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A review by woodsybookworm
The Noh Mask Murder by Akimitsu Takagi
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Knives Out meets The Fall of the House of Usher in this locked room murder mystery.
I was surprised this was originally written in 1949 and was recently translated into English to be republished this year (I received an advance copy from NetGalley).
At first it reads like Sherlock Holmes, very dated in the age it was written, rather stiff. Then there is some comedy that gets written in as the story progresses that portrays the detective character, named after the author himself, as a Benoit Blanc-esque comically brilliant super sleuth. Overall, it was a good read and for anyone who likes murder mystery dramas this is the book for you, but I found it a little too slow for me to consider it ever being a re-read.
I was surprised this was originally written in 1949 and was recently translated into English to be republished this year (I received an advance copy from NetGalley).
At first it reads like Sherlock Holmes, very dated in the age it was written, rather stiff. Then there is some comedy that gets written in as the story progresses that portrays the detective character, named after the author himself, as a Benoit Blanc-esque comically brilliant super sleuth. Overall, it was a good read and for anyone who likes murder mystery dramas this is the book for you, but I found it a little too slow for me to consider it ever being a re-read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicide, Dementia, Grief, and Murder