Review: Murder at the Black Cat Cafe by Seishi Yokomizo

Synopsis: Tokyo, 1947. The Pink Labyrinth is one of the bomb-scarred city's most shady neighbourhoods. There, in the dead of night a patrolling policeman catches a young Buddhist monk digging in the back yard of The Black Cat Cafe, a notorious brothel. In the shallow grave at his feet lie the dead body of a woman, her face disfigured beyond recognition, and the corpse of a black cat.

Who is the murdered woman, and how was she connected to the infamous establishment? And where did the dead cat come from, given that the cafe's feline mascot seems to be alive and well? The brilliant sleuth Kosuke Kindaichi investigates, but as he draws closer to the truth, he finds himself in grave danger...

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Murder at the Black Cat Cafe is a short story with an additional short story, Why Did the Well Wheel Creak?, included.

Kosuke Kindaichi, plays a prominent role in the first story - set in urban Tokyo - but has a almost secondary role in the subsequent mystery - set in familiar territory of rural Japan - appearing towards the end for the denouement.

Both stories feature a similar theme of mistaken or assumed identity, family drama, murder, greed, jealousy and rivalry, revenge, love and lust. The first is a "straight" Yokomizo mystery with Kindaichi investigating and the "author" retelling the tale after receiving a series of documents from him. The second is set out through a series of letters written by a sister to her brother, recounting daily events (and her suspicions) whilst he convalesces in a sanatorium.

Both are engaging mysteries, however, I found myself drawn more to the second one possibly as each letter comes with a greater sense or urgency or impending danger, building up the intensity of the narration.