The Decagon House Murders

Yukito Ayatsuji's The Decagon House Murders was a mostly fun, suspenseful and intriguing novel inspired by Agatha Christie's class, And Then There Were None. Since over 20 years has passed since we first read Christie's novel, we thought reading a highly regarded Japanese work based on it would be a worthwhile read. And while the novel does capture the reader quite well with the chapters set on the island where the murders take place, the other characters off-island who are seeking to understand the mystery of two series of murders, are not quite as engaging or interesting. One was particularly expecting more of Shimada, whose opportunity to "reveal" what actually happened to the students in the mystery club is squandered. However, by ending the tale the way he did, the work illustrates exactly how the killer's conscience is torn and the disapproval of whatever higher being you honor. As for the actual mystery, that too was well done, although rather obvious once the only survivors on the island were 2 of the original group. The author plays around here quite well, showing a wicked sense of humor as one of the final victims, despite some brilliant deductive reasoning, fails to see the writing on the wall and lets down his guard. This was hilarious, tragic, and suspenseful to read, since we were still not sure if he was sincere in his beliefs about the real killer. Overall, a fun read with intrigue, mystery, wannabe detectives, and a dark tale of vengeance.