3.5★

Net Galley & Pushkin Press gave me a copy of this book to review. Thank you very much!

I don't read a lot of Japanese literature, but that doesn't mean I'm not a fan of it!

This book doesn't have the almost detached quality that other Japanese detective stories I've read have. This book (after a slow start)is lively, it is dramatic, with a large cast of characters that I found easy to keep track of.

And most of these characters don't have any trouble speaking their mind.

"Detective you have to arrest her. You have to arrest her and put her to death. Not just the regular death penalty - that's not good enough for her. I want her to hang by her heels, rip her to shreds, burn her till she's black, and pull out her hair, strand by strand."


Um... it is fair to say that the Inugami family are not close.

But they are vivid.

I was finding the book a real page turner. I thought I had guessed the murderer - and in part I had - but I still wanted to find out exact methods.

This book was a 4★ read until the end. Most drawn out and in the end boring ending since I read Dinner at Antoine's. Common fault in twentieth century detective stories. I believe this book was originally serialised in a magazine, so Yokomizo was probably trying to make sure that the readers hadn't forgotten important plot points.

I really enjoyed this mystery, and might even say it was my favorite of all the recent Pushkin Japanese mystery translations released.

The simplest comparison is Agatha Christie, and though not as strong a character as Poirot, Kindaichi is a pleasant detective to follow along with, trying to find answers before the next murder occurs.

A lovely Sunday afternoon read for the sunny days, whether we choose to stay home, or are forced to do so.



https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50362362-the-inugami-curse?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=gz8gMLNBYw&rank=1

Sahei Inugami, a self-made millionaire died at the age of 81, leaving 3 daughters and an illegitimate son. Although he never married the mothers of any of his daughters.

The family have been waiting for the reading of his will but there is one clause that says it cannot be read until Kiyo, Sahei’s first grandson returns from war or until the first anniversary of Mr Inugami’s death.

Eight months after Sahei’s death, Kosuke Kindaichi, a private investigator, arrives at Nasu lakeside Inn, situated opposite the Inugami estate. He received a letter of concern from Toyoichiro Wakabayashi of the Furudate Law office in Nasa. He had asked Kindaichi to carry out an investigation on deaths that he felt certain were due to take place within the Inugami family.

At that moment, Kindaichi watched as Tamayo, Sahei Inugami’s beautiful ward rowed out across the lake and began to sink in the boat. He ran from the inn to rescue her, as did many other people, including Monkey, her “protector”.

Following this, Kindaichi returns to the inn where he finds Wakabayashi dead from poisoning.

As Kiyo returns to Japan, the reading of the will can take place and so Tamayo is set to inherit the whole fortune, so long as she marries one of the Inugami grandsons.

Now begins a series of murders through the family and it’s up to Kosuke Kindaichi to solve the mystery and prove who the killer is.

Despite this being a mystery, it’s written in a very gentle, serene manner. It’s a very well written book, traditional in its style and grammar.

I liked it and would rate it 4 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you to the author and publishers Pushkin Press for an ARC in exchange for an independent review.

The Inugami Curse is a classic mystery novel based in Japan and one of the many adventures of the private detective Kosuke Kindaichi. This time he has to unravel a series of killings after the head of a successful family dies and leaves an unusual will. Often touted as the Japanese answer to Agatha Christie, it is not hard to see why the comparison is made. The author weaves a delicate web of suspicion and fear amongst the characters, and creates a will so nuanced that it baffles the reader. The question of inheritance and retribution is a big one in this novel, and this is what makes it tear away from the Christie comparisons in my opinion. It must be recognised that this is set in Japan and not the UK, different cultural norms and values are in play and this creates motivations for the characters that I have never encountered in a Christie novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would happily read another of Kindaichi’s cases!

A rich businessman dies and leaves a diabolical will that pits throws his family into a spiral of murder and revenge. Yokomizo has been called "Japan's Agatha Christie" and The Inugami Curse definitely has that feel.

First of all, the translator YuMiko YaMazaki has done an amazing job of translating this Japanese crime novel into English. The translation flowed well and YuMiko was able to weave the cultural significance with explanation for foreign readers like me seamlessly. There were no bulky footnotes or long explanations in the back, it was all in the story.

The story itself is a well thought and planned out murder mystery that keeps the reader on their toes unable to guess 'whodunnit' until Seishi decides to reveal. At the core, the story is a murder mystery with seemingly inexplicable occurrences which is why I assume Seishi Yokomizo has been compared to Agatha Christie and John Dickinson Carr.
I have not read a murder mystery before so this was a new experience for me. I enjoyed the story and it was fun to try solve the murders but ultimately, the story is very of its time in terms of the female characters, attitudes to marriage and class divides. The novel was originally published in 1951 and set in rural Japan so with that in mind, it makes complete sense. Having said that however, this novel did not age as badly as some others of the time and in fact I imagine will appeal to modern audiences.

The cover design is also great, I have seen that the other Seishi title Pushkin Vertigo is releasing has a similar style.

Thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!

Available August 25th 2020

Japanese noir fiction is a brand of its own and Seishi Yokomizo is its respected master as he proves in The Inugami Curse. Set against the gorgeous lakes and forests of Nasu, Japan, this is one hell of a murder mystery. When Sahei Inugami passes away, he leaves his vast inheritance to Tamayo and gives her three months to marry one of his three grandsons. As grief and murder follows the cursed Inugami clan, it is up to the affable and witty Detective Kindaichi to solve the crime. Along the way, we learn more about Sahei's storied past, the half he managed to keep out of national papers.

What I enjoyed the most is the understated manner of writing. It is genteel, yet gruesome, yet impactful. Every single clue means something and as the story slowly unveils itself, you find yourself falling deeper into its spell.

Thank you to Pushkin and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Inugami Curse follows Detective Kosuke Kindaichi on another case, this time involving a series of murders taking place in the wealthy Inugami family after the head, Sahei Inugami, dies. He leaves behind a strange will that enrages his family members. And that is when the murders start to happen, killing off his descendants one by one. At first glance, it looks like the usual affair of an inheritance squabble but as Kindaichi digs deeper, he finds out that this wealthy family is hiding terrible secrets of forbidden liaisons and monstrous cruelties.

The Inugami Curse (originally translated to English as The Inugami Clan) is the 6th book in the Detective Kosuke Kindaichi series, and it’s one of only two books to be translated into English. The author, Seishi Yokomizo, is a famous mystery novelist in Japan. The Inugami Curse had two film adaptations and there’s even an anime about Detective Kindaichi’s grandson, Hajime Kindaichi.

With all this hype and such an interesting storyline, I was excited to read this book! This is in spite of the fact that I’m not one to read murder mysteries because of how much of a scaredy-cat I am.

The story starts with a short introduction of Sahei Inugami and his life story. Already at this point, the author plants seeds of doubt in the reader’s mind that Sahei was not simply the rich and highly-respected businessman that everyone believed him to be. Right before the murders even happen, the reader will be curious about the truth behind Sahei Inugami and his life.

I would say that this book is not very gory. The murders are not as disturbing as some of the serial killer TV shows I’ve watched. But since I’m a real scaredy-cat when it comes to things like these, the first murder really creeped me out. I’m definitely not a big fan of decapitated bodies and the use of dolls made my imagination run wild. I couldn’t sleep for 3 nights when I first started on the book, but that could also be because of a murder drama I was watching at the time (lol). Compared to the first murder, the others were pretty standard and not as disturbing.

I think what stood out to me the most in this book was the writing style. I feel like translated fiction sometimes tends to sound a little choppy and detached and this affects the reader’s connection with the story and the characters. But in The Inugami Curse, I absolutely loved that the writing style was a little detached. This allowed the author to present the case facts and I felt as if I were reading a case file and solving the mystery alongside Kindaichi. Every time more information was given, the gears in my head would start turning and I would be left wondering if my guess for the murderer was correct. It was really enjoyable and I loved this aspect of the book.

While the revelation was not as shocking as I hoped it would be, it was also not completely predictable. There were some twists and turns involved which made me go “Ohhh, hmm… Interesting” at times. The author also included some themes which I think were not very conventional for a novel written in the 1950s so that was a nice surprise. (I won’t tell you what themes these are, because spoilers.) I also liked that when Kindaichi solved the case, he gathered everyone into a room and laid out all the facts and his thought process to solving the case in front of them. I felt that this sort of revelation was very reminiscent of the old detective animes I used to watch as a kid.

Overall, this was a good read. I probably would have rated it higher if I were more surprised by the revelation. It’s not that I guessed who the murderer was, but rather it was the truth of the events that left me less impressed.

Despite this, I am definitely interested to read The Honjin Murders (the only other book in the Kindaichi series translated to English) and I also hope that more of his books in the series will be translated to English. But first, I feel like I need to read lots of YA, Fantasy and contemporary romance to make up for the stress I went through while reading this novel haha.

The Inugami Curse is the second of Seishi Yokomizo's Kindaichi series in this new set of English translations. The head of the Inugami clan has recently passed and left a very odd will behind. Once the will is finally read a series of murders start to occur. Kindaichi is an independent detective who is contacted by a lawyer because he believes that some murders are going to occur (he does not realize just how right he is). Over the next couple of months people in line to benefit from the will are killed. One of the great things about this detective is that there are things he missing even in the end.

Sometimes there are issues reading foreign novels from a combination of different writing styles and not great translations. This is NOT one of those instances. The translations is perfect for the American reader. It is one of those books that reads so easily and quickly. It just kept me wanting to read more and more. I definitely recommend this series for reader of detective stories.

Enjoyable and interesting for its insights into Japanese customs and mores, but not so interesting and enjoyable as a mystery novel.
I found parts of this rather tedious, despite the sweeping family saga and revelations about the various relationships.
I greatly preferred the author's earlier The Honjin Murders.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press. The publishers are to be congratulated for making works by this notable writer available to those unable to read his works in the original language.

3.5 stars

The patriarch of a sprawling, wealthy family dies and leaves behind a complicated will, splintering an already dysfunctional family who all believe they alone are entitled to his wealth. The main benefactors of his will are then found murdered in increasingly grisly manners, and it soon becomes clear that not everyone in the family is really who they say they are...
I found this a challenging read due to the large cast of characters- it became difficult to keep track of who everyone was and how they were related by the end. I did however enjoy the character of the Columbo-like detective Kindaichi, who seemed just as surprised at the unfolding events as the reader was.

In 1940s Japan, the wealthy head of the Inugami clan dies, and his family eagerly await the reading of the will. But no sooner are its strange details revealed than a series of bizarre, gruesome murders begins. Detective Kindaichi must unravel the clan's terrible secrets of forbidden liaisons, monstrous cruelty, and hidden identities to find the murderer, and lift the curse wreaking its bloody revenge on the Inugamis. And so the adventures of the quirky and interesting Japanese detective continue. This takes place in 1940’s Japan and this was translated so perfectly that none of the vivid portrayal of that era was lost. The mystery of the Inugami family unfolds with perfect timing and held my interest from start to finish. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced readers copy for review.

3.5 stars. I really enjoyed my introduction to Kosuke Kindaichi in The Honjin Murders, and was keen to read more of his adventures. Enter The Inugami Curse, the second novel in the series to be translated by Pushkin Vertigo, which like the earlier book blends a highly readable mystery with insights into traditional Japanese culture. As the novel opens, Kindaichi arrives in the lakeside town of Nasu, north of Tokyo, after receiving a worrying letter from the lawyer Wakabayashi. The powerful businessman Sahei Inugami has recently died, sending shockwaves through the local community, for whom he was a figurehead. Everyone is breathlessly waiting for his will to be read, to reveal how his fortune will be divided. Each of Sahei's three daughters waits, hawk-like, with their husbands and children in tow. But Wakabayashi has seen the will and knows it will have the power to rip the family apart in blood and fury. Kindaichi initially believes Wakabayashi's predictions to be overblown, but when the lawyer is poisoned moments before their meeting, he realises someone in the Inugami clan will stop at nothing to secure Sahei's fortune. And this, alas, is only the first of the murders...

Sahei Inugami's will cannot be read until all members of the family are present, so the clan have been impatiently awaiting the return (from the war) of Kiyo, son of Sahei's eldest daughter Matsuko. But, when this promising young man finally arrives, the family are horrified. Kindaichi sees the reason with his own eyes at the reading of the will: a horrifying war wound has destroyed the centre of the young man's face and he now wears a sinister rubber mask. And there are further shocks to come, this time courtesy of the will itself. For Sahei Inugami has left his fortune, not to his family, but to the mild-mannered Tamayo, granddaughter of his great benefactor, who has grown up within the household - sidelined and distrusted by the other members of the family. Now that distrust transforms into hatred, for Sahei's grandsons Kiyo, Také and Tomo can only receive a share of his wealth if they win Tamayo's favour and her hand in marriage. To make matters worse, if Tamayo should die then everything will go to the mysterious Shizuma Aonuma, Sahei's illegitimate son. The Inugami were never the most tightly-knit family, but now their ambition and ire has been channelled in a new direction - and one that proves murderous, as Sahei's grandsons start to suffer horrifying accidents...

Yokomizo has a vivid and frequently ghoulish imagination, and you do wonder why a murderer would go to the lengths shown here - lengths which are highly-coloured and dramatic, but rarely any more effective than a simple bop over the head with a hammer in a dark corner. Yet the colour makes the story more engaging and more shocking, every detail adding new complexity to the case and challenging Kindaichi's brilliance to its utmost. Sharp-eyed readers will spot clues that help to unravel at least part of the mystery, but the whole truth is carefully concealed until the final curtain. Along the way, we find ourselves witnessing the impact of a manipulative old man upon his divided and lethally competitive family. Was Sahei Inguami simply seeking to cause mischief after his death, and to prolong the cold contempt in which he famously held his daughters? Or is there more to his bizarre stipulation? Perhaps, finally, a chance to put things right?

These books are so much livelier than most of the Japanese fiction I've read, aided by a dynamic translation by Yumiko Yamazaki. If you've been enjoying the British Library Crime Classics series, which resurrects forgotten Golden Age classics, I can't recommend these contemporary Japanese stories enough. You'll find yourself drawn into a tale that's more macabre, theatrical and intricate than most Western equivalents (though I make an exception for the author of Castle Skull), and there's lots of social historical context to add colour. Now we just have to keep our fingers crossed that Yamazaki and Pushkin Vertigo are already working on translations of the next books in the series, which I've sure will be every bit as diverting as the two so far.

This review will be published on my blog on Monday 4 May 2020 at the following link:
https://theidlewoman.net/2020/05/04/the-inugami-curse-1951-seishi-yokomizo

With my current fetish for Japanese crime I read The Honjin Murders and The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo back to back, which introduce the shambling, head-scratching private investigator Kosuke Kindaichi. Very much in the tradition of, and relecting the Japanese obsession with, the locked room mystery genre, both books are cleverly plotted, replete with red herrings and mind tickling twists in the narrative. I slightly preferred The Inugami Curse (trans. Yumiko Yamakazi) as the other book seemed a little more slight in its plotting, but would heartily recommend both as a sterling introduction to this author. As an aside, The Honjin Murders (trans. Louise Heal Kwai) also includes in the story a go-to list of other Japanese mystery writers which I have started exploring, and am looking forward immensely to the next Yokomizo to be produced by Pushkin Vertigo.

I saw this book in the Sunday Times referred to as the Japanese Agatha Christie, which intrigued me from the start as she is one of my favourite mystery authors. Apparently there another 77 books waiting to be translated into English and if they are as good as this one then that's a real treat waiting to happen. Stick with this book, it may feel slow at the start but the pace picks up with vengeance. Read and you won't be disappointed.

"The Inugami Curse" is a really entertaining and satisfying detective story similar in character to many of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and with an equally eccentric, but Japanese, detective. The translator is to be congratulated on giving us a great read in English.

This is the second of Seishi Yokomizo's detective novels to be translated into English and one of 77 (yes!) of his detective stories featuring detective Kindaichi. I am looking forward to reading the first one translated and shall wait very impatiently for more to be available in English.

With many thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for giving me a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review.

Having read The Honjin Murders, I really enjoyed the characters and story but wasn’t too keen on the flashback/famous author angle of the narrative. So I was very pleased that The Inugami Curse by Seishi Yokomizo disposed of that construct and let the story flow on its own.

And it’s another pretty good story. As this is the 6th Detective Kosuke Kindaichi novel, this one takes place in 1940s Japan, after the end of WWII. The wealthy patriarch of the Inugami Clan dies, leaving behind a strange will with many twisted provisions and permutations involving illegitimate daughters and their sons, missing WWII veterans making their way home, a beautiful granddaughter of the patriarch’s mentor, and an unknown stranger mentioned in the will whom no one knows. Kindaichi is brought in by a lawyer because the lawyer fears that the provisions will lead to murder, and before Kindaichi can talk to him his fear comes true – the lawyer is the first one murdered.

Although that’s the first, it is definitely not the last, as the three potential suitors of the mentor’s beautiful granddaughter (one of whom must marry her) start to get killed in quite spectacular fashions. As more and more of the story is unspooled, we learn of unspeakable cruelty, petty rivalries, secret liaisons, secret offspring, mysterious strangers in town, hidden identities, and true evil that will sacrifice all to get what they want.

A Gothic, old-school murder tale with a Japanese twist. A quick enjoyable read, can’t wait for the next translation in the series.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Pushkin Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I haven't ever read any Japanese murder mysteries and I have to say I am glad I didn't know what I was in for. It was a wonderful thing to expect a fast-paced mystery and discover something very unique. It wasn't what I was looking for at the time but I can see the appeal. Very well written if a bit slow for me.

I love a good murder mystery with Poirot and Holmes being my favourites, so I was pleasantly surprised to chance upon Detective Kosuke Kindaichi who is cast from the same mould. A quirky detective novel, this begins at quite a sedentary pace then quickly turns into a gore-fest with a clever dénouement. Brilliantly written and exquisitely translated. I’ll definitely be seeking out his others.

This is the second of the Pushkin publications of translations of the crime novel of Yokomizo. Originally published in 1972 it again showcases his character the super intelligent crime investigator Kosuke Kindaichi. It is perhaps more assured than the earlier “The Honjin Murder” but once more puts a murder in both its then current, but also its historic place. There are layers of complexity and of characters that are unravelled as the story progresses before Kindaichi will conclude the nature of the crime and the perpetrators who are directly, or indirectly, responsible.
In 194- Sahei Inugami, wealthy eccentric business man and head of his clan will die. Unmarried, he had 3 children by three separate concubines leaving three grandsons – Kiyo, Tomo and Take. But in his household there is also the extremely beautiful young woman, Tamayo, granddaughter of an old friend who had acted as his sponsor and guide as a young, family and friendless man. Lawyer Kuozo Urudate holds the will but is instructed not to read it until grandson Kiyo is traced and returns from service in the Japanese army (somewhere in Burma). When one of his staff is found murdered (attracting Kindaichi’s attention) it is believed that the will may have been secretly read in spite of this.
The will itself had undoubtedly been designed to escalate discord among the family. Kiyo finally returns home (masked, with serious facial injuries) and it is read. It is extremely complicated with a series of conditions reflecting a variety of options that will operate if some or all die within the next 3 months. Individual inheritances are possible, but if the terms are not met these assets will be transferred to the Inugami Foundation. Tamayo will inherit all the business and family heirlooms provided that within 3 months she marries one of the grandsons. If the chosen one refuses to marry her he is disinherited. If all three refuse to marry her, or pre-decease her in the 3 months, she is free to marry who she chooses. If she dies within the 3 months the businesses will go to Kiyo, but his cousins will only be given the business posts held by their fathers in the firm (thus depriving them of their livelihoods). However there is a requirement to try and track the otherwise unknown Shizuma Aonuma. The daughters - who will inherit nothing - are both furious at being disinherited, but set in competition to each other through their sons. Their contempt for Tamayo (an outsider) is verbal and vitriolic – she remains substantially calm.
Needless to say this is a murder mystery and as the months progress the grandsons will start to die. It looks like Tamayo is either involved or is being deliberately compromised. But there appear to have been attempts on her life since the will was unofficially read. Kindaichi watches and thinks it through. It appears that another unknown man has appeared in the area too. Strange and contradictory things happen. BUT nothing more can be said here without acting as a “spoiler” to the plot.
The story will quietly unroll itself. Violence will happen; many characters will not show themselves in anything approaching a good light. It will become clear why Inugami has created such a bitter and divisive will – and then Kindaichi will explain it all. But the murders will have taken place and all will have to finally live with the consequences of their actions. It is of course historic crime fiction so it will feel a little dated and ritualised. But with a good sense of time and place (and back history behind) it is an entertaining one. Not too easy to work out “whodunit” too early. Enjoy