Book Review: Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo

 

⋆⋆⋆½

Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Vertigo for allowing me to read this ARC!

Content Warning: death, violence, murder, misogyny, alcoholism, rape apologism.

During the war, the famed private detective Kosuke Kindaichi finds himself befriending a young man from a strange, isolated island called Gokumon-to -- Hell's Gate. When this man, Chimata Kito, sadly dies on their repatriation ship, he makes Kosuke vow that he will go to Gokumon and protect the lives of his three young sisters. Although there are rumors of the island's strangeness, Kosuke is surprised by how insular the community is, relying primarily on Chimata's family for their livelihoods. Welcomed by the island's Buddhist priest, Ryonen, Kosuke quickly discovers that this mysterious place holds many secrets -- and no one is eager to let them go...

Upon my initial request for this book, I didn't realize that it was actually the second in a series, and I was a bit concerned about how this might impact my reading. I didn't have the chance to fit the first in before I read this one, but I'm happy to report that while it certainly would make you more familiar with the characters, it doesn't seem to be necessary at all to understand or enjoy this installment! 

Yokomizo is considered one of the finest Japanese mystery writers, one of many who thrived and, indeed, created Japan's Golden Age of detective fiction. This book is referred to as a "locked room mystery," but I think that's a bit misleading. This is heavily influenced by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, something I also saw in another revered Japanese classic, The Decagon House Murders. In spite of the fact that it's obviously inspired by Christie's work, this novel is decidedly its own, and its uniqueness is what made it work for me.

I'm afraid I have to admit that Yokomizo's famous detective, Kosuke, is not all that interesting (at least not in this book). He's a bit milquetoast, a kind of springboard for the brilliance of the criminals, but I was pleased that he's not so magnificently-minded that he never makes any mistakes. I warmed up to him over the course of the novel, but its true strength lies in the many side characters, full of eccentricities and described shrewdly and cleverly. The female characters in particular interested me, but they are, naturally, put on the backburner (and there's some rather aggravating misogyny to boot). This was written somewhere around 1947/1948, I believe, so it's not exactly surprising, but disappointing nonetheless. 

The mystery itself kept me engaged, and while the writing style is dry, it has that classic Japanese feel that lends itself to both introspection and readability. It's only because of some very convoluted explanations that this doesn't quite get the full four stars, but readers of classic mysteries will find a lot to be pleased with in this intriguing story. 

Recommended. It's entertaining and full of fascinating insights into Japanese culture, and I will definitely be looking into Yokomizo's other books!