"the decagon house murders" is a 1987 classic japanese cult mystery story that follows a group of college students who are a part of a mystery club where they go off to a deserted island where a number of horrific murders has taken place just months earlier in the decagon house.

needless to say, that was surely a recipe for disaster. and if you were thinking that this premise is reminiscent of that of agatha christie’s "and then there were none," you’d be right; there are a lot of parallels between the two, yet it is still quite unique on its own.

the novel is interesting and fast-paced, not too predictable, definitely had me on my toes all the time but i did pick up on the ridiculous number of clues and had a strong guess of the culprit early on, so the final reveal wasn’t a master stroke but i did enjoy it however. what i didn’t like was the final chapter where the culprit explains every step of the way, especially since i’d already connected the dots, so it took away all the fun from that.

sadly, i couldn’t connect with the characters at all. they felt like too much of a stereotypical bunch with nicknames based off of classic notable names of crime and mystery novelists. next to that was the writing; it felt flat and unimpressive, the prose dull teetering on non-existent and very choppy. there were times in the earlier chapters where a character would be introduced twice with the same info and it surely affected my reading experience—which is why i couldn’t blame it on just the translation. it just made this too much of a slog.

still, it was a notable homage to the ‘golden age of crime’ and i would recommend it to fans of classic crime fiction!

— digital arc provided by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, this new cover is gorgeous.
Having never heard of this book before, I was excited to get a chance to read it due to its history and prestige. I don't think I was completely won over. The characters felt shallow, representing cookie-cutter stereotypes. The story itself was a little bit freaky, but very easy to pick up clues and guess the ending early on (maybe that's the point, though). Overall, I was a little disappointed in the writing and wish it went a little deeper into showing not telling, but overall cool to read.

I love a good and classic golden age mystery and that’s exactly what this is.
It starts off with the killer’s intentions so you very well know people are meant and headed for disaster.
Those of you familiar with Agatha Christie will see parallels with And Then There Were None.
Set in Japan a group of university students who are part of a mystery club set off to Tsunojima Island for a weeklong visit where a horrific group of murders occurred just months earlier. Little do they know that someone is plotting that same fate for each and every one of them.

This mystery novel has been translated from the original Japanese; this causes the writing style to be a bit choppy. I found the novel interesting and not at all predictable. If you like puzzles, you will enjoy this book. The story involves students from a university mystery club decide to visit an isolated island (Tsunojima) which was the scene of a multiple murder/suicide just a year earlier. One by one, the students are murdered - leaving the survivors more and more suspicious of their friends. Definitely one that had me on my toes but I had a hard time connecting to characters.
Full review to come on my YouTube channel.

Agatha Christie's "and then were none" revisited! I liked how the murder victims all happened to be college students in a mystery club where they are nicknamed after famous mystery authors. I half guessed the culprit but very much had a surprise ending for me.

I wanted to like this so much more than I did - as mentioned by other reviews, the flatness of the prose provides a lot of distance. It allows the reader to solve the puzzle without an overinvestment with the characters but also calls attention to the non-personalityness of it all? At some point I just lost interest completely, and I'm not usually one for character driven mysteries. So, a light recommend but if the writing style doesn't do it for you I don't know if it's worth the time.

I grew up on Agatha Christie novels and love that old fashioned locked room mystery, so I may be biased but I couldn't put this book down. The big reveal was handled masterfully and had me literally saying "oh shit" out loud in my empty room. The explanation of how the killer did everything made me look back at the rest of the book and see it as similar to when Penn and Teller explain how their trick works and yet you are still amazed at the end. As other reviewers have noted, the prose and characters are a little flat but that is a stylistic choice by the author, as he is minimizing any other features in the book that distract from the puzzle game between the author and reader.

This is a very quick read because of the fact that once you pick it up you will be sucked in and need to know what is going to happen next. There's a murderer afoot in this trapped-room-esque mystery. Students decide to visit the location of a grizzly murder only to find themselves falling to the same eerie fates. Immediately you will want to know who is going to die next and who is behind the madness.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The story has some strange, unique features. It is an open comparison to Agatha Christie's 'And Then There Were None'. It begins with the villain of the piece informing us of their dastardly plans, and then we pan out to see the location where it is all set to occur.
The oddest thing about the storyline is the fact that all the characters who end up on the island are all referred to by the names of famous mystery writers. This took a while to get used to, but it added to the suspense. I was rather thrown by a random comment about the moon and Sanskrit, which I verified, and it was not true in the way the author meant it. This has no bearing on my reading, but I had to mention it since I noted it.
We have a group of people on an island being hunted, while on the mainland, a few people have set out to investigate strange letters sent to people who belonged to the same club. There is constant movement in the story, the theories as well as the deaths. I was initially trying to keep track of any possibilities that might lead me to the identity of the killer(s) but to no avail. I gave up halfway in, and I am glad because there was no way I could have arrived at the right solution.
I am also not a big fan of how the book ended, but the revelations themselves are the main reason I liked the book overall. I would recommend it to people who enjoy trying out different types of mystery stories.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

Intricately plotted and thoroughly engaging. A recommended purchase for most fiction collections, particularly those where mysteries are popular.

I've been torn for days on what to rate this one. It's a firm 3.5, but I rounded down because wow the translation is so stilted that it seems to not have been done by a native English speaker. The language / translation made this one too much of a slog.

I also found that I was enjoying it more as a horror movie than as a mystery. Who will die next and how??? If you enjoy that, and approach it as that rather than as a mystery, then you will enjoy this. If you need character development or connection, then this likely isn't one for you. I was way more cheering for an interesting death than I was for any of the characters.

If you like things like escape rooms and logic puzzles, then you'll also probably like this. Although, I had this figured out pretty early, just not all the specifics. And I'm not a specifics kind of person (see horror movie, creative deaths please! above). It felt like the big reveal was a cheap bit of omission rather than any kind of master stroke. And there were plenty of hints. Almost all of the details of the how were laid out in the stilted dialogue along the way, again undercutting that big reveal.

Thank you to Pushkin Vertigo for an advanced ecopy in exchange for an honest opinion.

I received a free e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[This review will be posted to my blog on 31 May 2021]

The Decagon House Murders is a translation of the 1987 Japanese cult mystery classic. The author, Yukito Ayatsuji was part of the "new orthodox school" of mystery, which restored the more classic elements of detective fiction, while rejecting the social realist elements of the "social school" which emerged in Japan during the 1950s.

As a result, The Decagon House Murders has a distinct Golden Age sort of feel to it, very reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Indeed, the characters, who are part of a Mystery Club at their university, have even taken sobriquets based on classic Western mystery writer's names, such as Agatha (Christie),

The basic layout of the story is thus: seven members of the Mystery Club decide to go on a trip to a deserted island where a brutal triple-murder took place six months before. They stay in the annex building, the so-called Decagon House, which is, literally, a decagon. Soon, members of the group start dying, and with no way off the island, and no ability to communicate with the outside world, they have to start working out the mystery of who is the culprit in order to save their own lives. Meanwhile, on the mainland, a former member of the Mystery Club has received a mysterious note, and starts his own investigations.

I really enjoyed The Decagon House Murders for the most part. I enjoyed trying to work out who the culprit was, and their motive. And I can tell you, I saw all the signs, but had no clue who it was until the author wanted me to know. And that is super satisfying to me. I had some suspicions, but they were vague and amorphous. I did not consciously come to the right conclusion.

This isn't a character driven book. It is very much about the plot, and working out who the murderer is. It's also quite a short, quick read. As a result, there isn't much beyond superficial character development. So if that's something you look for, this might not be the book for you.

I thought the translation was superb. I know how difficult it is to translate between Japanese and English. It's a fine line between direct translation, which can sound very stilted to an English speaker, and a freer translation, which can miss nuances from the original Japanese text. I felt that this was balanced really well.

I wasn't the biggest fan of the the last chapter, wherein the culprit literally explains every step they took. I think it would have been just as successful had the reader known less. Once the murderer established their motive, and the basic tools/methods they employed, I could put the pieces together. I didn't really need the step by step instructions, especially considering that this information was not revealed to another person, but rather was only the murderer retracing it in their own mind.

Still, I think this is a worthwhile book, and would definitely recommend it to fans of classic crime fiction, and people who want to explore some translated Japanese fiction.

Seven friends go to a deserted island where a bloody triple murder-suicide was committed just six months before in this Japanese classic locked room mystery that gives a nod to And Then There Were None. The friends are members of a group of classic locked room mystery fans who give each other nicknames that are the names of classic British and American mystery writers. When members of the group start dying and no way off the island or to call for help, they must figure out for themselves who the culprit is before it's too late.

This is a book for those who love solving logic puzzles, riddles, and other similar things. The author gives the readers all the clues as you go through the story. So there's not much of a story here and the characters are not very well developed. Also, there seems to be a lot lost in translation as the dialogue is very stilted and not all that realistic, which can leave the reader rolling their eyes and being pulled out of the story. I enjoyed reading trying to solve the puzzle along side our characters, but its certainly not for those who prefer a well fleshed out stories and characters. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

My appreciation to Puskin Vertigo, author Yukito Ayatsuji, and NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A clever, self-aware ‘homage to the best of golden age crime.’

The Decagon House Murders is a classic, closed-room mystery that begins with the arrival of seven university students—the core members of their university’s mystery club—gathering on a deserted island. The purpose of their visit is ambiguous. Some of them hope to spend time bonding. Others hope for time to relax and unwind, removed from the bustle of city life. Some hope to take advantage of the solitude to craft their own mystery stories, free from distractions.

The fact that the island was the site of a gruesome triple murder just one year prior does not deter them. Our mystery club members are not so easily frightened. They have traveled to the island in spite of the fact that the perpetrator of said crime was never caught. That there are no telephones on island, or means to contact the outside world. Not even passing boats. Despite the fact that the building they will be staying in, the titular ‘Decagon House,’ is the product of an obsessive and eccentric mind, disorientingly constructed to include ten sides and ten strangely shaped rooms, an architectural riddle where even the table and the coffee cups are ten sided.

And an ominous storm has begun to brew, clouds rolling in to cover the island… But when you’re a devotee of the mystery genre, like these seven university students, these circumstances only add to the allure. What could possibly go wrong? It’s not as if there is a murderer hidden among them, waiting to pick them off one-by-one…

Many will already have noticed the similarities between this premise and that of Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. This is intentional on the part of Ayatsuji, and this sort of loving nod to classic mystery authors—Christie, S.S. Van Dine, John Dickson Carr etc.—continues throughout the novel. The mystery club members even go so far as to eschew the the use of their given names in favor of that of their favorite mystery authors. The seven members on the island refer to each other as Agatha, Ellery, Van Dine, Leroux, Orczy, and Carr.

While charming, the pseudonyms do contribute to a feeling of emotional distance from the characters. As other readers have commented, the characters can begin to seem like ‘stock types,’ with very little personal characterization. I noticed this as well, but I don’t find it to be a failing on the part of the author, Ayatsuji, so much as it is a symptom of the genre.

Originally published in 1987, The Decagon Murders is considered one of the hallmark examples of the Japanese shin honkaku genre. Honkaku, which directly translates to ‘orthodox,’ refers to a subgenre of mystery novels that became popular in Japan in the 1920’s. Shin honkaku, or ‘new orthodox,’ refers to novels of the same subgenre that were written in the 1970’s and 1980’s, with the dividing line between the two subgenera being the publication of Western hard-boiled detective novels by Raymond Chandler and his ilk.

These novels were written as “carefully constructed three-dimensional puzzle mysteries,” and are intended to be “not only literature, but also, to a greater or lesser extent, a game.” All novels in this genre abide by the ‘fair play rules’—as dictated by S.S. Van Dine in his 1923 publication Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories— which require that all clues necessary for the reader to solve the crime be present in the text. As a result of this stipulation, novels of this genre often feature diagrams, floor plans, and maps—The Decagon House is no exception—and, carrying with this theme, they often "prioritize information over style,” and favor “stripped-down prose.”

So, if it concerns you to know, the characters of The Decagon House are not fleshed-out. They are not meant to be. They are meant to be nothing more than a conduit between the reader and the author, as the two engage in a battle of wills, exchanging clues and solving the mystery. Readers searching for in-depth character exploration should look elsewhere.

With that caveat, I found The Decagon House Murders to be quite the enjoyable read. A page-turner, and a dexterously plotted puzzle. Without spoiling what is, without a doubt, an exceedingly clever plot twist and a very satisfying resolution to the closed-room mystery, there comes a point towards the end where one three word sentence will change the game. I guarantee, you will need to put down the book, and rethink everything you have read up until that point. Your little brain cells will struggle to keep up. And that is exactly what I love to see in a good mystery novel!

So I would whole-heartedly recommend this novel to all fans of mystery, lovers of Agatha Christie and devotees of the 'Golden Age of Crime!' The Decagon House Murders will satisfy your inner detective!

Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to read and review this novel!

(( Footnote: Pushkin Press describes this soon-to-be-published edition of The Decagon House Murders as the “first ever English translation” of the Japanese masterpiece. But some brief research reveals that this is not quite the truth. According to the novel’s entry on Wikipedia, Locked Room International published an English translation in 2015. Reviews of this 2015 novel can be found on Goodreads, and further substantiate this claim. Regardless, the novel is a phenomenal piece of mystery writing, and readers can only benefit from additional publication, wider availability and more press. More people need to read this! ))

The Decagon House Murders is a clear example of the Honkaku subgenre, a form of crime writing that first emerged in Japan in the 1920s. Honkaku refers to the crafting of fiendishly clever and complex puzzle scenarios - such as a murder in a locked room -that can only be solved through logical deduction. It’s all about “playing fair”, so clues and suspects are woven through the plot, giving the reader a fair chance of solving the mystery before the detective does (thank you, Google!).

I had never heard about this genre or this novel but, with clear inspiration in And then there were none, I knew I had to read it. Christie’s story is even referenced in the first few pages.

This was a twisted plot. We both follow the characters stranded on the island and those on the mainland trying to find out the meaning of some mysterious letters they’ve all received. As you might have already guessed out those on the island start dying one by one, and little clues are thrown for the reader to try to solve the murder (I didn’t).

While the plot was entertaining enough, the problem with the novel were its characters. They all felt too bland, devoid of any personality and, apart from a couple of them, the rest all felt interchangeable. We’re presented with seven characters all at once and the only info we’re given about them is the nickname (based on classic crime authors) and their studies course, so it was hard at first to tell one from another. Also, the dialogue felt a bit stilted at times. Translation issue? Who knows!

The end twist where the killer was revealed was so matter of fact at first I didn’t even realized what had just happened and had to go back and re-read some paragraphs. It was really ingenious!

The Decagon House Murders will appeal to all those classic crime lovers out there. I certainly am left with the desire to read more Honkaku stories.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️

WHAT I LOVED 💟 The premise of this book is fantastic, and the first few pages are the definition of intriguing. The novel delivers an enjoyable Agatha Christie-like story — which is admittedly hard to dislike. The setting is also great, with eerie gothic elements.

WHAT DIDN'T WORK 💔 If you just put a little bit of effort into it, you can understand who is the killer very early in the book. Despite a pretty cool plot twist by the end, this took a lot from the overall enjoyment. Also, the characters were dislikable and stereotyped, and I didn’t find their reactions believable.

Like many novels translated from Japanese to English the writing seems somewhat flat, but the languages reflect the attributes each culture has, so I do not hold it against the translator. Originally published in 1987, this is the first translation into English. Based on Agatha Christie’s locked room mystery, it is the story of a university mystery lover’s club whose core members are determined to solve a real mystery which took place on an isolated island where the homeowners and caretaker were murdered in the mansion which burned down at the same time as the murders. But the seven competitive mystery club members find themselves being murdered in the Decagon house, a 10-sided house. There are lots of red herrings and this helped the conclusion be a complete surprise. Although the short book wasn’t fast paced it was an interesting mystery. I appreciate authors who are successful in thwarting my solving the mystery before the book ends.

First published in 1987 in Japanese and now translated into English for the first time, this is a cult classic locked room mystery with a twist! A total game between the author and the reader, filled with clues and twists to keep you guessing.

This book pays homage to classic mystery crime, specifically to Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None.’ I would recommend this book for any fans of Christie.

We start with the murderer’s monologue and the narrative is then split between the mainland and the island with alternating chapters. The suspense is really built and when you have the “whodunnit?” reveal at the end it all makes so much sense! I didn’t manage to guess the ending but with some great attention to detail you will find all the clues you need to work it out as you read.

This was a fun, engaging and atmospheric read. Different from my usual reads and gave me some good escapism as I got totally lots in the story.

I absolutely loved this! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

The Decagon House Murders is an homage to Agatha Christie’s great mystery, And Then There Were None. Written in the 1980s, it triggered a resurgence in traditional mysteries in Japan. So, does it still work for modern readers? The answer is yes and no.

The pacing is excruciatingly slow. Admittedly, Dame Agatha’s book was too. Splitting the narration into those stuck on the island and those investigating on the mainland broke the story’s spell a bit for me. Once we returned to the islanders’ narrative, I had trouble recalling who had already been killed.

The Decagon House Murders is an interesting curiosity. The plot itself, once it is finally revealed, is rather convoluted and clever. Once the murderer was revealed, I could see clear clues that I just didn’t see when reading the book. There are red herrings a plenty to trip up armchair detectives like me. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars!

Thanks to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

The island is a perfect getaway for seven members of a murder solving group. Isolated from the mainland; accessible only by boat and uninhabited. A large blue mansion once stood on the island but was destroyed by fire. The only structure remaining is a decagon shaped building with seven bedding areas and a kitchen, store room and restrooms. It’s a perfect place for a group of university students to spend a week and solve some mysteries.

The students have taken the names of famous English mystery writers; Poe, Ellery, Orczy, Carr, Agatha, Van Dine and Leroux. Two of the students are females including Agatha and Orczy and the remaining are males. Leroux prides himself as the best of the mystery solvers. They begin the task of solving some of the worlds’ great mystery crimes. They are all fairly competitive and set out on their tasks with gusto. Except their first problem is the death of one of them. Then two deaths quickly follow.

I found the read entertaining but also a bit perplexing. Why would a group of students stay on the island when even one death occurred? Rather than work together, each of them work individually to try to figure out who is the culprit.

Red herrings abound as the author leads the reader down false trails. Self-preservation dictates that an immediate distrust of everyone would prevail. I found the overall writing to be a bit frustrating in the way the group reacted but can recommend the book to those who enjoy a good puzzle. 4 stars - CE Williams