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.

"A bewildering locked-room murder occurs as an amateur crime writer investigates strange events in the Chizurui mansion in this prizewinning classic Japanese mystery.

This ingeniously constructed masterpiece, written by one of Japan's most celebrated crime writers and translated into English for the first time, is perfect for locked-room mystery fans who can't resist a breathtaking conclusion.

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?

The Noh Mask Murder's legendary ending offers locked-room mystery fans the perfect coda to an ingeniously constructed mystery."

Locked-room mysteries are my catnip and comfort read all in one.

An ingenius detective story centred on a locked room murder mystery, a family with secrets and a disturbing feeling that no-one is telling the whole truth. Rather slow paced at times, it is a literary and thoughtful read, set in post war Japan. The translation from the Japanese retains the culture and atmosphere of the time and place in what feels like a quite traditional way. The mystery is detailed and carefully revealed and while I enjoyed the read I was left a little sad at the end - not by the resolution of the mystery but by the fate of the characters.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this.

It’s extremely difficult to write about this classic Japanese locked-room mystery without spoiling the plot. Originally published in 1950, it is still a very interesting whodunit, atmospheric and full of twists. The characters name-check many novels of the golden-age of locked-room mysteries, including one that is possibly my favorite, that I’ve read many times and that I know by heart. Then, the author bases his solution on this excellent older novel, so I saw it coming and wasn’t surprised by the culprit at all. If you haven’t read the inspiration, this book will be shocking but, otherwise, it is pretty easy to see the clues. It is still well written and absolutely creepy. The titular Noh mask, in the light of the moon, staring at the characters, the insane woman locked in her room, laughing maniacally, the stately but spooky house… everything adds up to a satisfying read. The writing seems outdated at times, especially with regards to its views on mental illness and the place of women, but considering when it was written, it is understandable. I also enjoyed the explanations of the Noh theatre and other traditions. Having read other classic Japanese mysteries, I liked how this one is not cold and cerebral, but more psychological. A solid mystery.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Pushkin Vertigo.

A bewildering locked-room murder occurs as an amateur crime writer investigates strange events in the Chizurui mansion in this prizewinning classic Japanese mystery.

A fantastic murder mystery. I'm very glad it got translated so I can enjoy it. Highly recommended!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

That was an interesting and well crafted locked room murder mystery. I'm currently reading The Tattoo Murder and I hope that it will be as good as this one. The Noh Mask Murder might remind you a bit of Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd but, in my opinion, way more entertaining to read. I really liked it and I could not put it down. I don't want to give more details about the plot because I think that the less you know the better the experience will be when reading mystery books.