A review by tragedies
The Honjin Murders by Seishi Yokomizo

challenging mysterious relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Reading The Honjin Murders felt like reliving my childhood. It took me back to the days when I would borrow as much Nancy Drew books as my library card would allow, read them secretly in class, and come back to the library the next week hoping they had more books from the series (much to our librarian’s chagrin). I don’t know if it’s the nostalgia, but there’s just something about a good old classic mystery that draws you in. The Honjin Murders was exactly that. It was gripping and propulsive, and while the plot twist at the end was rather predictable, it was still fun witnessing the mystery unravel. Kindaichi is also a really fascinating protagonist. He feels like he came straight from an anime series like Detective Conan. He also gives off the same vibes as Ranpo from Bungo Stray Dogs and Ron from Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions, both strange genius detectives who I find loveable and endearing. I've not picked up a mystery novel in ages, so this was such a pleasant surprise and reminds me of why I loved this genre as a kid.
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