{"id":3281,"date":"2024-01-29T06:38:31","date_gmt":"2024-01-29T06:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=3281"},"modified":"2024-01-29T06:38:34","modified_gmt":"2024-01-29T06:38:34","slug":"japanese-murder-mystery-book-recommendation-the-mill-house-murders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=3281","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Murder Mystery Book Recommendation: The Mill House Murders"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Hi Readers! January has been super exhausting. I read only two books in the first week and then literally nothing. So, for the Republic Day long weekend, my only plan was to read. So, I read two more books! The first was The Glass Palace, for which I will need some time to write a review. And here\u2019s the second one! This is my second book by Yukita Ayatsuji, and I really enjoyed it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~GOODREADS DESCRIPTION~~<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ever since a horrific car accident, Fujinuma Kiichi has lived a reclusive existence in the remote Mill House, his scarred face hidden behind a rubber mask. Then one stormy night the tranquility of his retreat is shattered by gruesome murder, a baffling disappearance and the theft of a priceless painting,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The brilliant Shimada Kiyoshi arrives on the scene, but as he investigates the seemingly impossible events of that evening, death strikes again, and again…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can Shimada get to the truth before the killer gets to him? And can you solve the mystery of the Mill House Murders before he does?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

~~THOUGHS~~<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Right at the beginning of the book, we read about the premise of the book. A woman who falls off a high tower. A painting that has disappeared. A man who vanishes from a locked room. Another man who was found cut up in the incinerator. Makes the recipe for the perfect murder mystery, isn\u2019t it?<\/strong><\/mark> The plot in itself was amazing, and what made it an even elevated reading experience was how the entire book is written.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have two story lines, set one year apart at the Mill House. Fujinuma Kiichi who lives at the Mill House brings over four guests every year on the same date to showcase his father\u2019s paintings. So, in the first story line in 1985, we see how everything transpires. And then, in 1986, we have the same set of people, aside from those who died, and of course, we have our eccentric detective Shimada Kiyoshi<\/strong><\/mark> who solves the mysteries of 1985 as well as 1986. Now, the way it is written is linear. We go back and forth along the same time of the day, so the entire mystery is never revealed at once. It comes in batches which is something that always keeps you at the edge of the seat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another amazing factor is how it is related to the first book The Decagon House Murders<\/a>. Both Decagon House and Mill House are built by the same architect Nakamura Seiji<\/strong><\/mark>. This architect is known to create some secret rooms or passageways in the house that he builds. So, there is always that unknown aspect of what and where this would be and what we will find there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, the book is unpredictable, for the most part.<\/strong><\/mark> But, because there are a lot of murders, some of it is easy to guess, especially when you read Shimada\u2019s report towards the end of it. I think only these Japanese murder mysteries have a shocking feature these days. Most of the other mysteries are so watered down and predictable that it has become a bit of a snooze fest. So, this is definitely a book recommendation if you enjoy reading crime and mystery novels. I have rated The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji, translated by Ho-Ling Wong at 4\/5 stars!<\/strong><\/mark><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until next time,<\/p>\n\n\n

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Hi Readers! January has been super exhausting. I read only two books in the first week and then literally nothing. So, for the Republic Day long weekend, my only plan was to read. So, I read two more books! The first was The Glass Palace, for which I will need some time to write a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4,23,3],"tags":[29],"class_list":["post-3281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-book-review","category-books","category-book-reviews","category-mindscape-reviews","tag-japanese-books"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/PSX_20240129_115122-02.jpg?fit=2500%2C2500&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2742,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2742","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":0},"title":"Japanese Murder Mystery Book Recommendation: The Decagon House Murders","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"April 26, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! If you follow me on Instagram, chances are that you have already read this super short book review. But, I always tend to come back here to read my thoughts on a particular book after a while I have read it. So, here we go. This is probably\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230421_133857-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230421_133857-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230421_133857-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230421_133857-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230421_133857-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4059,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=4059","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":1},"title":"Healing Japanese Fiction Book Recommendation: The Lantern of Lost Memories","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"February 23, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I finally read a book this month! \u201cA reader doesn\u2019t find a book. The book finds the reader.\u201d While I had heard this from so many people, it always sounded too surreal to believe. These last two months have been hell work-wise. There are so many instances where\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/PXL_20250222_172256071-1-scaled.jpg?fit=904%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3485,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=3485","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":2},"title":"More Days at the Morisaki Bookshop: An Unnecessary Sequel","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"July 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I am back with a review after almost a month! I haven\u2019t been reading much because work is super hectic and so all I want to do over weekends is binge-watch something rather than read. Such a sad state of things! But, I am clawing my way out\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Picsart_24-07-14_11-52-05-554-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Picsart_24-07-14_11-52-05-554-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Picsart_24-07-14_11-52-05-554-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Picsart_24-07-14_11-52-05-554-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/Picsart_24-07-14_11-52-05-554-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1840,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=1840","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":3},"title":"Books I Read for January in Japan + Recommendations!","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"January 30, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I participated in January in Japan this month & read 3 books translated from Japanese! I had only read Haruki Murakami\u2019s books earlier. But, this month I saw people reading so many Japanese authors across genres. Till last year, Japanese only meant Murakami & magical realism to me.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "books"","block_context":{"text":"books","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/SI_20220130_184106-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2737,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=2737","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":4},"title":"Japanese Murder Mystery Book Recommendation: The Tokyo Zodiac Murders","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"April 27, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! April has been a fantastic reading month. I read 14 books and I might just read one more before the end of the month. Here's a short review of a gory yet fun murder mystery novel. Have you ever read a mystery that has so many angles to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Book review"","block_context":{"text":"Book review","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=2"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/PSX_20230426_185017-01.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1996,"url":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?p=1996","url_meta":{"origin":3281,"position":5},"title":"Books Read in March 2022!","author":"Aishwarya Shenolikar","date":"March 31, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Hi Readers! I have not been super actively reading or writing or browsing bookstagram lately. All I am doing these few weeks is working & sleeping. Finally today I woke up earlier than usual to write this post & to write a book review for Upgrade by Blake Crouch. Stay\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "books"","block_context":{"text":"books","link":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/?cat=4"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PSX_20220330_103113__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PSX_20220330_103113__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PSX_20220330_103113__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PSX_20220330_103113__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mindscapeinwords.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/PSX_20220330_103113__01-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3281","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3281"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3281\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3284,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3281\/revisions\/3284"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3281"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3281"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mindscapeinwords.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3281"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}