3.5 stars

this was a very intresting read, if you enjoy Agatha Christie you'll likely enjoy this a lot.
For the most part, I didn't manage to put together all the clues until it was revealed and then I was like OHHH. I thought it was very well executed, unique and took me by surprise. I was just a little underwhelmed by the reasons for the why. I also loved how Akimitsu inserted himself into the story, I thought that was very clever. Its full of suspense, melodrama, and tragedy.

read this if you enjoy: mystery/thrillers, Agatha Christie, whodunits, translated fiction, murder mysteries, journal style story telling.

Thank you to Pushin Press, Netgalley, and Akimitsu Takagi for sharing a digital copy. As always. opinions are my own.

This was a truly classic lock room mystery and great for fans of classicssuchas Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The ending was what made this book the true masterp piece was. I felt it had a slow beginning but im glad I preserved because that ending was worth it.

First published in Japan in 1949; published in translation by Pushkin Vertigo on June 4, 2024

Locked room mysteries are an abundant staple of Japanese crime fiction. The Noh Mask Murder is a classic example. Akimitsu Takagi published the novel shortly after World War II. A protagonist alludes to Japan’s collective shame, but the story is about murder rather than war or politics.

Akimitsu Takagi is the novel’s initial narrator. In 1946, he tells his old friend Koichi Yanagi about his idea of writing a detective story based on his firsthand account of solving an actual crime, making the novel a detective memoir. Koichi is staying at the mansion of Taijiro Chizui, whose father was a professor and also Koichi’s mentor. Taijiro’s father died of a heart attack ten years earlier. Unfortunately for the Chizui family, he may have hidden a family fortune before he died.

By chance, Koichi encounters another old friend outside Taijiro’s mansion. The friend is now a public prosecutor. They see a demon in one of the mansion’s windows and meet with Taijiro to investigate. They discover that the demon is actually a fearsome Noh mask that, according to legend, was cursed by a Noh actor.

Akimitsu gets his chance to investigate a crime when Koichi gives his name to Taijiro. Taijiro phones Koichi and tells him he has learned who is behind the mask. Akimitsu agrees to meet him immediately. Unfortunately, an “invisible killer” takes Taijiro’s life before Akimitsu can meet with him.

Taijiro died inside a locked bedroom from an apparent heart attack. The Noh mask was found on the floor. The body has been sprinkled with jasmine-scented perfume. Someone had ordered the delivery of three coffins in advance of Taijiro’s death. Before long, three coffins fall short of the family’s needs.

Akimitsu cannot solve the crimes, but the public prosecutor eventually sends him a journal — a detective memoir — that unravels the mystery. The journal was written by Koichi. After he provides a lesson in Noh theater and reviews the literature of locked room mysteries, Koichi introduces members of the Chizui family, including a madwoman who plays the piano and a monstrous man named Rintaro who scorns humanity. Only Sawako seems normal, but at 28, never permitted to love or marry, she is expected to be the lady of the house, little more than a glorified maid. Sawako’s dreams about the mask put her in fear for Koichi’s life.

One of the armchair detectives favors Sawako as the prime suspect. The other believes Rintaro to be the culprit, yet suspects abound. Several clues are found in a poem in the madwoman’s diary. A note written in shorthand provides another. An STD provides a clue that adds the possibility of incest to a dark plot. A key clue is in the phrase (repeated by two ill-fated characters) “eighty-eight in eighty-two” followed by the word Portia.

Koichi works out the locked room mystery, deduces how each victim was made to die from a heart attack, and discovers the killer’s identity while a third of the story remains to be told. The novel ends with a letter from the prosecutor, written after Koichi finished his journal, that adds a twist to Koichi’s account of the murder. A postscript to the letter adds a final surprising revelation that completes the story. As is common in Japanese mysteries, the plot is intricate and no plot threads are left dangling.

Greed or revenge are the likely motives for the murders, depending upon the killer’s identity. Takagi offers philosophical discussions about the difference between revenge and justice, illustrated with examples from feudal Japan, including the 47 Ronin. Takagi leaves it to the reader to decide whether revenge might justify the killings (or some of them) that fill the pages of The Noh Mask Murder.

Crime fiction fans don’t need to be locked room mystery fans to appreciate The Noh Mask Murder. The locked room is almost a sideshow. The story is akin to the traditional mystery in which all the suspects are assembled in a room while the detective talks through the clues and reveals the killer’s identity. Takagi provides enough suspects to keep the reader guessing as Koichi works his way through the possibilities. It is the ending, however, that gives the mystery its classic nature by forcing the reader to rethink an apparently sound solution to the killer’s identity.

RECOMMENDED

I was not aware, when I started reading it, that this novel was first published in Japan in 1949, or that this is a posthumous English translation, the first for this text; it’s important to keep this in mind, as it informs some of the narrative choices regarding characterization and mental health.

The conceit of the book is that the author, a self-proclaimed writer/detective, was personally involved in the investigation of a series of murders, essentially because they happened nearby to where he was staying after being demobilized post-WWII. However, the story is in fact narrated mostly through a journal kept by another character, a close acquaintance of both the would-be sleuth and the family at the center of the mystery.

As is often the case, the cover caught my eye and the blurb intrigued me, so I requested an ARC.

Beware: rape; misogyny; suicide; some ugly late 1940s stereotypes on women, mental health, etc.

This novel is a magnificent example of a fairplay mystery, where the reader knows everything necessary to solve the crime well before the climactic revelation of the truth; all the evidence and testimonies are there, and all that’s needed is to examine them without prejudice.

And therein is where the genius of the writing comes in: we are led by a master into thinking we know who did what, and when, and soon the last thorny question–how?–is answered for us. And just as we congratulate ourselves on our cleverness, everything we thought we knew is proven false.

My only complaint with the book is that the passion and melodrama motivating the characters is not evident in the text; given that this is a translation, I cannot be sure whether this lack of emotion is an artifact of the translation itself, or if the dry delivery of such deep feelings is present in the original.

The tenor of the writing is very much of the time; when there’s any detail regarding the character’s physicality, it’s entirely devoted to how their bearing and physiognomy reflect their personality and intentions, and very little-to-nothing about how they dress or stand or walk or sit.

Instead, there’s quite a bit of pontificating on one topic or another, from the differences and similarities between Noh and Kabuki, and the finer points of Noh masks, to the corrosive effects of power on morality, to the masters of detective stories and Shakespeare. Indeed, some of these dissertations can feel like nothing but filler as we read along, convinced that we know what matters, and it’s only in hindsight that we realize how masterfully we were being led down the garden path.

As a somewhat jaded reader, who over the course of five decades has surely read a few thousand mysteries, I confess myself in awe; and I deeply appreciate the sly homages to all the Western greats of detective stories.

The Noh Mask Murder gets a 9.50 out of 10

**3.5 stars**

Another good classic Japanese locked room mystery. I’m proud of myself for picking up on a few small details but glad I was surprised by the ending. Good quick read for fans of classic mysteries like Agatha Christie.

**thanks to the publisher for the e-arc I received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

The Noh Mask Murder has the best conclusion of a golden age locked room mystery that I’ve read since Agatha Christie died. It is brilliant.

There are two things that annoy me in this book. First, it spoils the ending of a famous Christie book. Second, it would have been mega helpful to put a cast of characters in the front of the book. The 1970s paperback publisher always added one to their Christie reprints. It would have been especially helpful with so many unfamiliar names. But those are minor points.

If you want to truly test your armchair detective skills, you must read The Noh Mask Murder. It is a fun challenge! Alas, I guessed only part of the solution. See if you can do better. 5 stars to my favorite book this year!

Thanks to Pushkin Vertigo and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

This 1949 Japanese locked room mystery is now available from Pushkin Press in a new English translation. Thanks to Pushkin, I’ve been able to try several Japanese classic crime authors over the last few years, including Seishi Yokomizo, Yukito Ayatsuji and Soji Shimada. The Noh Mask Murder is the first book I’ve read by Akimitsu Takagi and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The novel opens with a discussion between Koichi Yanagi, a chemist who has recently returned to Japan after serving in Burma during the war, and his old school friend, Akimitsu Takagi (yes, the author himself, who appears as a character in his own novel – just like Anthony Horowitz in his Horowitz and Hawthorne series). Akimitsu explains to Koichi that he wants to write a new kind of detective novel, one based on a mystery he has solved for himself in real life:

‘I’d tackle some fiendish real-life mystery, then set down precisely how I solved it in the form of a novel. My readers would be provided with the exact same evidence as the author. They’d be able to follow the detective-narrator’s train of thought, assess the appropriateness of his actions – and even come up with their own alternatives. But I don’t imagine an opportunity like that will ever present itself…’

His opportunity comes sooner than he had imagined when Koichi stumbles upon a mystery at the Chizui family mansion, where he has been staying since returning from the war. The head of the household, Professor Chizui, who was once a friend of Koichi’s, died ten years earlier and the house is now inhabited by his two children and the family of his younger brother, Tajiro. The first sign that something is wrong within the Chizui mansion comes when an eerie figure wearing a sinister Noh mask is seen at one of the windows. Soon after this, Tajiro is found dead inside a locked room, with a smell of jasmine in the air and a Noh mask lying on the floor beside him. Akimitsu Takagi joins Koichi at the house to investigate the murder, but when they discover that someone has called the undertaker to order three coffins, it seems that there’s going to be more than just one murder to investigate!

The mystery is a fascinating one and although some time is spent discussing the mechanisms of how the locked room murder took place, the story never becomes too bogged down by the puzzle aspect; the focus is on the characters, their relationships and their motives. I did find the structure slightly confusing at times as we know we’re reading a book within a book written by Akimitsu Takagi (as both character and author), but within that there’s a journal written by Koichi and a long letter written by Hiroyuki Ishikari, the public prosecutor, so the narrative is sometimes three layers deep. There are some clever twists towards the end, however, which might not have worked if it had been structured differently.

Apart from the mystery, I found it interesting to learn about the different types of mask used in Japanese theatre and how although the Noh mask, which represents a demon, cannot change expression the actors can still use it to show various emotions by tilting the mask up and down and by the clever use of lighting. With the story being set in the post-war period, it’s also interesting to hear the characters reflect on the irony of being so concerned with the death of one person after living through a war in which millions died. If you kill a man in peacetime you’re considered a murderer, says Tajiro’s son, Rintaro, but if you kill a man on the battlefield you’re given a medal.

I really enjoyed The Noh Mask Murder, then, but be warned – in the prologue, where Takagi is discussing his plans for a detective novel, he casually spoils the solution of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Not a problem for me as I’ve already read it, but I wish authors wouldn’t do that!

The Noh Mask Murder is a Japanese locked room murder mystery set just after the end of World War Two. An aspiring mystery writer, well versed in British and American Golden Age novels, joins with his friend to solve the mysteries in the aristocratic Chizui family.

The story felt quite Gothic to me - lots of nameless dread and characters descending into madness. There's a very high body count too. But I didn't really believe the motivations of the characters, especially the cardboard cut-out beautiful young women.

A pleasant diversion, but I maybe lost something in translation.

It is a classic Japanese mystery with a fast-moving plot, a surprising conclusion, and great twists. You'll enjoy this book if you like classic mysteries like Agatha Christie or more modern Japanese mysteries like Bullet Train.

In the Chizurui household, a hannya mask sits in the room of the head of the family, who has died seemingly from a heart attack in a locked room. Amateur detective Akimitsu Takagi is called to investigate, and believes something more sinister is happening. Death stalks the corridors of the mansion.

This was a locked room murder mystery (for the first murder at least), where the story was narrated by a secondary character following Akimitsu - not unlike Watson relaying the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. What was interesting was how the narrator portrayed themselves, eventually taking over from Akimitsu in the uncovering of the culprit.
There were three victims in this case, and while the story was intriguing, I only really felt any sympathy or connection with one of the characters. I was curious as to how the murders took place, but I wasn't overly invested in the whys.
There were a few red herrings littered through the book, and I reached the wrong conclusion myself. The clues were cleverly hidden in the way the narrative was written, but once it was highlighted as the case closed I felt it was just a bit too obscure. It was a fairly unique means of scattering clues but I didn't feel it showed the skill of the detective well, or gave the reader much of a chance.
I did think the murders themselves were very cleverly planned, although the explanation for the locked room felt far fetched and I'm still not sure I quite understand what happened.
This was an interesting and unique murder mystery.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Akimitsu Takagi for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Noh Mask Murder coming out June 4, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love Japanese murder mysteries. Locked room mysteries are always really fun with a slew of interesting characters. I’ve read several like this one. This book felt very procedural with a lot of the facts presented. I think the characters were a little more standoffish in this book. I didn’t get a great sense of their personalities. But overall, I really enjoyed this book and I thought it was a fun read. The idea of a masked killer isn’t a new concept, but I really enjoyed the writing. I think the ending really tied everything together.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Japanese murder mysteries!

In the Chizurui family mansion, a haunting presence casts a shadow over its residents. By night, an eerie figure, clad in a sinister Hannya mask is seen roaming around the house. An amateur murder mystery writer, Akimitsu Takagi, is sent to investigate — but his investigation takes a harrowing turn as tragedy strikes the Chizurui family. Within the confines of a locked study, the head of the family is found dead, with only an ominous Hannya mask lying on the floor by his side and the lingering scent of jasmine in the air as clues to his mysterious murder. As Takagi delves deeper into the perplexing case, he discovers a tangled web of secrets and grudges. Can he discover the link between the family and the curse of the Hannya mask? Who was the person who called the undertaker and asked for three coffins on the night of the murder? And do those three coffins mean the curse of the Hannya mask is about to strike again?As a fan of locked room mysteries, this book ticked all the boxes. Nothing was lost in translation here and I could not put this down. Highly recommend!

Thank you so much to netgalley and Pushkin for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, this book did not work for me. I feel like classic Japanese mysteries are just not for me. I felt bored throughout this one and the story was just not working for me.

I hope others love this one but it wasn’t for me.

I went into The Noh Mask Murder blindly not knowing what to expect but ended up really enjoying it!

I like classic locked room murder mysteries so it was no surprise that I enjoyed this one, but I also really liked the format of this one and that it uses an unreliable narrator. I loved the atmosphere and the build up towards the reveal and also really loved the twist in the end (which I didn't see coming!)

This is my first book by Takagi, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. There's a locked room mystery, some very unlikeable characters, and there's the author appearing in his own book as a character. It makes a very entertaining read in a genre I particularly enjoy. There's something particularly pleasing about these earlier 20th century murder mysteries. Not hugely complicated but enough to keep the reader thinking constantly. I hope to read more by the writer in the future.

I rate this 3.5 stars and thank Netgalley and Pushkin Press for giving me an advanced reader copy for free. I have provided my feedback voluntarily.

This fills the void that is left after reading Sherlock Holmes. I was a bit nervous that the translation would result in the story not being as clear, but whoever translated this did a fantastic job of keeping the intrigue and prose of the original story. I loved all of the twists and turns throughout this story, the first person narrative journal style and letter style, and the ending?? Did not see that coming but I so should have. It was all perfect and I really recommend it to anyone who loves thrillers.

An interesting little book. Written from several points of view and in retrospect with the author being one of the protagonists. It is set just after the work in rural Japan. A murder has been committed in a seemingly impossible manner leaving a locked room. The murder happened whilst Koichi was away from the house getting Akimitsu (the author) whose help had been requested by the murdered man. If that wasn't complicated enough, when the funeral director appears - having been ordered in advance, more than one casket had been requested, suggesting more murders are about to happen.
In a homage to the writings of the period the book reflects the writings of Agatha Christie and similar authors. It is entertaining and had plenty of twists and turns. i enjoyed reading it.

A really good Sherlock like boiler room thriller mystery. Odd clues surrounding the death of a family head that a crime writer shifts through. A slow start, a prim and proper 1940s telling that picks up towards the end.

I started off slow and the POV was confusing at first. I stuck with it and was quite surprised at the ending. There were enough twists and turns to make the book intriguing and memorable. I thought the was the end when the killer was revealed but the twist took me by surprise. Talk about an unreliable narrator. The subsequent events that happened afterward were also shocking.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for looking me to read the arc.

I’m still pretty new to the mystery so my thoughts may not be the same as someone who is more familiar with the genre, but I thought this story was quite well done. The translation was wonderful and immersive; I didn’t get bored and I didn’t want to put the story down because I just had to know what happened next! It was the right thing to read under a comfy blanket during a rainy night and a nice cup of tea.

thank you netgalley and publisher for providing the arc.