The Honjin Murders
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The Honjin Murders
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Narrated by:
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Akira Matsumoto
About this listen
In the winter of 1937, the village of Okamura is abuzz with excitement over the forthcoming wedding of a son of the grand Ichiyanagi family. But amid the gossip over the approaching festivities, there is also a worrying rumour – it seems a sinister masked man has been asking questions about the Ichiyanagis around the village.
Then, on the night of the wedding, the Ichiyanagi family are woken by a terrible scream, followed by the sound of eerie music – death has come to Okamura, leaving no trace but a bloody samurai sword, thrust into the pristine snow outside the house. The murder seems impossible, but amateur detective Kosuke Kindaichi is determined to get to the bottom of it.
©1973 Seishi Yokomizo. Translation Louise Heal Kawai 2019. (P)2021 Bolinda PublishingListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A classic locked-room murder mystery, the first in the Detective Kindaichi series.... The solution to this mystery came as a complete surprise - exactly what I asked for." (New York Times Book Review)
"The perfect read for this time of year. Short and compelling, it will appeal to fans of Agatha Christie looking for a new case to break." (Irish Times)
"Japan's Agatha Christie.... It's an absolute pleasure to see his work translated at last in these beautifully produced English editions." (Sunday Times)
What listeners say about The Honjin Murders
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 13-04-23
Awful narrator
Great story but my god the narrator ruins everything. His Kiwi accent grates throughout the story
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sarah Williamson
- 27-01-24
A homage to the detective story!
Really enjoyable listen. I love how the novel references other famous detective stories and then offers its our particular take on the genre. Would recommend.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- I ain't givin' you no name
- 06-09-22
Excellent locked room mystery
wears it's influences on its sleeve but this is up there with Agatha Christie and Conan Doyle's best.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- A. Barua
- 11-10-22
Crime fiction by and for connoisseurs of the genre
Many of the subsequent tropes of Japanese crime fiction can be tracked back to this seminal text: the odd, dishevelled, youthful detective, the atmosphere etc. Well read by Akira Matsumoto and yes the Kiwi accent is noticeable but doesn’t detract from the experience.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Spangles
- 29-09-23
A classic read
This was a real experience - a classic from the Golden Age of detective fiction, the twist being that it’s from a different culture. I feel like I have learned more about Japanese culture from reading Yokomizo’s works than I would from a dozen documentaries. At first the Japanese names are a challenge, but the narrator does a good job of differentiating them. He has a kiwi accent but unlike some reviewers I don’t see that as an issue.
I think with all the Honkaku mysteries you need to be prepared for some jarring notes where there are cultural differences, particularly relating to the treatment of women or people with personality or mental disorders, but they’re central to the plot line.
Then there are twists - not necessarily in the plot, but in the way that it plays out, with characters not being as stereotypical and ‘black or white’ as in many more formulaic mysteries. This held my attention to the end, even when the mechanics of the murder(s) were explained.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Karole Amooty
- 16-09-21
Excellent
this is a truly excellent book, I have a brand new detective series to fall in love with.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Edward Lauder
- 01-02-24
Brilliant story, poor performance
This is an incredible locked room murder case. One of the best I’ve ever listened to/read. However, it is letdown somewhat by the rather poor performance from the reader. He does his very best, but his performance is stilted and the reader makes a few mistakes in their reading of the book. Apart from that, I can highly recommend this audiobook because of the story and the incredible writing.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Luke
- 03-09-21
Masterful story
Japanese- New Zealand accent was unusual and fun.
Story is beautifully twisty.
Short but sweet.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Stewart
- 14-11-23
Poor performancd by narrator
I tried to listen to this title but found the narrator irritating. It was hard to concentrate on the story. I will buy the book instead rather than listen on Audible.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- Julia Young
- 09-10-23
Tedious
The narration was good, and the story started well, but became tedious with a contrived and unbelievable conclusion. I shan’t be bothering with any more by this author.
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