The Honjin Murders

A gorgeous deluxe paperback of Japan's greatest murder mystery, from the father of Japanese classic crime and author of Murder at the Black Cat Café.

“The premise alone is dazzling [and] the solution to this mystery came as a complete surprise.” — The New York Times

In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour—it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions around the village.

Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi household are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music. Death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house. Soon, amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is on the scene to investigate what will become a legendary murder case, but can this scruffy sleuth solve a seemingly impossible crime?

Yokomizo is perhaps the most popular and beloved crime writer in his country’s history. His classic mysteries are a treat for any fan of Golden Age whodunits, taking the reader all over post-war Japan, from remote mountain villages to pirate-plagued islands to the bustling streets of Tokyo.

Featuring stunning French flaps and a beautiful, wintry wrap-around cover, this deluxe gift paperback will delight Yokomizo fans old and new seeking the ingenious puzzle plot that started it all!

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and best-loved mystery writers. He was born in Kobe and spent his childhood reading detective stories, before beginning to write stories of his own, the first of which was published in 1921. He went on to become an extremely prolific and popular author, best known for his Kosuke Kindaichi series, which ran to 77 books, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders is the first Kosuke Kindaichi story, and regarded as one of Japan's great mystery novels. It won the first Mystery Writers of Japan Award in 1948 but has never been translated into English, until now.

“20 of the Best Classic Murder Mystery Books of All Time”, Town & Country Magazine

“A classic locked-room murder mystery, the first in the Detective Kindaichi series . . . The solution to this mystery came as a complete surprise—exactly what I asked for.”
—New York Times Book Review

“With a reputation in Japan to rival Agatha Christie’s, the master of ingenious plotting is finally on the case for anglophone readers.”
—Guardian

“A beloved Japanese detective at last appears in English . . . If the whole series is as ingenious and compelling, this translation should be the first of many. Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis.”
—Economist

“The perfect read for this time of year. Short and compelling, it will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie looking for a new case to break.”
—Irish Times

“Both [The Honjin Murders and The Inugami Curse are] set in the late 1930s/early 1940s, they promise to be atmospheric, exciting and knotty whodunits. The covers alone are enough to get any fan of the genre salivating.”
—Japan Times

“Japan's Agatha Christie . . . It’s an absolute pleasure to see his work translated at last in these beautifully produced English editions.”
—Sunday Times

"This Golden-Age Japanese mystery reminded me of Twin Peaks, with a mysterious three-fingered man, the perfect couple of newlyweds, and the perfect crime: a locked room that literally no one could have entered"
—Anna Fitzgerald Healy, author of Etiquette for Lovers and Killers

"An absolute hoot"
—Ross Montgomery, author of Murder at Worlds End

“The perfect gift for any fan of classic crime fiction or locked room mysteries.”
—Mrs Peabody Investigates

“The beauty of this book is that it’s never anything less than fun from beginning to end, but it is also smartly political, and the theatrical elements—the fourth wall-breaking, the static setting, the large cast of eclectic characters—make for a truly engrossing novel.”
—Books and Bao

“The Honjin Mysteries is beautifully writing and highly descriptive, rich in period detail and local custom. It’s an ingenious and deceptive mystery. An ideal book to curl up with on a winter’s night."”
—NB Magazine

“The master of Japanese crime.”
—Tuttolibri

“[The Honjin Murders] is a perfect example of a honkaku mystery: a fascinating form of crime writing that first emerged in Japan in the 1920s and, thanks to a recent raft of translations and republications, is now enjoyed by English readers more than ever.”
—The Guardian

“The mystery is carefully set with plenty of red herrings and surprises along the way.”
—The Watertown Public Opinion

“A perfect puzzle . . . Doesn’t fail to deliver in its extremely fun and chilling premise. You’ll be reading way past your bedtime.”
—LitReactor

"Think you got a Sherlock Holmes knack for crime puzzles? Then have a try at Yokomizo’s clever mystery riddle"
—Metropolis Magazine, The Best Japanese Mystery Novels to Read in 2025

"The delightful debut of a classic, prolific detective."
—Kirkus Reviews

"A classic locked-door mystery with a chilling twist."
—Book Riot