Yukito Ayatsuji

A classic Japanese murder mystery inspired by the golden age of British crimewriting.

The Decagon House Murders

A classic Japanese murder mystery inspired by the golden age of British crimewriting 'A brilliant and richly atmospheric puzzle... a jaw-dropping but logical reveal' Publishers Weekly The lonely, rockbound island of Tsunojima is notorious as the site of a series of bloody unsolved murders. Some even say it's haunted. One thing's for sure: it's the perfect destination for the K- University Mystery Club's trip. But when the first club member turns up dead, the remaining amateur sleuths realise they will need all of their murder-mystery expertise to get off the island alive. As the party are picked off one by one, the survivors grow desperate and paranoid, turning on each other. Will anyone be able to untangle the murderer's fiendish plan before it's too late?

Klara Hansen 

Students from a university mystery club decide to visit an island which was the site of a grisly multiple murder the year before. Predictably, they get picked off one by one by an unseen murderer. Is there a madman on the loose? What connection is there to the earlier murders? The answer is a bombshell revelation which few readers will see coming. The Decagon House Murders is a milestone in the history of detective fiction. Published in 1987, it is credited with launching the shinhonkaku movement which restored Golden Age style plotting and fair-play clues to the Japanese mystery scene, which had been dominated by the social school of mystery for several decades. It is also said to have influenced the development of the wildly popular anime movement. This, the first English edition, contains a lengthy introduction by the maestro of Japanese mystery fiction, Soji Shimada. Locked Room International discovers and publishes impossible crime masterpieces from all over the world

fatru tamzil

Bagus banget?!?!!! twist-nya asik meskipun bisa ketebak, tapi mungkin yang terbiasa baca misteri bakal ngerasa ini 'kebaca' ya. Soalnya hint-nya di-italic masa 😭 tapi oke kok buat murder mystery ini keren banget.

Zita Azlina

** spoiler alert **
           [10 Minutes Later Update]

You know what. Surprising twist and hooking story didnt deserve that one plus rating. 1.8/5

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I was contemplating between giving this 3 stars or 4 stars. It was a tough choice really. This might be a 3.5 stars, but I don't know either. This was not that bad, but I won't say this that good either. So maybe, I'd take the alternative for just now at least. 3 stars.

Listen, again, it's not that bad. There is... Well, plot, and there are murders, and then there are .. twists, i guess. But really.... That's that.

When I first picked this up, I was desperately, almost embarassingly, already set my mind to set this book up as one of my best read in 2022. Because, you know, the writer is, after all, the creator of everyone's favourite anime, everyone's favourite novel. To think that this would be disappointing, this is impossible, right?

Alas, the book is utterly, very unexpectedly, a hellhole that is disappointment. Listen, guys, when I first pick this up, I knew that this was heavily inspired by And Then There Were None. That there maybe elements that is not surprising anymore, that the tension would be reduced by half because I already know what's going on. I know that there is a big chance that I'd just went around as if rereading the same story as And Then There Were None and no more than that I have pretty much expected that.

But guys, I am unfortunately expected something more to the author. I'm unfortunately, thinking that there would be more story than the work that inspired this.

In fact, guys, there is something more in this book than in And Then There Were None. There is a story of survivor, there is a love story involved here and there. There is also two supporting characters outside of the island that's involved to the whole plot. And, guys, there is even this past story that haunt people or something.

But what's the fucking point of the execution was bad anyway?

To cut this silly talk right now, I'd just say that this book is unfortunately disappointing. The characters are bland as fuck, which is very in Christie's style, although all of them had different personalities but then there is that. There are no bond or some shit involved in this story, no slightest hint of any emotional sparks between characters. These big mistakes unfortunately make me dont care about the state of the characters at all, not even a single one them. They all are terribly fictional and unreal, not the sort of people I'd pay attention in any way. In short, none of these characters are appealing in any way. NO ONE.

Which leads to the next problem, that is the lack of emotional enticement. Mystery book was supposed to be thrilling, terrifying, worrying, concerning, and everything that make the readers feel terrible. But what feeling that this book offers for real? None, really. Maybe at times I'd feel terrified, maybe at times I'd feel surprised too, but in the name of God, guys, besides curiosity that led me get through this, I literally don't care about what will happen to any of these 7 characters at all, NONE AT ALL.

But those are very triffling guys, the biggest mistakes laid in the overall outline at all. First was, Morisu method in going back and forth between the island and the mainland. That shit was silly as fuck and just too much of a bullshit. Nothing like that couldve happened in real life. Second was, all the coincidences happening surrounding Morisu. His uncle coincidentally buying the island where Chirori's family coincidentally died in a coincidentally murder-suicide because Chiori is coincidentally a daughter born out of infidelity. Morisu managed to get through everything because the room he stayed in coincidentally broken and he coincidentally found an eleven edged cup and coincidentally able to sneak in a lab to steal poisons. He also fortunately met with a coincidentally arrogant clown like Ellery who coincidentally make the wrong inference. Coincidentally.  Coincidentally. I think at this point everything happened because of coincidence! Coincidentally the weather forecast was accurate, coincidentally there truly is no other human in that island, coincidentally nakamura seiji is really died. And guess what other thing that happened in this book? NAKAMURA CHIORI DIED OF ALCHOLOL, COINCIDENTALLY.

Guys, listen listen listen. I'm not saying that a mystery book can't have coincidince to just go on. I didnt even say that everything needed to be potrayed realistically. But guys, all of these things were literally flawed. NONE OF THESE THINGS ARE FUCKING GOOD. Everything in this book had many more potential than being reduced as coincidence. Morisu couldve saved up money, to buy the island himself. Morisu couldve killed the Nakamura families, to create stories. Morisu couldve been a more cold blooded killer that was blinded by revenge; okay, he is a human, this is good; so he has a sheer sense of humanity and didnt have any actual malice—well, guess what, Ayatsuji, if such person actually dragged his best friends to an isolated island to make a horrifying terror, they wouldn't have any slightest CONSCIENCE left!!! I think I'd love it more of Chiori coming back alive and killing them herself one by one; that would be forced, but at least it would BE GOOD. The more i write this review the angrier i felt to this book.

Guys, I didn't hate this book just because it's bad as a mystery book overall, but the fact that this book has potential, POTENTIAL, that the outline potentially couldve been developed IN A BETTER WAY, honestly make me SUPER MAD AT THIS BOOK. The overall outline is fucking great, the overall concept is fucking great, the overall scene, the isolated-place setting is so fucking great, but THE EXECUTION??? IS SO... ??? THIS IS A WASTED POTENTIAL, OH MY GOD, VERY WASTED.

YOU know what? I think at this point I've already contemplating to just give this 1 star at best. There are too many plot holes in this book. MANY. If Morisu's plan was to avenge Chiori's death, then why, in the name of God, he wouldn't torture these people with making them remember of what happened to Chioroi? Why, in the name of God, if he wanted to make Seiji as the culprit, he didn't make them, feel guilty and miserable, thinking that they shall be punished for what happened to Chiori? Why, until the very last time, only a few of them who remembered Chiori? Why, until the very last time, Seiji being Chiori's father had to be revealed underwhelmingly by Ellery The Great Clown? Why, until the very last time? None of these bitches being tortured by the guilt of driving Chiori to death, no matter their original intention back then? Even in And Then There Were None, I swear, they were terrorized by the guilt for the "crime" they've committed????? 

And then there is the matter of And Then There Were None. On the first fucking chapter, they linked the island to what happened in the original novel, not to mention, what of the character were literally nicknamed after Agatha Christie, the literal author of the novel, SO, BY THE NAME OF GOD, IN THE NAME OF GOD, WHY, WERE THESE BITCHES, WHO CLAIMS TO BE A FAN FOR MYSTERY WORKS, CAN'T EVEN GUESS THAT THIS MURDER IS VERY MUCH FOLLOW THE SAME METHOD AS AND THEN THERE WERE NONE?

I know that the entire ending is pretty much a different ending after all, but guysssssss you can't be serious. CAN THEY AT LEAST BRINGING UP HOW SIMILAR WAS THEIR CASE TO THE BOOK? They did bring it up once, BUT WHY NONE OF THEM USE THIS BOOK AS A REFERENCE ON LATER DAYS????

Guys, this book is very fucking flawed in anyway. And then there is Shimada or whatever his name was. SO HE IS JUST COINCIDENTALLY THE BEST FRIEND OF THE NAKAMURA SEIJI'S BROTHER WHO COINCIDENTALLY LOVE MYSTERY SOLVING WHO COINCIDENTALLY HAVE A POLICE BROTHER WHO COINCIDENTALLY TAKE OVER THE CASE HUH?????

You know what, at this point, if i keep go on, I'd literally kill myself. The parents of whoever on the island couldve worried about Kawanimani's call in checked the letter and be worried about their kids and pick their kid up themselves right? (They cant be THAT Dumb), the painting just no in a way couldve been spotless without any flaws right? The letter is unnecessary and literally just garbage right? What if Kawanimani just don't care about whatever that was and abandon the whole process and everything?

Guys, if I keep going on, I know i could list it just many more flaws that get me on my nerves. So really, I'm going to stop it here right now. I just cant help it.

This book is overall okay in the premise though, the Van Dine-Morisu plot twist is also unexpected, and the mystery-author nicknames were cool too.

But for real, this was a WASTED POTENTIAL RIGHT HERE. 

Well, this was probably just a given considering the fact that this was literally a debut novel.

2.8/5 🗿

A relatively straightforward mystery that has the added elements of architecture as the stage and a bunch of university kids who take this extremely seriously (to the point they never truly break out of their nicknames until the end; though there is also a trick to this). It is practically my area of expertise.

The simple style of prose really managed to help immerse the reader into the puzzle of the mystery over anything else. An absolutely fantastic tale with an excellent twist - one that works so well in the novel format that I am now curious whether the manga adaptation could have pulled it off with so much impact and if so, how.

A relatively straightforward mystery that has the added elements of architecture as the stage and a bunch of university kids who take this extremely seriously (to the point they never truly break out of their nicknames until the end; though there is also a trick to this). It is practically my area of expertise.

The simple style of prose really managed to help immerse the reader into the puzzle of the mystery over anything else. An absolutely fantastic tale with an excellent twist - one that works so well in the novel format that I am now curious whether the manga adaptation could have pulled it off with so much impact and if so, how.

Was a murder mystery. Explained well. I think I just was a bit lost in the sauce. 

I forgot how much i enjoy reading murder mystery! Really loved this one plus i checked and it has a mana adaptation which i just read too and the art style + character design were splendid i totally recommend it!

dija

Stef

Oke setelah meninggalkan buku ini lebih dari seminggu, well tebakan pembunuhnya sesuai sama aku tebak diawal. Dibagian akhir lumayan deg-deg'an, meski ending nya dibikin open gitu. Will make a proper review later.

Siya S

2.5 bland-as-beige Stars but I feel like being kind, so I'll round it up to 3

Firstly first, the greatest thing about this book is that the story happened in Beppu city, Oita prefecture in Japan. BEPPU? REALLY? Excuse me, I just-



I spent 4 glorious years of my life there. As the characters traveled around doing their own things -- from Myoban onsen to Jigoku Meguri to Kannawa and Kamegawa. Well, that brought back some nice memories. If you had a chance to visit Japan, Beppu is famous for onsen and fried chicken. I mean, what else one could ask for in a perfect getaway, amiright? 

Annnnnd that's the end of the commercial break. Thank you. 

Now back to our business. 

A novel set in Beppu? Amazing. 

Alas, that's pretty much the one amazing thing about this story. Maybe it's the outdated plot of whodunnit mystery, maybe it's just me. The writing wasn't bad but boy...it was kind of boring. 

here's a footage of me waiting for something exciting to happen:


7 students went to a private island for a retreat at Tsunojima island in Kyushuu. This island was the home of "The Decagon House", designed by a famous architect who became a family annihilator overnight some months ago. The case remained unsolved. They're members of a "mystery club" where they shared a love for mystery books and detective stories, and they all believe the history of the Decagon House fit their quirky club perfectly. The promising retreat turned nightmarish pretty quickly, as they found the members dying one by one. They had to figure the "why" factor fast before it's too late and the killer won.



Let's start with the good part, shall we? I like that this book felt like a tribute/homage to the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. From the whodunnit storyline to the characters. The main seven characters followed this tradition of their club where they nicknamed themselves a great mystery writer: Ellery, Christie, Carr, Orczy, Van (van Dine), Poe, and Leroux. 

Unlike other whodunnit mysteries, this one also included scenes outside of the island. In Oita, another set of amateur sleuths was formed by another club member, Kawaminami (and the kanjis for his name can be read alternatively as "ko-nan" aka Conan Doyle, another callout to the great writers). Kawaminami was investigating the unsolved case of the aforementioned architect/family annihilator who built the Decagon House. TBH, I enjoyed this subplot a lot more than the main one. 

I don't think people who enjoy whodunnit mysteries care much about world-buildings or introductions. They care about the crime! the thrill! And if the crime took so long to happen, I think that's a bit off-putting. I need something fast-paced, straight to the point, and with an unexpected ending.

Well...this book lacks all three elements. It was slow as hell - it took 100+ pages before someone started dying. Come on man, that's the same mistake Lucy Foley did with The Guest List. And for the same reason, it's not very straight to the point, obviously. And the ending didn't help much - in fact, it's very predictable if you're familiar with this type of story (or if, like me, you grew up devouring volumes and volumes of Gosho Ayoyama's Detective Conan/Case Closed). 



All in all, it was an okay book to pass the time. It's the kind of story that I'll definitely forget in the next month or two. Might be intriguing when it first came out somewhat decades ago. But it's just sadly outdated and boring now in 2021.

heather

** spoiler alert **
           this was actually quite good hmm... but i wasn't expecting a melodramatic ending or a murder plan filled with luck and "hoping things turn out the way i want" vibes so that was a bit disappointing towards the end, hence the downgrade to 4 stars. i also didn't exactly like how the entire monologue of morisu was presented at the end in particular... it was quite a plain recall as to what had happened. i was expecting him to be more sharp and astute (which i guess for the most part he still is) but then again, i think he's portrayed quite realistically because i guess it's hard for a murder plan to be 100% foolproof in reality as well.

onto the good part! i think the build up was super good and i enjoyed the toggle between what's happening on the mainland and island. i also appreciate the extra sub-plot of the nakamuras because it makes the story more complicated and exciting! i definitely like the parallels with agatha christie's and then there were none too -- though slightly different (+ with added layers), the story still retains some of the essence of the original work.

Jasmine

The Decagon House Murders is a Japanese murder mystery book that follows 7 college students as they embark to a deserted island where a horrific multiple homicide has taken place 6 months prior. The students are each mailed letters that are signed by one of those victims, though they aren’t aware of it until it’s possibly too late. 
 Then the murders start. The students are picked off one by one, which naturally leads to a high level of distrust within the group. Will the group be able to follow the breadcrumbs to solve this mystery on time or will they fall to the same fate as the previous inhabitants? 

 I enjoyed this book quite a bit. The characters can be a little flat, but honestly the story isn’t really so much about them as it is getting to the bottom of what exactly is happening. There are several twists that I didn’t see coming, though the clues were placed throughout. It’s 3.5-4 stars for me. The Decagon House Murders would make a pretty fun summer poolside read. 

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sophie 

I’m forever referring to this book as a ‘And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie’ Japanese retelling. It was so good, I loved how throughout this book it switched places one minute we were on the island and next on the mainland 10/10 for that. I also loved the references of famous mystery writers and how each student was referred to as one. 
I think this book did a very good job at keeping you guessing because you weren’t too sure at first who was the murderer and who would be alive at the end. I called it but that’s because I was brought up on such things myself.
Overall 4 stars for the decagon house murders highly recommend for murder mystery readers

Maya Rice

I think this is a mystery book that's very accessible to people who are just getting into mystery/younger people. The language is easy to understand and there isn't too much nuance/depth in the plot.

However, and a lot of stuff might have gotten lost in translation, the story and the characters felt very flat. I know this was written as a sort of "game" between author and reader but I wish there was more depth to the characters and the story.

Overall, it was an enjoyable story and I enjoyed it.

Sahi K

Written as kind of an homage to Agatha Christie’s And There Were None, this is a similar kind of island murder mystery that was quite interesting and engaging throughout. I found the translation also to be quite well done, and finished the book in just a few hours. It’s a well crafted mystery, with many similarities to the original but also it’s own unique qualities. I also thoroughly enjoyed the concept of all the characters belonging to a Mystery Club and each having a nickname based on a famous crime fiction writer. Some of the characters did come off as peculiar, maybe even insufferable, but I was really not trying to connect to them much - I was only invested in what was gonna happen. And I definitely didn’t see the culprit coming. 

I don’t read a lot of books in this genre, so I’m glad I picked a good one which entertained me for a few hours. If you are a fan of the original novel too, maybe you can give this a try - I feel you’ll love it too.

Maytal

Great pacing and a fun read in the lead up to Halloween.

Jayarna La Bozzetta

Loved the mystery but the characters were dry as hell and I needed more spice. I'm totally intrigued by the shinhonkaku genre though!

Anita Rut Kristjansdottir

Devin Mainville

Inspired by the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, Yukito Ayatsuji’s debut novel (published in 1987 and first translated in English in 2015 and again in 2020) is an homage to And Then There Were None // Agatha Christie. In this retelling, a group of university students, members of a detective fiction fan club, spend a week on a secluded island that was home to a grisly murder.

If you are a fan of old school mysteries, you will likely love this book. It was sold to me as more of a puzzle than a novel and I think that description is apt. This is not especially literary, but the mystery is compelling and it’s fun to try and figure out what is going on along with the characters. Bonus points because I wasn’t able to figure it out, which is annoyingly rare.

The Decagon House Murders

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