I've completed this complelling mystery that showcases Yokomizo's mastery of atmosphere and deduction. Detective Kosuke Kindaichi finds himself investigating a series of murders in a remote mountain village, where ancient traditions clash with modern realities, and everyone harbors secrets that run deeper than the mountain streams.
Themes I Noticed
Tradition vs. Modernity
- The tension between old village customs and changing times
- How modernization disrupts traditional social hierarchies
- The clash between rural isolation and outside influence
Hidden Identities and Secrets
- The weight of concealed pasts in close-knit communities
- How small villages preserve and conceal their histories
- The danger of buried truths eventually surfacing
Rural Gothic Atmosphere
- The mountain setting as both beautiful and menacing
- Folk beliefs and superstitions influencing modern crimes
- Nature as witness to human cruelty and deception
Memorable Quotes
"In a village this small, secrets are like stones thrown in a pond—the ripples reach everyone eventually."
"The mountains keep many secrets, but they never keep them forever."
"Even the smallest sparrow can bring down the mightiest hunter if it knows where to strike."
This installment demonstrates why Yokomizo remains one of Japan's premier mystery writers. The locked-room puzzle is ingeniously constructed, requiring both logical deduction and understanding of human psychology to solve. Kindaichi's methodical approach feels especially satisfying as he peels back layers of village life to reveal the truth beneath.
What makes this mystery particularly engaging is how Yokomizo weaves social commentary into the detective story. The rural setting isn't just atmospheric—it's integral to both the crimes and their solutions. The book captures a specific moment in Japanese history when traditional village life was being transformed by outside forces, creating the perfect conditions for both old grievances and new opportunities for murder. The resolution satisfies both as a logical puzzle and as a meditation on how the past inevitably catches up with the present.