Books | Book Recommendations | Japanese | Crime Fiction
Beast In The Shadows - Edogawa Rampo
Translated by Ian Hughes
Good news for all the die-hard crime fiction fans. Penguin publishers this year revived the Crime and Espionage category in Modern Classics, showcasing the best of the Golden Age of Crime Fiction. The first 10 books were published this year and for my first pick, I naturally gravitated towards a Novella by a Japanese Author.
Tarō Hirai (1894-1965), better known by his pen name Edogawa Rampo, spearheaded the mystery fiction writing in Japan. His pen name derived from the Japanese pronunciation of Edgar Allan Poe, who was his literary idol. The Edogawa Rampo Prize is a literary award that has been given to mystery writers in Japan since 1955. Some of his works have already been translated into English by various publishers; however, it was not easily accessible across the globe.
Beast in the Shadows is a standalone novel that was first published in 1928 and has indeed aged well like a fine wine. Its ingenuity and fast pace spanning less than 100 pages, make it best suited for a quick entertaining read.
Synopsis (without spoiler):
The protagonist, a mystery novel writer, is sought after to solve a stalking problem faced by a married woman who is revealed to be a fan of his novels. Her stalker turns out to be her ex-lover and a fellow mystery novel writer. The married woman fears her husband's disappointment upon finding out about her hidden past. The protagonist is weirdly drawn towards this mysterious woman; doubled by his animosity towards his fellow competitor, he gets pulled into a clever trap. The book takes a darker turn when a crime is committed and the protagonist is desperate to solve the identity of the stalker and the method of the crime.
Showcasing mastery in manipulating and misdirecting the readers whilst keeping it a fair play with generous clues to solve the puzzle. It is a peculiar book worthy of your time.
I am thrilled to discover more from this collection and share my findings with you all. Happy Reading!
-Preethi
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