Do You like book The Curious Casebook Of Inspector Hanshichi: Detective Stories Of Old Edo (2007)?
It's an excellent study in short (serial) fiction from Japan during the Meiji Period.Inspector Hanshichi has been an inspector in old Edo for decades, solving everything from mysteries to murders. Well-known and respected, he has the support of younger men under his wing. It is one of these men to whom the Inspector recounts the greatest mysteries he has faced.Combining Japanese myth with mayhem, murder and mischievousness, this collection of 14 short stories is a fantastic look at life in Japan's capital nearly 200 years ago. Incorporates elements of the supernatural, history and fine arts.If you love Rampo Edogawa or Sherlock Holmes, you'll devour CCoIH with relish.
—Made in DNA
Inspector Hanshichi has been referred to as the Japanese Sherlock Holmes. That's not exactly true because the two are very different. Hanshichi is a police detective, not a private detective, and he is a lot easier to get along with than Holmes. However, they ARE both brilliant and solve apparently impossible crimes. Okamoto Kido wrote the Hanshichi stories over a period of 20 years (1917-1937), though the stories were set in the period of the 1840s to the 1860s. Ian MacDonald has translated 14 of them for this volume. To quote the introduction:"Kido does not paint a rosy picture of Edo as belonging to some idealized golden age: his stories are about crimes and the often sad and tragic lives of the people affected by them. He does not stint on depicting the social ills of that era and the whose who preyed on the weak: unscrupulous slave traders, lecherous monks, shady con men, murderous ronin (masterless samurai), greedy merchants, compulsive gamblers, to name but a few."This does not mean these are dark noirish stories full of misery. They are interesting and entertaining. There is an old-fashioned air about the tales that may not appeal to everyone. However, you can say the same thing about Sherlock Holmes. Some favorites of mine: "The Ghost of Ofumi" - the wife of a samurai claims she is being haunted"The Stone Lantern" - the mysterious disappearance (twice!) of a young woman"The Dancer's Curse" - the murder of the "Haunted Teacher""The Mansion of Morning Glories" - the disappearance of a young boyI enjoyed all the stories and the introduction, which is very informative and helps you understand the background of Okamoto Kido and the stories. Highly recommended.
—Diane
A collection of short stories from an early Japanese mystery writer. They are all reminisces to a younger listener, about Inspector Hanshichi's exploits as a detective. It was both a fascinating trip into the world of Edo, and dull at the same time.The stories proceed very deliberately. He's very formal and careful in his writing, spelling everything out. Everything from murderous emotions to afternoons at a tea shop are described in the same level tone. Although I'm sure this is a cultural difference, it still made it difficult to read. At first it's not too bad, because the setting is different enough to make it interesting. But by the end, it was just work.Long story short, read this if you are interested in Japanese culture and the development of the Japanese mystery novel. But don't expect thrills.
—Lindz
