I always loved japanese fiction especially historical japanese fiction ⛩️. This book definitely lived up to its hype!

This was my first book in the Detective Kosuke Kindaichi and I'm so excited to read the other installments ✨.

The audiobook was amazing, It gave me goosebumps with the scary sounds and the narration 🥶.

Thank you Net Galley and Bolinda audio for this audiobook.

I usually enjoy these classic Japanese crime stories but this one was not for me. I didn't like the narrator of the audio book, there were too many characters and I had a hard time following who is who. The relationship between people was so intricate that I lost track of events.

I had to check that this was one narrator. Such an amazing job creating the different characters and giving them even more personality! As much as I love Japanese mystery novels, I'm sure this was a better experience because I listened to this amazing performance. The detective is kind of a cliche, but I just binge watched all the old Colombo episodes, and I really got a kick out of this guy. The mystery was interesting, and there was so much suspense realizing that bad things were going to keep happening until the killer was caught. I definitely plan to read everything with this author and narrator that I can. Thanks so much to NetGalley for letting me listen to this audiobook

One of the most anticipated read which really did not disappoint.

Loved each and every part of the mystery, which would a 100% keep you on the edge after the plot is set.

I feel like all the characters were quite quickly introduced which was a lot of information to retain which confused me a bit, but overall amazingly written!

This title intrigued me as I've never read a novel from Japan.

There were plenty of twists and turns as you navigate along the investigation into the deaths at the grand Tsubaki house. While I had my suspicions on who the murderer was, there was still some layered surprises to keep you guessing.

While I enjoyed the story and the narrator, I could have used a printed-out copy of names to keep notes.

Hooked from the start! The narration here was excellent. As an English reader, the Japanese names are never pronounced correctly in my head, so to hear the authentic pronunciation was a real treat and made the whole book come alive for me.

A complex plot, with a multitude of characters - many unlikeable - this book was a dream to listen to. This series is one of my favourite translated series, so I can't wait to read another.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC (in audiobook format).

In the shadowed aftermath of World War II, amid the rubble of post-war Tokyo, “The Devil’s Flute Murders” unfolds within the grand Tsubaki house—a once-noble family steeped in mourning. The old viscount Tsubaki, a brooding and troubled composer, has been found dead; death lingers, and when the family gathers for a divination to conjure the spirit of their departed patriarch, it strikes again. Enter the brilliant and enigmatic detective, Kosuke Kindaichi, whose task is to unravel the web of secrets enshrouding the Tsubaki clan.

Seishi Yokomizo, a master of Japanese crime fiction, weaves an ingenious and atmospheric classic whodunit. Here’s my take on this captivating mystery:

 Atmosphere and Setting: The novel immerses readers in the stark landscape of post-war Japan. The heavy destruction, the remnants of chaos, and the turbulence of the era provide a haunting backdrop. Yokomizo’s attention to detail paints a vivid picture of a country grappling with its past, its culture, and the societal shifts underway.

Character Ensemble: The Tsubaki family members are a diverse cast—each harboring secrets, grudges, and hidden motives. From the brooding viscount to the mistress, the daughter, and the uncle, their interactions create a rich tapestry of intrigue. The ghostly presence of the deceased musician, Tsukaki, strikes an unsettling tune that echoes through the narrative.

The Detective: Kosuke Kindaichi Kindaichi is no ordinary sleuth. Shabbily dressed but clever, he digs deep into the family’s history, relationships, and darkest corners. His painstaking inquiries, interviews, and divinations lead him to a bizarre and sinister “devil’s” mark—a clue that unravels the mystery thread by thread.

As more murders occur, Kindaichi’s investigation intensifies. Yokomizo masterfully constructs a complex puzzle, forcing readers to pay attention to every detail. The sins of the past intertwine with the present, and the list of suspects grows. The twists and turns keep you guessing until the surprising and disturbing final revelations.

🌟 Narration: Akira Matsumoto’s narration in the audiobook version is commendable. His distinct range of voices brings the characters to life, enhancing the experience. At just over 11 hours, it demands attention, but the payoff is worth it.

“The Devil’s Flute Murders” is a gem for fans of murder mysteries and historical fiction. If you’re intrigued by post-war Japan, family secrets, and intricate plots, this novel won’t disappoint. Yokomizo’s blend of suspense, fair-play detection, and atmospheric storytelling makes it a classic of the genre.

🎧 Audiobook Recommendation: For an immersive experience, I recommend listening to the audiobook narrated by Akira Matsumoto. Many thanks to Bolinda Audio for providing the Advance Listening Copy (ALC).

First of all the narration of this book is really good. This is the first time that I have seen a narrator doing so many different voices and accents for different characters although I will say that it was too much at some points especially for female characters that I found annoying but I will let it slide.

The devil's flute murders is book from a series with Kosuke Kindaichi as a detective. It was really confusing to make out who's who from the audiobook as I wasn't used to the names. As more characters were introduced it got even more confusing.

There were times were acts of characters made no sense to me at all. For this book, I would have definitely preferred to have a book to read side by side to make sense of things and also understand the characters.

Audiobook : 4 stars
Book : 3 stars

Thank you bolinda audio and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, and found the narration easy to listen to as the narrator was obviously familiar with Japanese pronunciation. The book was written not long after it was set (1947), and it was very interesting to read about life in Japan immediately post-war, especially how society was fundamentally changing.
The plot itself is complex, and the characters not especially likeable, but I was quickly hooked. I shall look out for more from this author.

The Devil’s Flute Murders is set in 1947, as Japan continues its slow recovery from WWII. A young woman, Mineko, asks Kindaichi for help. Mineko’s father, Viscount Tsubaki, was found dead, apparently of suicide, but it seems that his ghost is haunting their family, especially her mother Akiko. It turns into a complex case with multiple murders, questions of ghostly visitation, a family history that must be explored, and many family members, friends, and servants living on the estate grounds.

It’s an atmospheric mystery, with the potential ghost, spooky music, even bad weather all playing into the feeling. The book is also full of period detail. Following the war, Japan is dealing with a lot, including planned blackouts, crowded trains with hard to obtain tickets, food shortages, and bombed and lost homes, some of which contribute to the plot.

I listened to the audio. The narrator did a good job with the pronunciations and accents, as far as I could tell, and with distinguishing the many characters.

Kindaichi is one of those detectives that notices things that others don’t, but always looks a bit disheveled, making him seem less competent than he is. I loved one specific clue that if he had noticed earlier probably would have solved the mystery in two chapters. The solution is a bit shocking and sad.

Overall, this a good, complicated mystery. There are not a lot of characters to actually like though, if that’s important to you. I didn’t really care about any of them, except maybe Mineko.

I have to be honest and say that I'm not entirely convinced by this book. The problem is probably, admittedly, my expectations, as it has been touted everywhere as a "Japanese Agatha Christie". I'm a big Christie fan and unfortunately I have to say that it didn't live up to the hype for me personally.
It wasn't bad, but just not for me and especially not a Christie. The many characters confused me and the behaviour of many of the characters didn't make sense to me. It was exciting, but somehow too complex, especially for what I was hoping for.
The narrator had a soothing voice but was able to create suspense, I'd definetly listen to them again.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audio.

Oh wow!!! I could not stop listening to this one. Such a great book. It had me googled from page one. The story was great the writing was great and the narrator was great!!

This book was not my jam and I can tell you it was a me problem and not a book/author problem. This was my 1st book by Seishi Yokomizo but I will certainly give them another read!

I really enjoyed the mystery of this one. I think it's clear that I'm really enjoying a book when I continue to listen to the audio of it, even though I don't like the narrator. They didn't do a bad job, they were just excessively enthusiastic which made the story feel less realistic? Still, despite that, I loved this mystery.

This was the 4th book in the Detective Kindaichi series (English translation order) and it was the darkest one yet. The themes in this are dark and might be triggering to people to I would suggest to look up warnings. The mystery had great build up in the first half but it kind of dragged the story in the second half. I will continue this series for how ever meny translations they put out because the writing is great and the audiobook narration of this edition was enjoyable.

I had a hard time at points of this book because it felt a little slow. That said, it was overall a good book. The mystery was interesting and had a lot of twists in it. The characters make you want to know more about them, and the setting is very fun. The maybe a ghost/maybe not actually dead person plot was very interesting to follow, and I enjoyed learning motivations of the characters as things unfolded.

As a relatively new fan of Japanese murder mysteries, I was definitely looking forward to listening to this book. The novel was not bad, but it did not reach my expectations. Definitely not my top choice when it comes to this genre.

On one hand, the honkaku books always have amazingly built plot twists, in my opinion. They are logical and bring value to the story, and this book was no exception. The plot was also interesting as it included many unique details, drawing me in and keeping me hooked on the story. I really had to keep listening to know what's next! The narrator did quite a good job, making the story clear and catchy (even though I was not such a big fan of all the different character voices).

On the other hand, there were plenty of repetitive scenes and trigger warnings that were extremely disturbing, so that did not really contribute to a good plot. The number of characters and details was insane, it was too much to keep track of (especially for an audiobook version, so I'd say that this novel might be more approachable in a written format). This took away from the story, as I could not make my own guesses due to getting lost. The way in which some story aspects were built was also not to the level of other books in the same style (for example, the locked room murder explanation or even the plot twists).

Thank you to the author, narrator and publisher for providing an e-audio version of this title in exchange for my review.

I love Golden Age Detective novels, and had heard of this author a few years ago, excited for a 'new' author. This was my first book by the author, and I enjoyed this book, but it was difficult to keep details and characters straight. Maybe if I were reading the book, or following the text while listening, I would have enjoyed the story even more.

I will look for other books by this author, and will give another try for sure.

I'm rating this one 3 stars for 'I liked it'

I really enjoy discovering these classic Japanese mystery novels! Think Agatha Christie but with the tradition and beauty of Japan.
I have read several of Yukito Ayatsuji’s novels however this was the first one by Seishi Yokomizo I have listened to. The narrator does a wonderful job of keeping the characters distinctive enough you can tell who is who simply by the “voice”. I really enjoy these novels as a step away from what is currently on the bestsellers list.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook in advance of rerelease.

This was a NetGalley Arc Audiobook by @Bolindaaudio.
This was not my first Seishi Yokomizo mystery but it was my first audiobook and while at first I was a little put off by the readers accent this was by far the most atmospheric audiobook I have ever listened to! I got more goosebumps in one sitting than ever before and this is not even a horror novel!
The mystery itself is what I would call haphazard and I've seen others call it convoluted and I would not disagree but that was definitely a plus with this narrator.
I did feel the gap in time with my favorite detective here with these translated works as they are not in order. He felt different in some ways than I remembered him but I'm sure the war just depicted as just ending may have had something to do with that and we won't get more details till those in between are translated.
I can't wait till the next books, and I will be on the lookout for the other series audiobooks if this narrator has a hand in it for sure.