Japanese Mystery 101, Book Recommendations
This article is a pairing post for my BookTube video “Japanese Mystery 101”.
It’s highly recommended to check out the video to benefit the most from this discussion.
However, you can also only use this article as a reference list for Japanese mystery book recommendations.
Mystery is one of my favorite literary genres, especially Japanese mystery. Because Japanese mysteries embedded the uniqueness of Japanese culture into the stories, they have this special subtle feeling in them which made them different from mysteries from other countries. I grew up reading and loving Japanese mystery. They also became one of my most important introductions to Japanese culture.
Japanese mystery was first developed in the late 18th century after Western mystery works have been introduced to Japan. With hundreds of years of development, it became a fascinating genre with many subgenres that are unique to itself, with different storytelling techniques.
In my video Japanese Mystery 101, I introduced some different subgenres of Japanese mystery, including:
Honkaku mystery/本格ミステリ
Henkaki Mystery/ 変格ミステリ
Shakai-ha/社会派
Shinhonkaku Mystery/新本格ミステリ
Everyday Murders/日常の謎
and Shintenki/新伝綺.
In the video, I also recommended five books for each of four of my favorite genres. And here is the information about them:
Read more about japanese mystery:
Honkaku
classical style of whodunit murders, focus on mystery tactic and fair relationships with readers
斜め屋敷の犯罪
by 島田荘司// Shimada Sōji // 岛田庄司
EN | Murder in the Crooked House
translated by: Louise Heal Kawai
CN | 斜屋犯罪
translated by: 王鹏帆
本陣殺人事件
By 横溝正史// Yokomizo Seishi // 横沟正史
EN | The Honjin Murders
translated by: Louise Heal Kawai
CN | 本阵杀人事件
translated by: 于壮
十角館の殺人
BY 綾辻行人// Ayatsuji Yukito // 绫辻行人
EN | The Decagon House Murders
translated by: Ho-Ling Wong
CN | 十角馆事件
translated by: 龚群
屍人荘の殺人
by 今村昌弘// Imamura Masahiro // 今村昌弘
EN | Death Among the Undead
Translated by: Ho-Ling Wong
CN | 尸人庄谜案
Translated by: 吕灵芝
赤い密室
by 鮎川哲也// Ayukawa Tetsuya // 鲇川哲也
EN | The Red Locked Room
Translated by： Ho-Ling Wong
CN | 红色密室
Translated by: 梅應琪
Henkaku
not so rigid about mysteries, goal is to also shock the audiences
GOTH リストカット事件
by 乙一// Otsuichi // 乙一
EN | Goth
Translated by: Andrew Cunningham
CN | GOTH断掌事件
Translated by: 陈可冉
瓶詰の地獄
by 夢野久作// Yumeno Kyuusaku // 梦野久作
EN | Bottled Hell
CN | 瓶装地狱
姑獲鳥の夏
by 京極夏彦// Kyougoku Natsuhiko // 京极夏彦
EN | The Summer of the Ubume
Translated by: Alexander O. Smith
CN | 姑获鸟之夏
Translated by: 林哲逸
EN | The Crimson Labyrinth
Translated by: Camellia Nieh
CN | 深红色的迷宫
Translated by: 林青
生ける屍の死
by 山口雅也// Yamaguchi Masaya // 山口雅也
EN | Death of the Living Dead
translated by: Ho-Ling Wong
CN | 活尸之死
translated by: 娄美莲
Shakai-ha
believe that mysteries should also bring social implications to the forefront of the story
砂の器
by 松本清張// Matsumoto Seichou // 松本清张
EN | Inspector Imanishi Investigates
Translated by: Beth Cary
CN | 砂器
Translated by: 赵德远
EN | Puppet Master
translated by: Ginny Tapley Takemori
CN | 模仿犯
Translated by: 张秋明
ある男
by 平野啓一郎// Keiichiro Hirano// 平野啓一郎
EN | A Man
Translated by Eli K.P. William
CN | 那個男人
translated by 陳系美
out
by 桐野夏生// Natsuo Kirino// 桐野夏生
EN | OUT
translated by Stephen Snyder
CN | OUT
translated by 林敏生
悪意
by 東野圭吾// Higashino Keigo// 东野圭吾
EN | Malice
translated by Alexander O. Smith
CN | 恶意
translated by娄美莲
MANGA
not a genre, but so many mystery mangas worth mentioning <3
名探偵コナン
By 青山剛昌// Aoyama Gosho// 青山刚昌
EN | Case closed
CN | 名侦探柯南
Movies: All the Detective Conan movies
金田一少年の事件簿
written by Kanari Yōzaburō, Kibayashi Shin
illustrated by: Satō Fumiya
EN｜ The Kindaichi Case Files
CN｜ 金田一少年事件簿
DEATH NOTE
written by: Ohba Tsugumi
illustrated by Obata Takeshi
EN | Death Note
CN | 死亡笔记
文豪ストレイドッグス
written by: Asagiri Kafka
illustrated by: Harukawa Sango
EN | Bungo Stray Dogs
CN | 文豪野犬
PLUTO
by: 浦沢直樹// Urasawa Naoki// 浦泽直树
EN | PLUTO
CN | 布鲁图
Disclaimer
I am not a Japanese mystery expert, I am just an enthusiast of this genre.
I do not read them in Japanese, and all the research I’ve done for this video was in English or Chinese.
So if I say something that’s different from your understanding, please kindly let me know in the comment.