The Mill House is a remote, castle like home built by a recluse who is the son of a famous artist. Every year a group of people visit the house in order to view art. A year ago a terrible event happened involving murder and a disappearance. Now visitors are arriving again and the masked owner of the Mill House is afraid of something happening again.

This is a very dark, brooding story. The creepy atmosphere is easily set and the characters themselves are eccentric. There is some confusion about the relationship between the man and young woman of the house who spends her days in a tower of sorts.

The story altenates between the past and present. Because some events happening in both timelines were similar or constantly referenced things got a bit confusing. There is some reference events in The Decagon House Murders which I enjoyed a lot more. The dark atmosphere didn't work for me this time and overall the story didn't spark my interest.

The book drew me in immediately when I read about the main characters wearing of a mask, how intriguing, and it being a murder mystery was icing on the cake. Fujinuma Kiichi lives in his secluded mill house with his young wife Yurie. Kiichi wears a mask and gloves as a result of horrible injuries suffered many years ago. It's a locked-room mystery taking place in a castle with an incredible twist that will keep you guessing. I especially thought it was nice how the present was told by the first person persona and the past was told in third person persona. Thanks Netgalley for an advanced copy! #themillhousemurders #netgalley

I started The Mill House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji with low expectations after the disappointment that was The Decagon House Murders. But readers, take note - it is possible to rate two books by the same author with one-star and four-stars. This is another one of Ayatsuji’s locked-room mysteries in the style of the Golden Age mysteries. A reclusive, disfigured artist’s son invites the same four guests every year to view the paintings of his father. Last year, the gathering was interrupted by the murder of one guest and the disappearance into thin air of another. This year, strange things start happening again…

Having read Ayatsuji’s previous installment in the “Mansion Murder” series right before reading this one, what struck me most was how much more successfully this book navigates a complex, parallel mystery. The book alternates between flashbacks from the mysterious occurrences 1 year ago and the ongoing action from the present timeline. The narration is clever to trace the action in parallel, with the present timeline composed of both recollection of the past and ongoing action. I found the identity of the murderer (“whodunit”) to be predictable but the reveal “howdunit”) to still involve some elements of surprise, in a way that the ending felt plausible and satisfying. On reread, clues can be found peppered throughout the text, so the book rewards not only the first-time but also the second-time reader.

All in all, I was fond enough of this book to summarize it for my husband, a great lover of Golden Age mysteries, and for him to stop me mid-way through the summary so he could read it himself. If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is. If anything could be improved, some of the characters are somewhat flat - in particular, the child bride reads poorly as someone who is stereotyped and has disappointingly little agency in the book. But the key element of mystery for me is plot and setting - and there is much to recommend here.

Thanks to @pushkin_press for the eARC via @netgalley. This book is out May 2!

I can't help being impressed by Yukito Ayatsuji. This is my first time reading his novel and it won't be the last. Everything happened because of the painting The Phantom Cluster, the haunting work of Fujinuma Issei. It was because of this painting that the Mill House had become one of the strange creations of the crazed architect Nakamura Seiji. Fujinuma Kiichi was the only son of Issei and is now the master of the Mill House.

Unfortunately, there had been a tragic accident in the house. A man who is believed to have stolen a painting mysteriously disappeared on that very day.  After what happened last year, an unexpected guest, Shimada Kiyoshi who was interested in classic mystery stories started to look into the affair.

A well-designed locked room mystery and Ayatsuji excelled at this puzzle with impressive narration, and I delighted in the ‘who dunnit’ and the ‘how dunnit’ more than the why the culprit did the crime. Def 5 ⭐️




Thanks to @netgalley and publisher for earc. Opinions are my own.

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#donereading #themillhousemurders by #yukitoayatsuji #igreads #igbooks #goodreads #bookstagram #emabaca #kindlepaperwhite #malaysiamembaca

This stunning follow-up to the Decagon Murders leads us to another strangely constructed house with a locked room murder. Both are stand-alone mysteries, and reprints of Japan's Golden Age, fair play murder mystery books.

An unexplained disappearance, murder, and theft of a master's painting occurred on a dark and stormy night in September of 1985. One year later, the remaining witnesses return to the house, joined by a random stranger who was the friend of the alleged murderer-thief. Once again, a storm returns, another murder occurs, but this time things are different.

Atmospheric, creepy, and un-put-downable, Yukito Ayatsuji does it again. So happy to read these Pushkin Vertigo books!

I loved Yukito Ayatsuji’s The Decagon House Murders, the novel that introduced readers to Kiyoshi Shimada, so I was eager to read the second in this series.

While The Decagon House is an artful variation on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, The Mill House Murders pretty much is like nothing else. The disheveled Shimada foists himself on a recluse, Fujinuma Kiichi, who opens his huge, phantasmagorical home only once a year, Sept. 28. Last time Kiichi did so, two people were murdered and a third went missing. Shimada is certain that his childhood friend, who disappeared, is not the murderer, as is assumed. And he proceeds to reveal what really happened, with a very shocking ending.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, Pushkin Press and Pushkin Vertigo in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Like in the Decagon House Murders, the book revolves around murders in a secluded area. Compared to that book, however, I find that the execution here fell short. There was a lack of suspense; I feel like there was no anticipation to any danger happening. One character died and the other characters quickly moved on, which killed any tension that preceded it. In Decagon House, at least, there was a thrilling fear that another murder was going to befall another character. However, I will say that the motive behind the murder here is much more believable compared to Decagon House Murders.

The characters are nothing beyond their professions, and don't have distinct personalities. Even the narrator is barely distinguishable from the other character, making it a tedious process to read from his POV. Reading this book makes me think about reading a book with blank-faced people, that's how bland each character's personality is.

This is my second book by Yukito Ayatsuji, and I can't say I'm impressed. I'm not sure if it's because of the translation, which I admit is a bit clunky at times, but I barely have any knowledge of Japanese to judge. The formatting in the e-ARC I received is very inconsistent, which did not add any enjoyment to the reading experience.

I simply love this House Murders series. They work as standalone crime novels, yet there is connection between them - at least between #1 and #2. They are spooky, original and old-fashioned detective stories. It almost feels like reading the Japanese version of Agatha Christie, without the clichés. (Sorry!)

Pure entertainment.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for an ARC.

Such a great mystery!! It was so enjoyable and I could not put it down. I will recommend this to my mystery book club and see if anyone can figure out who it was before the end!

Set in Japan in both 1985 and 1986, The Mill House Murders kept me happily intrigued and entertained. The original Japanese has been translated into English. Though a passionate Golden Age Mystery fan, my foray into translated works is woefully lacking. It was easy to enjoy the author's engaging (though at times stilted) writing style, characters, setting and plot.

A quirky group of acquaintances clusters annually at the atmospheric home of eccentric Fujinuma Kiichi called Water Mill House. The author immediately transports the reader smack dab into a harrowing murder aftermath scene, really an attention grabber. The staff members are interesting, too, as is Shimada, the investigator. Not only are there murders but also a plethora of secrets, art theft and a disappearance.

For me the house itself is a character...I practically felt the tension and darkness, well written.

If you are contemplating reading this, do not hesitate. It's well worth your time, especially for classic whodunit fans.

My sincere thank you to Pushkin Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this fascinating novel. I look forward to reading more by Yukito Ayatsuji.

Classic locked room mystery with some cliche hooks that tire us. Could've been more creative and different. But considering the perspective of translation it does a fine job.

The Mill House Murders are a classic "someone in this house is a murderer" novel, with old school vibes and a slow burn plot that jumps from present day to past to uncover the mystery.

I liked that it was linked to its preceding book and that it flicked between past and present which gave a bit of dimension to the drama. I also enjoyed that the story started off in the middle of the crime.

This is a perfect novel for those who enjoy crime fiction, horror manga and classic crime novels. For myself, I wasn't as involved with the characters as I would have liked so I struggled to get into it.

Every year, a small group of acquaintances pay a visit to the remote, castle-like Mill House, home to the reclusive Fujinuma Kiichi, son of a famous artist, who has lived his life behind a rubber mask ever since a disfiguring car accident. This year, however, the visit is disrupted by an impossible disappearance, the theft of a painting and a series of baffling murders.

The brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada arrives to investigate. But will he uncover the truth, and will you be able to solve the mystery of the Mill House Murders before he does?
An unique story that drew me in and held me captivated. Will recommend this to others.

Overwritten.

Stilted, deathly dull dialogue, with characters standing around and talking like something out of Victorian England. Far too much telling. Killed any sense of suspense in an otherwise intriguing setup.

Kiichi, the main character, could have been compelling if the author hadn't felt it necessary to narrate his every observation in dispassionate prose. As a result, he had all the personality of cardboard and his disability, rather than influencing his character in a meaningful way or simply being an ordinary part of a multifaceted life, was used as cheap shock value and a plot device to explain the existence of the Mill House. The book could have been from Yurie's POV: her escape from her creepy jailer, who imprisoned her when her father died, would have made an interesting story. Instead she was written comically: fainting and crying all the time. She gets zero character development, only constant descriptions of her beauty.

The male characters are scarcely better. Shimada, the detective, solves the mystery offscreen and serves as our overexplainer. There is a butler, a priest who dies early on (I would've liked to hear about his life!) and some other characters there to pad out the body count.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. This review reflects my honest opinion.

As much as I love a good whodunnit, there are so many out there that use the same tropes that after a while they tend to all blur together. In this case, however, there is such a distinctively Japanese style and flow to the narrative that it succeeds beautifully in reframing* these tropes to show them from a new perspective.

(*No pun intended.)

The story is told in two parts, alternating throughout the book. The events told in each part are one year apart exactly; one is told in the third person in past tense, and the other in first person, present tense. They are divided by times, e.g. at 10pm such and such happened last year, and at 10pm such and such happened this year. It's an efficient way to differentiate the timelines, and as the events of the two nights unfold in similar patterns, it ties the narrative together while simultaneously helping the reader (read: my easily confused brain) keep track of what's going on.

The Japanese mores and social customs affect not only the plot, but also the pace of the writing; though it is usually fairly innocuous or even charming, it does sometimes lead to repetitive or circuitous dialogue. It makes sense that some things are lost in translation, so it's a minor issue.

The storyline is engaging, and well resolved. I did find part of it a little obvious, but then again, that's what I mean about whodunnits all looking alike; however, there was still plenty of originality here to satisfy.

This murder mystery is very creative and really creepy. The Mill House, described in such loving detail, is arguably the main character in the book. The rest of the cast is a fun mixture of victims and suspects and, as always with this author, readers are given all the details to solve the crimes on their own. The plot is crafted like a puzzle and every little piece fits perfectly. Every time a clue is revealed, the whole picture changes, almost like the paintings at the heart of the story. Going back and forth in time, from the incidents a year in the past and the current action could have been distracting, but isn’t, since the author writes the flashbacks in third person and the present in first. All that said, the writing is a little too cerebral. The importance laid on the clues detracts a little from the character development and feels more like doing algebra than reading fiction. That said, the resolution still surprised me, and I loved the story. The storms, the house, the creepy man in a mask and the rest of the little details gave me gooseflesh. I also loved the ending.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/# Pushkin Vertigo!

"A hugely enjoyable, page-turning classic Japanese mystery with an ingenious conclusion from the author of The Decagon House Murders, translated into English for the first time.

Don't miss this beautifully constructed, highly entertaining and atmospheric murder mystery - its propulsive plot makes for a compelling, page-turning read.

As they do every year, a small group of acquaintances pay a visit to the remote, castle-like Water Mill House, home to the reclusive Fujinuma Kiichi, son of a famous artist, who has lived his life behind a rubber mask ever since a disfiguring car accident.

This year, however, the visit is disrupted by an impossible disappearance, the theft of a painting and a series of baffling murders.

The brilliant Kiyoshi Shimada arrives to investigate. But will he get to the truth, and will you too be able to solve the mystery of the Mill House Murders?"

Remote castle-like local, art theft, murder, and a rubber mask? That adds up to a thrilling whodunit.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This one just was not for me. I didn’t find it interesting and I had a hard time staying interested in it.

The Mulhouse Murders,

I unfortunately wasn’t able to finish the book. Even though, I do understand I had the chance to read an unedited copy- I felt as if the story line was disjointed and underdeveloped. It wasn’t gripping as I had hoped it to be, which was quite unfortunate to say the least.

Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this (or attempted too!) in return for an honest review/ thoughts about the novel!

[Blurb goes here]

What first attracted me to Yukito Ayatsuji's novels was 'Another' which to this day I keep enjoying to no end.

The Mill House murders brings back the brilliant amateur detective, Kiyoshi Shimada.

It all started last year. The reclusive Fujinuma Kiichi opens the doors of his house once a year to a select group of people. His guest have one thing in common: they want the opportunity to look at Kiichi's paint collection. He's the sole owner of Fujinuma Issei's (his father) paintings. Kiichi is confined to a wheel chair since a car accident that also disfigured his face, reason enough to wear a mask over it. What no one expected was murder. Kiichi's care taker is thrown out of a balcony, a good friend of his is murdered and thrown into an incinerator. One of his visitors disappears, taking the blame of the murders with him.

This years, things look different for Kiichi, though. That is, until an uninvited guest arrives: Kiyoshi Shimada. Kiyoshi is convinced that the police's investigation and results, are completely wrong.

The story progresses in two time lines: one, everything that happened the year before. The other, seen through Kiichi's eyes: the present.

As Shimada digs deeper into the mystery, we'll discover that not all is what it seems in the Mill House.

A locked room mystery in the 'fair-game' style, urging you, the reader, to solve the murder before Shimada does. With unexpected twist and turns, this story is reminiscent of Agatha Christie's style. It might be consider sacrilege to compare both authors, bear with me: Ayatsuji is that good.

Looking for your next great read in the mystery thriller genre? Look no further, this is the one.

Thank you for the advanced copy!