walked through the crime, clue by clue. As such,, “The Tokyo Zodiac Murders,” appeared a little dry at first, but I was soon thoroughly immersed in the novel and really fascinated by the plot and the characters.
The title of the books comes from a series of murders which took place in 1936 and remained unsolved when the narrator of the book, Kazumi Ishioka, tells his friend, Kiyoshi Mitarai, about them. The murders involve an artist, named Heikichi Umezawa, who believed that he was possessed by the devil and who dreamt of creating the perfect woman – ‘Azoth’ – by killing six young women (his daughters and nieces) and combining their body parts. However, Umezawa is murdered in his studio and the murders took place after his death…
This is a classic, locked door mystery and involves Ishioka and Mitarai discussing the murders in 1979, before setting out to solve them. As I mentioned before, the first part of the book involves Ishioka relating what happened in some detail and can come across as a little dry. However, this book does become very engaging. There are delightful digressions into other subjects, such as the novels of Sherlock Holmes, and dashes across the country to follow up clues; as well as exhortations from the author himself to try to beat the fictional detectives and solve the crime.
This is a charming read and the Pushkin Vertigo series looks very promising indeed. I look forward to reading more – both from Pushkin Vertigo and from this author, Soji Shimada. Lastly, I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful.
For those looking for something a bit different
By Ivy
Astrologer, fortuneteller, and self-styled detective Kiyoshi Mitarai must in one week solve a macabre murder mystery that has baffled Japan for 40 years. Who murdered the artist Umezawa, raped and killed his daughter, and then chopped up the bodies of six others to create Azoth, the supreme woman? With maps, charts, and other illustrations, this story of magic and illusion, pieced together like a great stage tragedy, challenges the reader to unravel the mystery before the final curtain.
From the Trade Paperback edition & Amazon’s book page
With more than a passing nod to Holmes & Watson THE TOKYO ZODIAC MURDERS owes much to the iconic duo and acknowledges that with Kazumi Ishioka’s love of detective fiction.
Admittedly the beginning is a rough go. The letter that opens the book is long, rambling, and a bit on the esoteric side regarding alchemy, the zodiac (Western not Chinese) and the metallurgic relations to the signs. I almost gave up.
The action, and story, picks up and improves dramatically with the appearance of Kiyoshi Mitarai & Kazumi Ishioka. Kazumi has given Kiyoshi the book to read. He’s eager to discuss and attempt to solve the murder case with him, thinking to lift Kiyoshi from his doldrums. After they’re given a letter with inside information into the mystery and an encounter with the letter writer’s son, Kiyoshi promises to solve the mystery in a week. Kiyoshi and Kazumi go to various locations and each pursues their own line of reasoning.
The author actually interjects himself into the narrative at a couple of points to let readers know they have all the clues required to solve the mystery and encouraging them to do so before reading further. Reading the afterword is recommended. It explains that this is actually a sub-genre of Japanese mystery fiction meaning authentic, it relies on plotting and delivering the clues to the reader so they too can solve it, as well as other info of interest.
I’ve read many translations of international mysteries. Typically there’s an initial adjustment period for me to familiarize myself with names, places, and cultural differences before getting lost in the mystery. The story no longer feels foreign. That wasn’t the case with THE TOKYO ZODIAC MURDERS. Even after getting wrapped up in the mystery I still felt like a visitor to Japan. I think that’s actually part of the appeal. It’s a mini murder mystery vacation.
THE TOKYO ZODIAC MURDERS, once past the long winded letter, is interesting and different enough to appeal to those who enjoy a good mystery and relish solving it along with or even before the “detective”. Kiyoshi Mitarai appears in a series of books for those who’d like to read more of him and his “cases”.
Reviewed for Miss Ivy’s Book Nook Take II, Manic Readers, & Novels Alive TV
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Probably my perfect book! My husband gave me this book as ...
By damppebbles
Take a compelling, intricate, well-written 'locked room' mystery and set it in Japan. What have you got? Probably my perfect book! My husband gave me this book as part of my Christmas present (one book, every month for 12 months) and he did his thorough, pain-staking research before choosing The Tokyo Zodiac Murders. He chose a blinder!
An artist spiralling into madness decides to create his perfect woman, Azoth. To do this he needs to kill and dismember six young woman. Luckily for him four of his five daughters and his two nieces live in the same house as him so he doesn't have to look too hard for his victims.
Unluckily for him he is killed and left in a locked room before he has a chance to create Azoth. However if Heikichi Umezawa can't make his dream woman then someone else will. The bodies of the original six young women turn up dead, dismembered and scattered all over Japan. Does this mean Azoth exists, and if so where is she?
The story is told from the perspective of Kazumi Ishioka who decides with his slightly strange friend, Kiyoshi Mitarai, to solve the mystery when they are presented with new evidence. All of the clues are there for you to solve the mystery yourself so it's a perfect read for amateur sleuths. The culprit is of course revealed in the end so you're not left disappointed.
I couldn't put this book down. It held my attention as I turned the pages and before I knew it the killer was being revealed! There are three different investigations to uncover and each one blends seamlessly with the next. I really warmed to Kazumi Ishioka. He felt like the bumbling sidekick to Kiyoshi Mitarai's super intelligent super sleuth. Always three or four steps behind!
Did I work out who the murderer was? No chance I'm afraid. The book is so intricate and absorbing that I was just enjoying the story and paying little attention to what could and what couldn't be a clue. I absolutely loved this book and will recommend to anyone who asks in the future. It really is THAT good.
Five out of five stars.
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