Our book group choice for December 2021 is Murder in the Crooked House by Sōji Shimada. The Crooked House sits on a snowbound cliff overlooking icy seas at the remote northern tip of Japan.
The Crooked House is a remote, snowbound mansion on the northern tip of Japan. It is owned by the eccentric and wealthy Kozaburo Hamamoto, who has invited a group of friends and acquaintances to celebrate the holidays.
On the first night of the party, one of the guests, Eikichi Kikuoka, is found murdered in his room. The room is locked from the inside, and there is no sign of forced entry. The police are baffled, and the guests are all suspects.
Kiyoshi Mitarai, a renowned private detective, is called in to investigate. Mitarai is a brilliant but unconventional sleuth, and he quickly realizes that this is no ordinary murder case. The Crooked House is a maze of sloping floors and strange staircases, full of bloodcurdling masks and uncanny dolls. And the guests are all hiding secrets that could be deadly.
As Mitarai digs deeper, he uncovers a web of deception and intrigue. He learns that Kikuoka was not the only one who had a motive for murder. And he soon realizes that the killer is still at large, and that they will stop at nothing to protect their secrets.
The investigation is complicated by the fact that the house itself is a puzzle. The rooms are all interconnected, and there are secret passages and hidden chambers everywhere. Mitarai must use all of his skills to unravel the mystery, and to find the killer before they strike again.
In the end, Mitarai is able to solve the case, but not without a few surprises. The killer is revealed to be someone who no one would have suspected, and the motive for the murder is even more shocking.
Murder in the Crooked House is a classic locked-room mystery with a twist. The setting is atmospheric and creepy, the characters are well-developed, and the plot is full of suspense. The book is a must-read for fans of mystery and suspense.
Other thoughts on the book:
- The Crooked House is a metaphor for the complex web of relationships between the characters. The house is full of hidden passages and secret rooms, just like the characters are hiding their true selves and their secrets.
- The book explores the themes of family, betrayal, and revenge. The characters are all connected by their relationships to Kozaburo Hamamoto, and the murder is a result of the complex web of emotions that they feel towards him.
- The book is full of twists and turns. The identity of the killer is not revealed until the very end, and there are several red herrings along the way.
- The book is written in a suspenseful and atmospheric style. The author does a great job of building tension and keeping the reader guessing until the very end.
Discussion Questions
- What is the significance of the title, Murder in the Crooked House?
- What are the different motives that the family members might have for murdering Aristide Leonides?
- Why is the police investigation unable to solve the case?
- What role does the nursery rhyme “There Was a Crooked Man” play in the story?
- How does the author use the setting of the crooked house to create a sense of mystery and suspense?
- What is the relationship between Josephine and her grandmother, Magda?
- What is the significance of the fact that Josephine is deaf?
- How does the author explore the theme of family dysfunction in the novel?
- What is the role of the detective, Kosuke Kindaichi, in the story?
- What is the significance of the final twist in the novel?
- How does Murder in the Crooked House compare to other mystery novels by Agatha Christie?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the novel?
- What is the author’s message in the novel?
- How does the novel reflect the social and cultural context of its time?
- What are your thoughts on the ending of the novel?