Following up on an earlier thread asking about similar to Agatha Christie mystery writers...
My understanding is #honkaku are Japanese mysteries in a western orthodox style. So, what are some examples of Japanese mysteries NOT in a western orthodox style? Basically non-honkaku. I went down the rabbit hole a bit this weekend and learned about honkaku, but now I want to find, in a sense, traditional Japanese mysteries, if there is something like that.
@theotherotherone@bookstodon
There isn't, really. The concept of the detective/mystery was adopted pretty much wholesale from Western influences. So, what is now called Honkaku really is just saying "classic," in that it follows the rules of fair play etc. that authors like Edogawa Ranpo took from the West. At the same time, these writers really did adapt the basic ideas of Western detective fiction to Japan. They used traditional Japanese settings, ideas, imagery, and issues quite consciously. They often take place in temples or isolated rural villages and such, and often use Japanese historical or folk motifs in the murders, for example.
There have, of course, been reactions and diversions from there--the Shin-honkaku style arose in the 1980s or so, as a kind of respectful commentary/rebellion against the traditional style. They're more modern, more poppy, and ironically less "Japanese" in their nods to the deeper traditional culture. They're more focused on young, urban folks enjoying the affluence of the period.
So, Japanese mystery in and of itself was a borrowing from the West, but if you want a more traditional flavor in the works, the old Honkaku is far more Japanese than later iterations.
As to going back before honkaku, there really isn't anything identifiable with the genre. I mean, Honkaku goes back to the 1920s, so it's not like it comes much later than the birth of detective fiction in the West, either.
Who to read if you're an Agatha Christie devotee, but have read all of her books (besides re-reading her books, of course)? The former is true of me, but the latter, not quite yet. I'm planning ahead.
I know to at least consider Sherlock Holmes, anyone in the Detection Club (which Christie co-founded), medieval mysteries like Brother Cadfael, etc. And yes, I've already read some of those here and there, especially Cadfael.
@theotherotherone@bookstodon Other Golden Age mysteries may work for you- Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver series has a middle-aged ex-governess detective, Freeman Wills Crofts has a polite policeman, Dorothy Sayers of course has an aristocrat. John Dickson Carr/Carter Dickson is the classic for locked rooms (more stilted writing than Christie). The BL is republishing a lot of classic mysteries, search "British library crime classics" on Amazon (or wherever) and have a good browse.
The problem with good, fun, easy to read books is they're done too fast. Now I have to wait years for another Thursday Murder Club book as I finished “The Last Devil to Die” in a couple days.
Currently reading Donna Leon's So Shall You Reap, Commissario Brunetti #32. Over the years, one of my favorite characters is his wife Paolo. She is utterly cool. @bookstodon#reading#mysteries
Bold, intriguing, and psychologically compelling, "Penance" is a book that will stay with you always once you read it. Perfect for readers who enjoy true crime and unreliable narrators, "Penance" is a book that will leave you speechless.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper for an advanced copy on exchange for an honest review.
A comment leapt out at me and made me smile when I realised what it meant, as my generation began w inkwells and nib pens. No judgment at all, as long as they keep writing.
"... many of them play fast and loose with form – they grew up writing with their thumbs. "
Happy reading.
Visit my blog on Thursdays to check what books I consider the #BestBooksof2023 So Far. Each week, I will list books in different genres and this week, I thought I start with my favorite genre...mysteries and thrillers ☠️🔪!
SHARP PRIVATE EYE thriller follows a detective and his childhood best friend, now an investigative reporter, to Mexico on the trail of a seasoned criminal. Lots of relatable characters and some great descriptions. SOLID B
THE FAMILY THAT SLEUTHS TOGETHER…finds out more about themselves and each other in this charming, engrossing California murder mystery starring three generations of smart, sharp women solving a complicated crime. B PLUS
DELIGHTFUL, UNLIKELY SLEUTH Mrs. Pargeter—widow of an English crime boss—gathers her late husband’s crew to solve two linked mysteries. Entertaining cozy is author Simon Brett at his best. B PLUS
Summer of 1974, South Boston. The desegregation busing is about to happen. One night, a young Black man is found dead in a subway station, and Mary Pat’s seventeen-year-old daughter doesn’t come home.
The story is brutal, raw, and driven by a complex character (say, unlikeable but unable to take eyes off her). Maybe not easy to read（with offensive slurs and graphic violence), but unputdownable till the end.
📖September Book Wrap-Up 📖
Because of taking time for myself and enjoying a pleasant and relaxing vacation, I got to read more books, and not one of them disappointed me! It pays when you finally have time to read, which shows in #TheStoryGraph stats.
RICHARD OSMAN’S LATEST Thursday Murder Club adventure is his best one yet. Impeccably plotted, full of wit and fun, it’s also a marvelously observant portrayal of the power of love and friendship. A MINUS