Inspector Imanishi Investigates – Seichō Matsumoto (1961, trans. 2003 Beth Cary)

When the murdered body of an unidentified man is found under a train in Tokyo, the police have little to go on in identifying him - only the man's accent, and a snatch of conversation from his drinking companion. Though the police follow up every lead, they find nothing. But after a relative of the dead man comes forward, slowly and steadily, through a chain of hunches, Inspector Imanishi begins to uncover the victim's movements over his last week, and a series of encounters…

2 Comments

Tokyo Express – Seichō Matsumoto (1958 trans. Jesse Kirkwood 2022)

Two bodies are found lying together on a windswept beach in southern Japan. Toki was a waitress at a Tokyo restaurant, and Sayama worked in a government department under investigation for corruption. The police believe the two must have committed suicide together. All except local inspector Jūtarō Torigai, who begins to have doubts. When dynamic Inspector Mihara of Tokyo's anti-corruption police hears about this, he picks up the investigation with a vengeance. He becomes suspicious of a successful businessman with friends in high places…

1 Comment