Thank you to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4,5/5
The Labyrinth House Murders is the third book in the Bizzare House mysteries series. The story is inspired by And Then There Were None, as a mystery writer invites his mentees to his 60th birthday party - only for them to realized that they are being killed off one by one in a locked-house setting. The house itself is inspired by Greek mythology, which I really enjoyed. Even though I was able to guess some details, the plot twist at the end still took me by surprise. I haven't read the other books in the series yet, but after finishing this one, I definitely plan to.
Unfortunately, the Kindle format from NetGalley wasn't well done, and I struggled to realize that this was a book within a book.

This book was not my taste. It was all over the place, but not in a good way. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Another complicated house mystery from Yukito Ayatsuji! I love this series and I know my patrons will love this newly-translated addition to it. Although I thought I had this story figured out, the ending floored me and made me look at the whole story in a new light!

This was such a Fun Read, i immediately went to look at the other books in the series. This is such an interesting mystery. It's insane that this book came out at the end of the 80's. Highly recommended

This series continues to be so much fun to read! I love the house and it's bonkers map, the puzzles hidden throughout the story, the unique characters, and of course the murders happening left and right. As an avid reader of mysteries from all eras, I like how the author plays with the tropes that became so well known during the golden age.
I love reading these and recommending them to other mystery readers!

This was a captivating and fairly quick read, but I found the twists to be a bit frustrating. As someone who loves Greek mythology, I love the allusions to Greek myth. That was definitely a highlight for me. However, I found the time spent working through the clues of the mystery to be very repetitive, and the reveal in the epilogue to be frustrating rather than mind-blowing. There were also some spelling and grammatical errors that did not have to do with the translation from Japanese.

I was so surprised to love this from the beginning to the end, because I have seen a few ratings and reviews where people seemed to not be into it at all! I’m not sure why, but I have my guesses. For me, this book kept on giving! Most of my guesses (about 95%) were correct, but that’s probably because I have read all of Agatha Christie’s mystery novels and a lot of other mystery novels. I wouldn’t necessarily say that the story was predictable, but maybe easy to guess if you’ve consumed a lot from the same genre.

It is a story within a story (kind of), where Shimada got a manuscript entitled “The Labyrinth House Murders”. Most of the book came from the manuscript that was said to have been based on a true crime. A few people were invited to the unique house to celebrate a famous mystery writer, Miyagaki. Four of the guests were all his apprentice writers and they were told to each write a mystery where the victim must be themselves, if they wanted to win his wealth after his death. And then yes, you guessed it, one by one, their reality began to imitate fiction...

What did I tell you? It was beginning to sound like And Then There Were None, eh?

I thought it was brilliant how Ayatsuji weaved Greek mythology into the murder mystery. I don’t have much knowledge when it comes to Greek mythology (I have only read ever read Tales of the Greek Heroes by Roger Lancelyn Green), but assuming every detail was consistent with the mythology, I thought it was incorporated very seamlessly in the ways each victim met their end.

I highly recommend this to mystery lovers, especially the ones who love Greek mythology, or any folklore. But I do know that some readers prefer to be told of everything (clues as to the motives and execution) before the reveals so that they could puzzle the mystery out themselves. To these kind of readers, well, I’d say, you might not enjoy this one as much as I did.

This was such an interesting read and the climax was amazing. The way in which the author draws our attention to a specific character being the culprit rather than who it is actually was rather unique to read. However, the ending was a bit predictable.

You will be on the edge of your seat until the epilogue. Unpredictable, unique, and shocking. Ayatsuji is a genius.

Author Yukito Ayatsuji took Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, gave it several twists and produced the suspenseful The Decagon House Murders. However, using And Then There Were None yet again with this, the fourth book in his House Murders series, just left me cold. (Goodreads counts it as the third, as the true third has yet to be translated into English. It’s OK, but, had I known it was a near-retread, I shouldn’t have bothered. I didn’t really care about any of the characters, not even Shimada Kiyoshi, the amateur sleuth who appears in all four of the books in the series. The twist at the end was good enough to elevate the novel to three stars but not good enough to make up for the ennui leading up to the denouement.

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

I am almost at a loss for words about this one. Rarely do I read such a well written, crafted and thoughtful suspense-story. The prose here just knocked my brain out. Every one of these sentences told me how they were written with care. You known what I mean? Some authors write with the soul and mind and the plot is so well woven into the rest of the story you get lost and don’t want to stop reading. This is my favourite crime book now. I just need more people to know about this book because I did not see that ending coming at all. I just loved this one.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to read it.

This kept me guessing the whole way. A true "magic trick" of a story and a fun ride through the end.

It took me a bit to start this book because I did not know that it was the third book in a series. I had to go back and read the other two books before starting this one and I'm obsessed. These books are amazing. Give me more.

Amazing, I've read Yukito Ayatsuji's other book and I was so excited to get my hands on this one. A wonderfully written book and every book I read from them makes me love them more and more as a writer.

I appreciated the arc from NetGalley, but overall it wasn't my cup of tea.

I enjoyed the locked room mystery aspect of it but the book within a book within a book combined with the strange formatting that NetGalley sent over to my Kindle made for a bit of a poor reading experience. The characters could have used a more distinct voice, but the plot was great.

3/5

A classic whodunit type of story that intrigued me from the very first beginning! Every page could never stops me from reading more and trying to find and collect every hints!
I expected nothing and just a fun ride I got from it. I jumped in without knowing a thing about this series and had no idea of the writing style, and I couldn't say it was the best decision I'd made!


Thank you NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me this e-ARC in exchange for a honest review

Yukito Ayatsuji's The Labyrinth House Murders is a masterfully crafted addition to his renowned Bizarre House Mysteries series. Originally published in 1988 and recently translated by Ho-Ling Wong, this novel exemplifies the honkaku tradition of fair-play mysteries, inviting readers to engage in solving the intricate puzzle alongside the characters.

The narrative centers on Miyagaki Yotaro, a celebrated mystery writer who retreats to the enigmatic Labyrinth House—a subterranean mansion inspired by the Greek myth of the Minotaur's labyrinth. Designed by the eccentric architect Nakamura Seiji, the house's complex and eerie architecture plays a pivotal role in creating an atmosphere thick with suspense and foreboding. Miyagaki invites a select group of individuals, including fellow authors and critics, to celebrate his sixtieth birthday. However, the gathering takes a dark turn when Miyagaki is found dead, an apparent suicide that soon reveals deeper, more sinister underpinnings.

Ayatsuji's storytelling is both methodical and gripping, leading readers through a maze of clues, red herrings, and shocking revelations. The Labyrinth House itself becomes a character, its design and secrets adding layers of tension to the unfolding drama. The characters are compelling, and their motives are explored with depth and precision. As the narrative progresses, the line between reality and fiction blurs, culminating in a climax that is both unexpected and satisfying.

The Labyrinth House Murders stands as a testament to Ayatsuji's prowess in crafting classic locked-room mysteries with a modern twist. Fans of the genre will find themselves engrossed in this cerebral and atmospheric tale, which challenges the reader to piece together the mystery alongside its protagonists.

The Labyrinth House Murders is a gripping thriller with an unforgettable twist that completely changes the story. The eerie, maze-like house adds to the tension, making readers feel just as lost and uneasy as the characters. The suspense builds masterfully, keeping you guessing until the very end. A must-read for mystery and thriller fans!

Labyrinth House Murders is a brilliant homage to classic murder mysteries, weaving a story within a story that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Set in the intricately designed Labyrinth House—created by the legendary architect Nakamura Seiji—the novel is filled with secrets, puzzles, and deadly games.

When four novelists, editors, and a detective are invited to crime writer Miyagaki Yotaro’s 60th birthday party, what begins as a celebratory gathering quickly turns sinister. Miyagaki is found dead, an apparent suicide, and the guests must each write a story casting themselves as the victim to win his inheritance. But as real bodies begin to pile up, the game takes a far deadlier turn.

With its eerie underground maze, Greek mythology references tied to the murders, and a jaw-dropping final twist, this book is a must-read for honkaku mystery fans. The layered storytelling, intricate setting, and mind-bending surprises make it a puzzle worth solving—one that lingers long after the final page.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I think there was either a time, cultural, or genre misalignment here. The writing itself was fine, but it felt very much like a book of book characters rather than real people in a made up scenario. Unfortunately I don’t know if that’s how Japanese murder mystery novels are written, a case of not great translation, or due to it originally being from the late 80s.