The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji is a classic locked room mystery novel that takes inspiration from Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. The story follows a group of college students who are members of a mystery club, each named after a famous mystery author, as they visit an island for a week. However, their trip turns into a nightmare when they start getting picked off one by one by a cunning killer. The plot is described as a stunner, with an ending that rivals other audacious mystery novels, leaving readers shocked and satisfied. The book is praised for its clever twists, engaging plot, and nods to classic mystery tropes.

The writing style of The Decagon House Murders is noted to be easily digestible and compelling, with a translation that is commended for making the story a page-turner. The book is lauded for its homage to Agatha Christie's work while still bringing its own unique qualities to the table. The characters, although lacking in depth, serve the plot well, and the mystery itself is engaging, filled with red herrings that lead to a surprising and satisfying conclusion.

Characters:

Characterization is minimal, with individuals mostly serving plot functions, gaining depth primarily as the narrative unfolds.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is simple and direct, emphasizing the mystery without heavy embellishments, though the translation may come across as somewhat literal.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot centers around a group of students from a mystery club who vacation on a murder site, only to become victims themselves, with intertwining stories of investigation and suspense.

Setting:

The isolated island setting, specifically the Decagon House, enhances the mysterious atmosphere, grounded in a tragic past.

Pacing:

Pacing varies, with a slow start leading into a more gripping second half, increasing suspense as events unfold.

“In my opinion, mystery fiction is, at its core, a kind of intellectual puzzle. An exciting game of reasoning in the form of a novel. A game between the reader and the great detective, or the reader a...

Notes:

The Decagon House Murders was originally published in 1987 and is considered a classic in Japanese mystery literature.

The novel is credited with sparking a revival of honkaku mystery fiction in Japan, a genre that emphasizes logical deduction.

It features a plot centered around a mystery club whose members, all named after famous mystery authors, vacation on a murder site.

The setting is a decagon-shaped house on Tsunojima Island, which has a history of gruesome murders.

The book contains elements reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s 'And Then There Were None', including characters being picked off one by one in an isolated location.

American viewers can appreciate its translation by Ho Ling Wong, which retains many cultural nuances from the original Japanese text.

Yukito Ayatsuji, the author, is noted for intertwining horror and mystery, having previously authored the horror mystery novel 'Another'.

The narrative alternates between events on the island and an investigation occurring on the mainland, creating a dual storyline.

Despite being a mystery, character development is minimal; the plot drives the book more than the characters themselves.

The final reveal of the murderer is noteworthy and shocking, with many readers unable to guess the outcome until the end.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include depictions of murder, psychological distress, and references to alcoholism, which may be triggering for some readers.

From The Publisher:

"Ayatsuji's brilliant and richly atmospheric puzzle will appeal to fans of golden age whodunits… Every word counts, leading up to a jaw-dropping but logical reveal" - Publishers Weekly

A hugely enjoyable, page-turning murder mystery sure to appeal to fans of Elly Griffiths, Anthony Horowitz, and Agatha Christie, with one of the best and most-satisfying conclusions you'll ever read. A classic in Japan, available in English for the first time.

From The New York Times Book Review:

"Read Yukito Ayatsuji's landmark mystery, The Decagon House Murders, and discover a real depth of feeling beneath the fiendish foul play.

Taking its cues from Agatha Christie's locked-room classic And Then There Were None, the setup is this: The members of a university detective-fiction club, each nicknamed for a favorite crime writer (Poe, Carr, Orczy, Van Queen, Leroux and - yes - Christie), spend a week on remote Tsunojima Island, attracted to the place, and its eerie 10-sided house, because of a spate of murders that transpired the year before. That collective curiosity will, of course, be their undoing.

As the students approach Tsunojima in a hired fishing boat, 'the sunlight shining down turned the rippling waves to silver. The island lay ahead of them, wrapped in a misty veil of dust,' its sheer, dark cliffs rising straight out of the sea, accessible by one small inlet. There is no electricity on the island, and no telephones, either.

A fresh round of violent deaths begins, and Ayatsuji's skillful, furious pacing propels the narrative. As the students are picked off one by one, he weaves in the story of the mainland investigation of the earlier murders. This is a homage to Golden Age detective fiction, but it's also unabashed entertainment."

Ratings (13)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (4)
Liked It (4)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (45):

Read It (14)
Want To Read (27)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

chlane689

Did Not Like

9 months

The mystery felt more convoluted than clever.

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The Decagon House Murders

Yukito Ayatsuji