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The Little Sparrow Murders

E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
320 Seiten
Englisch
Pushkin Vertigoerschienen am23.05.2024
Another fiendish classic murder mystery, from one of Japan's greatest crime writers - the author of The Honjin Murders __________ Praise for Seishi Yokomizo's classic mysteries 'The diabolically twisted plotting is top-notch' New York Times 'Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis... Ingenious and compelling' Economist 'With a reputation in Japan to rival Agatha Christie's, the master of ingenious plotting is finally on the case for anglophone readers' Guardian __________ An old friend of Kosuke Kindaichi's invites the scruffy detective to visit the remote mountain village of Onikobe in order to look into a twenty-year-old murder case. But no sooner has Kindaichi arrived than a new series of murders strikes the village - several bodies are discovered staged in bizarre poses, and it soon becomes clear that the victims are being killed using methods that match the lyrics of an old local children's song... The legendary sleuth investigates, but soon realises that he must unravel the dark and tangled history of the village, as well as that of its rival families, to get to the truth.

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and best-loved mystery writers. He was born in Kobe and spent his childhood reading detective stories, before beginning to write stories of his own, the first of which was published in 1921. He went on to become an extremely prolific and popular author, best known for his Kosuke Kindaichi series, which ran to 77 books, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders, The Inugami Curse, The Village of Eight Graves, Death on Gokumon Island and The Devil's Flute Murders are also available from Pushkin Vertigo.mehr
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TaschenbuchKartoniert, Paperback
EUR13,00
E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
EUR8,39

Produkt

KlappentextAnother fiendish classic murder mystery, from one of Japan's greatest crime writers - the author of The Honjin Murders __________ Praise for Seishi Yokomizo's classic mysteries 'The diabolically twisted plotting is top-notch' New York Times 'Readers will delight in the blind turns, red herrings and dubious alibis... Ingenious and compelling' Economist 'With a reputation in Japan to rival Agatha Christie's, the master of ingenious plotting is finally on the case for anglophone readers' Guardian __________ An old friend of Kosuke Kindaichi's invites the scruffy detective to visit the remote mountain village of Onikobe in order to look into a twenty-year-old murder case. But no sooner has Kindaichi arrived than a new series of murders strikes the village - several bodies are discovered staged in bizarre poses, and it soon becomes clear that the victims are being killed using methods that match the lyrics of an old local children's song... The legendary sleuth investigates, but soon realises that he must unravel the dark and tangled history of the village, as well as that of its rival families, to get to the truth.

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and best-loved mystery writers. He was born in Kobe and spent his childhood reading detective stories, before beginning to write stories of his own, the first of which was published in 1921. He went on to become an extremely prolific and popular author, best known for his Kosuke Kindaichi series, which ran to 77 books, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders, The Inugami Curse, The Village of Eight Graves, Death on Gokumon Island and The Devil's Flute Murders are also available from Pushkin Vertigo.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9781782278863
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Format HinweisePub Wasserzeichen
FormatE101
Erscheinungsjahr2024
Erscheinungsdatum23.05.2024
Seiten320 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Dateigrösse2097 Kbytes
Artikel-Nr.15117566
Rubriken
Genre9201

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe



A Con Artist in the Village


It was late July, in 1955, when Kosuke Kindaichi, accompanied by a letter of introduction from Inspector Isokawa, took a rickshaw over the Sennin Pass-astonishingly, this mode of transport was still in use in those parts-and set foot for the very first time in the village of Onikobe. Of course, never in his wildest dreams could he have known about the temari song.

He had come to the village not because a case awaited him there-after all, he is a human being, too, and does not always go chasing after cases-but rather because, like anybody else, there are times when he longs for some peace and quiet and a chance to rest his body and mind.

He had pondered where to go for a retreat for some time, until eventually he alighted on the idea of somewhere in Okayama Prefecture. He´d had a connection to the area ever since the Honjin Murder Case, one that had only grown with other cases such as those on Gokumon Island and in the Village of Eight Graves-and at one point or another, he seemed to have developed a fondness for the local people and their ways. He especially liked this welcoming region for the warmth shown to him by its inhabitants.

And so, having made up his mind, and with the freedom that comes from being a bachelor, one fine day he slung his travelling bag over his shoulder and headed out west from Tokyo.

His first port of call was Inspector Isokawa at the prefectural police headquarters in Okayama.

As ever, Kindaichi hadn´t sent a letter or even a postcard in advance, so when Inspector Isokawa saw him sitting in the spartan waiting area, he could scarcely believe his eyes.

To what do I owe the pleasure, Kindaichi? When did you get here?

So delighted was the detective inspector to see his old friend that he immediately bombarded him with questions.

I´ve only just arrived, the famous detective replied. I´m so tired, though. For some reason, I never seem to be able to sleep on trains.

He yawned extravagantly as he said this, as if to show the inspector that he really hadn´t managed to get any sleep on the overnight train.

You´ve just arrived, eh? Are you here on a case?

Oh, come, Inspector! You take one look at me and think I must be on a case?... Couldn´t I just have wanted to pay an old friend a visit after all this time?

That´ll be the day! said the inspector, laughing.

No, I really mean it!

Well, then, I´m honoured.

The inspector had aged considerably since they last met, but his whole face beamed as he stroked his chin with the palm of his hand.

The hair on his closely cropped head was now almost completely white, and it was so thin that you could see his dark scalp beneath it. His eyebrows had turned white, too, and his forehead had grown wrinkled; yet his robust physique still projected a tough fearlessness, and the ruddy bronze tan of his skin contrasted pleasingly with this dazzlingly white hair. For decades, day in, day out, he had been a police detective-and in recent years, he had also become a widower.

So then, Kindaichi, what are your plans?

Well, that´s just it, Inspector...

Kindaichi told his old friend that he was looking for a quiet spot where he could go and rest for a month without being troubled by anyone or anything.

Do you happen to know any nice spots around here? Somewhere remote. You know, a little village up in the mountains perhaps, totally cut off from the outside world?

Hmm, I´m sure I can think of somewhere...

Inspector Isokawa looked at his friend, who, as usual, appeared dishevelled in his tired white-and-indigo kimono, which he wore with a pair of threadbare summer hakama.

You never change, do you? the inspector laughed, a warm crease forming in the corner of his eye. Very well, let´s leave that discussion for this evening. Seeing as you´re so tired, I´ll give you the address of a nice inn where you can take a bath and rest until then. I´ll come and meet you there after work.


 


That evening, after they´d enjoyed a couple of beers together, Inspector Isokawa extracted a letter from the breast of his yukata.

I have, as per your request, brought you a letter of introduction. Though I feel duty-bound to warn you: it´s impossible to cut yourself off entirely from the outside world. The winds of the world blow even in this little village.

On the envelope was written:


Rika Aoike, Onikobe Village


Who is this Rika Aoike? asked Kosuke Kindaichi. It looks like a woman´s name...

Yes, indeed. And the lady´s had her fair share of sorrows, I´m afraid to say, said the inspector, looking strangely moved as he stroked his chin. Her husband was murdered, and to this day they don´t know who did it.

Holding the letter in his hand, Kosuke Kindaichi fixed the other man with a serious look.

No, this will never do, Inspector! As I told you just this afternoon, I´m looking for somewhere to rest, a place where nothing and no one will-

I know, I know! said Inspector Isokawa, interrupting the detective with a dismissive wave of the hand. You may rest assured, though: the murder took place more than twenty years ago. It didn´t happen just yesterday! All I´m saying is that finding somewhere that´s entirely cut off from the world is a bit of an impossible task nowadays. Twenty-odd years ago, Onikobe was far more isolated than it is today. But even then, there was a murder that´s remained unsolved.

Inspector Isokawa was keen for Kosuke Kindaichi to hear the story, but, given the latter´s wish to get away from all that sort of thing, he was reluctant to broach the subject any further with him. Kindaichi, however, reasoned that, if he was going to be a guest of this Rika Aoike, it would be no bad thing to know a little about her circumstances. Quite the opposite, in fact: it was vital that he know, so he raised his eyes from the letter lying in his lap.

It sounds rather interesting, he said with a broad smile, intended to encourage the inspector to divulge more of the tale.

Well, yes, you could say that... the other said, seeming a little tentative. In his eyes, there was the look of a child pleading for something. Would you care to hear the story?

By all means! I could never resist the chance to hear about an unsolved case from twenty years ago, Kindaichi said with a laugh. It´s a terrible habit of mine.

Very well, then. But there´s something you should know first...

Touched by his friend´s show of consideration, Inspector Isokawa suddenly relaxed and began to talk with great enthusiasm.

As you know only too well, Kindaichi, in any village, no matter where you go, there´s always one family that wields power, just as there´s always a dangerous rival family.

You´re not wrong there, Inspector. So, what you´re saying is that there are two powerful families in the village of Onikobe? asked Kindaichi, coaxing him on.

Exactly! cried the inspector, fidgeting in his chair. Or rather, let´s say that there were two powerful families there. Because, you see, the balance of power in Onikobe shifted in more recent years. It all started back in 1932, the year after Japan invaded Manchuria. I need hardly remind you, Kindaichi, that, at the time, our farming villages were suffering in the depths of economic depression.

Yes, I remember... If I´m not mistaken, it was that very fact, in large part, that led to the Mukden Incident, which began it all.

Quite so... At any rate, back in those days, the Yuras and the Nires were the two families that wielded power in Onikobe. There was also the Tatara family, whose members had held the title of village chieftain since the days of the shogun and ought to have been the most powerful there; however, the leader at the time, and likewise his predecessor, had both given themselves over to debauchery, and so the house had fallen into ruin. It was then that the Yuras and the Nires seized power. And so, everyone in the village was forced to declare their support for one family or the other. Neutrality was not permitted.

It sounds a lot like the situation with the Americans and the Soviets these days.

Exactly! But, you see, the Yuras had for a long time been the richer of the two families because they owned a lot of farming land-not just in Onikobe, but in the surrounding areas,...

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Autor

Seishi Yokomizo (1902-81) was one of Japan's most famous and best-loved mystery writers. He was born in Kobe and spent his childhood reading detective stories, before beginning to write stories of his own, the first of which was published in 1921. He went on to become an extremely prolific and popular author, best known for his Kosuke Kindaichi series, which ran to 77 books, many of which were adapted for stage and television in Japan. The Honjin Murders, The Inugami Curse, The Village of Eight Graves, Death on Gokumon Island and The Devil's Flute Murders are also available from Pushkin Vertigo.