Review: Death on Gokumon Island by Seishi Yokomizo

Synopsis: Kosuke Kindaichi arrives on the remote Gokumon Island bearing tragic news – the son of one of the island’s most important families has died, on a troop transport ship bringing him back home after the Second World War. But Kindaichi has not come merely as a messenger – with his last words, the dying man warned that his three step-sisters’ lives would now be in danger. The scruffy detective is determined to get to the bottom of this mysterious prophesy, and to protect the three women if he can.

As Kosuke Kindaichi attempts to unravel the island’s secrets, a series of gruesome murders begins. He investigates, but soon finds himself in mortal danger from both the unknown killer and the clannish locals, who resent this outsider meddling in their affairs.

Loosely inspired by Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, the fiendish Death on Gokumon Island is perhaps the most highly regarded of all the great Seishi Yokomizo’s classic Japanese mysteries.

For those unfamiliar with this series, it is about time that you invest in it. You can find the full list HERE - included those few that have been translated into English.

The style is fairly consistent - and one the author Seishi Yolomizo explores well - deep, dark family secrets, which when brought into open, give birth to jealousy, greed and ultimately ... murder. And here again, we have all those elements: a family saga of love and hate, revenge and redemption; many suspects but always one whom you are least likely to suspect; a suspenseful mystery, tied together by a long narrative that conveys the essence of the story, location and characters to perfection.  This is Yokomizo's trademark.

Kato-sensei as Kindaichi

This time, the grisly deaths appear to form some sort of dramatic countenance - and Kosuke is said to have remarked: "... The inhabitants of this island, do they all think this way - as if everything's like some kind of drama ..."

Throw into this murderous mix some pirates, returned and repatriated servicemen, local politics and scandal, and you have all the ingredients for a truly satisfying murder mystery.

I cannot recommend this series enough, with our detective, Kindaichi, who according to the local policeman, looks more like a criminal than a world famous detective!