The Early Cases of Akechi Kogoro by Edogawa Rampo
Translated by William Varteresian — Edogawa Rampo was the pen name of Taro Hirai, a Japanese author active from 1923 until his death in 1965. He is known as the father of Japanese detective fiction and his work – particularly his early writing – proved that…
Last Winter We Parted by Fuminori Nakamura
Translated by Allison Markin Powell – The question of how art inspires and corrupts is something that drives the work of Japanese crime superstar Fuminori Nakamura, and the art is of the unconventional kind. In his first novel to be translated into English, The Thief,…
Confessions by Kanae Minato
Translated by Stephen Snyder – You never quite know what to expect when you pick up a Japanese crime fiction novel. There is no theme or style that dominates, so you might get a methodical police procedural, or a twisted psychological thriller. Each gives a…
Malice by Keigo Higashino
Translated by Alexander O Smith — This year has been a good one for lovers of Japanese literature in translation. Across all genres, Japanese literature in English has flown off the shelves. In crime fiction in particular, the second half of 2014 has seen three…
The Black Lizard and Beast in the Shadows
Written by Edogawa Rampo — Here, Kurodahan Press has collected together two of Japanese author Edogawa Rampo’s longer mysteries in one book, with an introduction by Mark Schreiber and illustrations in a pulp style by Kawajiri Hiroaki. Rampo, whose real name was Taro Hirai, was…
The Red Star of Cádiz
Written by Ōsaka Gō — This is an unusual book by any standards. Written in 1986 by one of Japan’s most versatile authors it has been translated here into English for the first time. Osaka Go’s work sells consistently well in his home country, and this novel…