[Book Selection] I gave my all to share tips on choosing books with a friend who said, 'There are too many mysteries, I don't feel like I can choose one that suits me' <Night 10> - I love this character, this theme -

~To ensure you 'enjoyed reading it,' get to know your own preferences~
~I want to share! The unfathomable charm of mysteries~
*********************************

<Night 9> Click here for 'Socially Conscious' mysteries with amazing puzzle-solving ↓↓↓

*Hereafter, honorifics for author names are omitted. Book data is listed at the end.

*I am speaking strictly from books I have read and titles I like. All advice regarding mystery book selection is merely the personal opinion of a book lover.

*I will mention recommended works, but the theme is strictly about tips and ways of thinking for book selection.

*********************************

Eimi So, let's get right into it. With the theme 'I love this character, this theme,' we're talking about mysteries specialized in specific genres.

Miki As a recap, for those not used to reading, the first step is to know your own preferences, like 'what kind of mystery makes me excited,' and also 'if you find an author you're curious about, look up their style and work list even a little bit,', and 'choose books that match your current reading skills and preferences.' That was the discussion, right?

Eimi Up until now, we've focused on broad genres like 'orthodox,' 'socially conscious,' or 'everyday mysteries,' but today, while using that as a base, I want to think about more core book selection.

Miki Core book selection?

Eimi In other words, it's choosing books based on personal interests, like 'I like this character' or 'I'm interested in this theme.' There are also people who want to enjoy solving mysteries while being fully immersed in a world they love.

Miki Speaking of favorite themes, for me, it would be 'family/parent-child relationships,' and maybe 'succulents'... since that's my hobby. Also, mountain climbing.

Eimi Unfortunately, succulent mysteries aren't in my mental database yet (laughs). I'm not well-versed in mountain mysteries, but if I look, I'm sure they exist. Also, since there are many family-themed stories within the socially conscious genre, I'll introduce those another time. So, today, I want to start with 'Shogi.'

Miki Oh, Shogi mysteries? You narrowed it down right away.

(1) Shogi mysteries that are interesting even if you aren't well-versed

Eimi I love stories with Shogi as a theme. There are many masterpieces in film, too. Personally, I like 'Satoshi: A Move for Tomorrow' or 'The Miracle of the Crybaby Shottan.' By the way, Miki, do you know the rules of Shogi?

Miki Well, I know enough to understand how the pieces move.

Amy I can play a match too, as long as the pieces have stickers with arrows showing which way to move them!

Miki You say that with such confidence.

Amy The books I'm going to introduce next can all be enjoyed even if you only know the basic rules of Shogi. Of course, it's better if you know more, but they're interesting as novels, so I was thrilled enough. First up is O Ashizawa's 'Kami no Akushu' (God's Bad Move).

Miki That's a cool title. It feels a bit scary, though...

Amy In the worlds of Shogi and Go, you often hear the phrase 'God's Move'. Which means, conversely, there might even be a bad move by God... This is a collection of short stories based on dramas between people who have staked their lives on Shogi. It contains five stories, but I personally love the second one, which is also the title story, 'God's Bad Move'.

Miki And the aftertaste...?

Amy I can't say it's good (laughs). But, there's a sense of satisfaction from having read something amazing. The desperate battle of souls of people who put themselves in the world of competition is irresistible. Like, which one, which one is it! Oh! No way! That kind of feeling.

Miki I've never read it, but I understand the loneliness of those who fight every day well... My current opponent is my own child in their adolescence. Anyway, you brought a lot of books today, didn't you?

Amy Yeah. Next is Neko Inoue's 'Banjo ni Shi o Egaku' (Painting Death on the Board), which features a female detective chasing the mystery of a series of murders. It starts with a disturbing mystery where, for some reason, a Shogi piece is left at every crime scene, and the common thread between the victims is unknown.

Miki It's scary that there's no common thread. But if I were a victim, I'd prefer they leave a 'Rook' or a 'Bishop' instead of a 'Pawn' if possible.

Amy Seriously, what kind of wish is that (laughs). This novel is themed around Tsume Shogi (shogi puzzles), and while reading it, you can feel the passionate thoughts of the people who take on these puzzles. A perfect Tsume Shogi must be beautiful to both the creator and the solver. In that sense, it feels similar to solving a classic mystery. The climax, the confrontation between the detective and the real culprit, was also tense and interesting.

Miki Beautiful mystery solving is nice, but I'd like to read a moving human drama too.

Amy I've also prepared a work that Miki might like! Yuko Yuzuki's 'Sunflower on the Board' is a human drama revolving around Keisuke Kamijo, a shogi player who is down on his luck but possesses innate talent. It comes in two paperback volumes, but 'Who held what feelings and how did they act?' I think if you get drawn into the mystery of that, you'll read it in no time. By the way, the commentary is written by professional shogi player Yoshiharu Habu, and that piece of writing is wonderful too.

Miki Oh, is that so! When you read novels like this, I bet you start paying attention and go 'Oh!' whenever you see shogi news.

Amy I do sometimes think about what kind of drama might be behind this shogi player. I think there are also mysteries themed around other brain games like Go, chess, and mahjong, so if you're interested, try looking them up.

(2) The great detective who loves poison: 'The Apothecary Diaries'

Miki Can I ask a question? Among the things you brought today, Amy, there's 'The Apothecary Diaries'. I loved the anime.

Amy I watched it too! It started airing in the fall of 2023. In terms of content, it was almost exactly like the original work, so I was very satisfied.

Miki So, in the eighth night, even though I was told that the basis of book selection is just 'I kind of like it', I thought about it in my own way, and I think being able to verbalize or categorize them in my head even a little will lead to better results in the future.

Amy Huh? What's wrong? You're suddenly showing such a serious attitude toward book selection...

Miki Miki is growing every day, you know. Now, what was it about this work that I found interesting? What genre of mystery is this?

Amy Hmm, broadly speaking, I think it would be a great detective story. In other words, a character mystery.

Miki A character mystery?

Amy It's a mystery where a quirky and unique character solves puzzles. Natsu Hyuga's 'The Apothecary Diaries' is an unusual great detective story where the protagonist, Maomao, who loves medicine—no, poison—more than three meals a day, ends up solving incidents that occur in the inner palace. The human relationships are also interesting, like how Maomao herself isn't interested in people, yet for some reason, she's liked by those around her.

Miki Right, Maomao is charming. She has not only knowledge of medicine and poison but also extraordinary insight, and in the end, she's kind. Above all, I can't help but be curious about her relationship with the handsome character Jinshi (laughs).

Eimi I have a friend who has read all the published volumes and 'only follows the relationship between Maomao and Jinshi' (laughs). As for me, I focus on the perfection of the mystery solving, and I was especially thrilled by the scene in the middle of volume 2 where Maomao connects the events that occurred one by one and realizes the conspiracy, thinking 'This might be inevitable'.

Miki That's the scene where she runs to save someone, right! It felt like a climax even in the anime.

Eimi Getting back to the genre, the mystery solving that utilizes knowledge of poisons and medicine also has a bit of a science—or rather, chemical mystery—flavor to it. Maomao usually solves mysteries logically rather than emotionally, and the foreshadowing that spans across volumes, making you think 'So that was related!' is also brilliant.

Miki I see, if it's packed with so much charm, it's no wonder so many people find it interesting, myself included of course. Something just clicked for me.

Eimi By the way, detective stories might almost all be character mysteries. Whether it's Holmes, Poirot, or Kosuke Kindaichi, you don't really find people with such intense personalities, do you (laughs)?

Miki Maybe if I had just one favorite detective series, I wouldn't have trouble finding things to read...

Eimi If you want, even 'Butt Detective' is a character mystery. I still watch it now that I'm grown up, just because it's a detective story.

Miki No, I watched it too (laughs). Can I continue with the anime talk? This year, 2024, 'Raven of the Inner Palace' was also a favorite of mine. Among the things Eimi brought today, there is 'A Raven Does Not Choose Its Master', but that's the same series, right?

(3) The wonder of an otherworldly feel and mystery solving! Fantasy mystery

Eimi The original novel is Chisato Abe's 'Yatagarasu Series', which currently has 12 volumes out. Volume 1, 'A Raven Does Not Choose Its Master', and volume 2, 'Raven of the Inner Palace', were reconstructed together for the first half of the anime, and I believe the second half focused on the content of volume 3, 'Golden Raven'. I've only read up to volume 2 of the original work, though.

Miki At first, I was drawn in by that Japanese-style fantasy world view. But then, at a certain point, something like mystery solving suddenly started, and it turned into a super surprising development that made me think 'No way!'...

Eimi It makes you think 'I've been had,' doesn't it (laughs)? Like, was there mystery solving in this? If I had to categorize it, it would be a fantasy mystery. The scene Miki is talking about is the end of volume 1 of the novel, where it is revealed that a certain person's words and actions were all intentionally carried out for a specific purpose.

Miki Since the protagonists are so-called nobles and it's about family strife, I thought it was a fairly typical drama, so when I watched it, I felt like I'd been hit in the head.

Amy The appeal of fantasy mysteries is that you get completely immersed in a carefully crafted otherworldly setting, and then are taken by surprise by the foreshadowing woven throughout at the end. By the way, Harry Potter is also a fantasy mystery.

Miki Oh, that's right! I only know the movies, but the foreshadowing payoff in Harry Potter is definitely amazing.

Amy Many people watch or read them because they are drawn to the fantasy elements rather than the puzzle-solving, but even so, because there are mystery elements, the plot is solid and I think it's easier to get immersed. The better the work, the less they gloss over the important parts with 'because it's a fantasy world', or rather, I think there is a proper logic and theory within the story.

Miki That's why I got more and more hooked on 'The Raven Does Not Choose Its Master' as the story progressed! Also, the characters are just so charming, aren't they? Even in an otherworldly setting, the people are realistic, and you can't help but get emotionally invested, thinking 'people like this really exist' or 'I want them to be happy'.

Amy By the way, let me change the subject a bit and talk about yokai mysteries rather than fantasy. Do you know the Hyakki Yako series by Natsuhiko Kyogoku, which starts with 'The Summer of the Ubume'? It's a mystery that unfolds around 'Kyogokudo,' an onmyoji and used bookstore owner who exorcises spirits. You might think it's a yokai tale, but the puzzle-solving is logical, and you can fully enjoy the thrill of authentic mystery. It has many passionate fans, too.

Miki I've seen this cover before, but... when it comes to yokai, I think I only know GeGeGe no Kitaro, sorry.

Amy It's no exaggeration to say that all roads involving yokai in Japan lead to Shigeru Mizuki, so that image isn't wrong. However, in 'The Summer of the Ubume,' yokai don't attack humans, and if anything, it's a story where Kyogokudo logically unravels eerie incidents that humans create through the unique workings of their brains and hearts. It has a massive amount of information that you wouldn't expect from a single novel, and a surprising solution. You'll be immersed in a mysterious world within the first few pages, so once people who like it start reading, they can't stop.

Miki I get overwhelmed when there's a lot of text, so I think I'd prefer something a bit lighter for now...

Amy I'm not telling you to read it, Miki, but I just wanted to emphasize again that 'even if you just say mystery, there really are all sorts of them'.

Miki Yeah. If I want to enjoy puzzle-solving while being immersed in an otherworldly way, I'll go for fantasy mysteries or yokai mysteries. If I want to enjoy the exploits of a quirky detective, I'll go for character mysteries. I'll keep that in mind so I can choose books that suit me.

Amy In terms of being a hot topic due to media mix, there's another work I want to introduce. Next is 'The After-Dinner Mysteries'. This should be easy for you to read, Miki!

Miki Oh, I watched the drama.

(4) Laughter & Authentic Mystery & Quirky Detective 'The After-Dinner Mysteries'

Amy The drama and movie were from 2011 to 2013, but it seems a new series started for the novels in 2021, and I was surprised to see Tokuya Higashigawa's 'New After-Dinner Mysteries' at the bookstore! There was a 2, too... It seems Inspector Kazamatsuri, who was transferred, has returned to the Kunitachi Police Station (laughs). I haven't read it yet, so is it okay if I talk based on my knowledge of the old series? I have to read it soon!

Miki I only have information about the drama in my head, so that's fine.

Eimi If you liked the drama, I think you'll be able to read the novel quite easily. It wasthe conversation between the sharp-tongued butler Kageyama and the young lady Reiko quite close to the image of the original work.

Miki Then, it's become a standard question, but what kind of mystery is this?

Eimi The base is a humorous mystery that you read through conversation. And it is also a classic mystery that logically solves mysterious puzzles like locked rooms and alibis. Since it's basically a short story, almost all the information Reiko and Inspector Kazamatsuri get in the first half during the investigation is foreshadowing, and in the second half, Kageyama shows a tumultuous recovery of foreshadowing, a structure that is worth reading throughout (laughs). It's full of masterpieces that even classic mystery lovers will love.

Miki I watched the drama just laughing, but now that you say that, it's packed with various elements. If Inspector Kazamatsuri is still going strong in the new series, maybe I'll read it.

Eimi Also, the butler Kageyama sometimes happens to be at the scene, but basically he can be called an armchair detective too, right.

Miki Armchair detective... what was that again?

Eimi It's a genius-type detective who doesn't investigate himself, but listens only to objective information about the incident and guesses the truth. It's a style of great detective that has existed for a long time overseas, and since there are many short story collections, if you look for them, there might be other works that Miki likes.

Miki I heard a lot and thought, works that boast immense popularity really have a proper reason for being supported.

Eimi Even with video works, if you think 'I like this!', I think trying to read the original work or looking for unread novels with the same theme will lead to book selection that suits you. For example, searching with keywords like 'humorous mystery/short story', 'armchair detective/easy to read' and so on.

Miki That means it's better to have many 'entrances to reading' for yourself.

Eimi Whatever the trigger or starting point, I want you to try reading a book... I always wish for that. And, there is one more thing I want to introduce about armchair detectives. Have you ever heard of En Mikami's 'Biblia Koshodō no Jiken Techō'?

(5) For book lovers & daily mystery lovers, 'Biblia Koshodō no Jiken Techō'

Miki Huh? I think I saw this in a drama too...

Eimi It was dramatized in 2013 and made into a movie in 2018. Today I'll talk based on the novel, but this is a mystery where the protagonist Shioriko, a second-hand bookstore owner, unravels the mysteries of old books with her vast knowledge and passion for books. In the drama, Shioriko was watching the store from the first episode, but in the original work, she was hospitalized and spent most of volume 1 solving mysteries from her hospital room.

Miki Ah, exactly an armchair detective...or should I say, a bed detective?

Eimi Anyway, the first chapter of the first volume is amazing, truly amazing. A masterpiece. Miki, just read this much first. It's a short story so it's easy to read, and it's also a story of love... I think you'll like it, Miki. You like love stories, right!?

Miki That got personal fast (laughs). Alright, I'll borrow it. By the way, what is the first chapter about?

Eimi There was an inscription that read 'To Mr. Yoshio Tanaka, from Soseki Natsume' on the endpaper of the complete works of Soseki Natsume, 'Volume 8: Sorekara', and the request was to authenticate whether it was a genuine Soseki signature. Shioriko not only immediately realized the signature was 'unfortunately a fake,' but by looking at the condition of the book and the price tag from that time, and asking the young man who brought it in a few questions, she uncovers the person who wrote the inscription, their desperate reason for doing so, and finally, even the secret of the young man himself that he didn't even know...that's the story.

Miki From on top of a bed? Just by looking at the book?

Eimi Yeah, that's right. When I first read it, I was so moved I cried. 'Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou' is a rare story that tells not only book lovers but also people who don't have any special attachment to 'old books' or 'a single book' that 'books are wonderful'. Also, as I mentioned in the seventh night, it's in the 'everyday mystery' genre, so it's easy to recommend to people who don't like murder or dark stories. It leaves a good impression, too.

Miki Ah, 'everyday mystery,' right. The kind recommended for children and middle/high schoolers.

Eimi There are some chapters with slightly difficult old books, but I think middle schoolers would be fine. Well, I guess it depends on the person.

Miki By the way, is this also a pretty long series? You know, I tend to feel intimidated by long series...

Eimi As of 2024, 'Biblia Koshodou no Jiken Techou' has 11 volumes including the second series. But, no matter how long a series is, I think you should just start with the feeling of 'let's casually flip through the first 10 pages of volume 1'. If you like it, you can just keep reading.

Miki Yeah, okay, let's do that.

Eimi The next one I'll recommend is also a series, but start casually with volume 1. Do you know Nagisa Hamamura's Calculation Notebook by Akito Aoyagi?

(6) The math mystery popularized by 'Nagisa Hamamura's Calculation Notebook'

Miki Nagisa Hamamura... I didn't know her. But I guess it's a mystery themed around math or numbers, right?

Eimi The protagonist is a middle school girl named Nagisa Hamamura who is 'great at math.' She's a cute, petite girl with droopy double eyelids. Nagisa is the one the Metropolitan Police Department asked for help to counter terrorist activities caused by a certain mathematician.

Miki My child is also in middle school, but I don't feel any kinship with her yet (laughs).

Eimi This is also a collection of short stories, and it's easy to read because it's centered on dialogue. Each time, how the mathematical theories and themes that Nagisa talks about with sparkling eyes relate to solving the case is the highlight of the mystery. Also, since the characters other than Nagisa aren't good at math, it's helpful that they ask questions like 'I don't get it' or 'What does that mean?' just like a normal person would. I'm definitely on this side (laughs).

Miki Then I guess even people who are bad at math can enjoy reading it.

Eimi Of course! The charm of this novel is that it serves as an entry point to reading for people who 'like math but aren't that into reading,' and an entry point to the fun of math for people who 'like reading but not so much math'. It widens the gate for both types of people... oh, how wonderful.

Miki It might be embarrassing to be so greedy, but is there any chance that reading this could improve my child's math grades?

Eimi I actually had my eldest daughter read the first volume and asked her, 'If you read this, do you think your math grades will go up? How about it?' but her reply was, 'The math in this is interesting, but I don't think it has a direct impact on test scores. But the story is interesting. Give me volume two.'

Miki You actually asked her...

Eimi Now that the topic of math mysteries has come up, let me talk about science mysteries in relation to that. These are mysteries that focus on science, chemistry, engineering... in other words, science in general, and are more specialized in logical thinking, and this genre also has many passionate fans. Regardless of whether it's to Miki's taste or not, many people use this as their entry point into mysteries.

(7) Let's touch upon the gold standard of science & medical mysteries

Eimi Speaking of the representative of science mysteries in Japan, it's Hiroshi Mori's 'S&M series' starting with 'The Perfect Insider'. If you are interested, you should absolutely read this first work. A mysterious murder case that occurs at a research institute where a genius named Shiki Magata lives... this theory, perfect trick, suspenseful, cruel, and philosophical development. It's so amazing that even reading it now, you wouldn't think it's a work from 1996.

Miki I can feel such intense spirit from Eimi who is introducing it...

Eimi I can't forget the shock of reading it for the first time. Even though it's been over 20 years. I had and still have zero knowledge of programming, but the main trick was basically simple and surprising enough that even I could understand it.

Miki I'd like to have a reading experience that I won't forget for decades too.

Eimi I even have a friend who is such a die-hard fan that they say, 'I only read Hiroshi Mori, and if it's Hiroshi Mori, I'll read everything' (laughs). However, 'The Perfect Insider' might be shocking content for Miki, who values family and parent-child love, so keep that in mind. It's based on the premise that it's just a novel, after all.

Miki Ah, that kind of thing... As I thought, I'm the type who likes heartwarming developments where they loved each other.

Eimi Oh yes, speaking of science mysteries, I shouldn't forget Keigo Higashino's Galileo series that we talked about on the fifth night. 'I like this one,' 'I like both' depends on the person, but I read Keigo Higashino when I want to enjoy a strong 'human drama component' in addition to full-blown scientific puzzle-solving, and Hiroshi Mori when I want to go all out with science... for your reference.

Amy Since we're on the topic of science, medical mysteries are also interesting. Personally, the medical mystery that has had the most impact on me in the last 20 years isTakeru Kaido's 'The Glory of Team Batista' I suppose.

Miki I feel like I watched the movie or drama for that. It was something likea quirky bureaucrat typeinvestigating a failed surgery, played by Hiroshi Abe or Toru Nakamura...

Amy Miki, you've seen both (laughs). The author, Takeru Kaido, wrote this work while he was an active doctor, sothe behind-the-scenes of the medical field is realistic. While it's fiction, it's quite fascinating, even if the technical aspects regarding the Batista heart surgery are from back in 2006.

Miki Medicine is... it's directly related to you, isn't it? If you add mystery solving to that, I think I'd get hooked and read it.

Amy There are many medical mysteries, so try looking them up. By the way,'The Glory of Team Batista' is great not only for the realism of the medical field, but also for the intensity of the character Shiratori, the eccentric bureaucrat from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare who acts as the detective. He is superhumanly polite yet rude, and even just the conversations with his partner, Dr. Taguchi, are hilarious.

Miki That sounds like the character mystery we talked about earlier, right?

Amy It could certainly be calleda type of character mystery. After all, masterpieces that leave their mark on history have new discoveries every time you read them. Also, in terms of being written by a real doctor, the popular author Mikito Chinen, who is also doing well with 'After School Mystery Club' for children,has also published many mysteries where the protagonist is a doctor. I have a work by Mikito Chinen that I specifically want to introduce, so I'll leave the details for next time.

Miki I'm interested in medical mysteries too, but... Amy, aren't you forgetting something?

Amy Huh, what? A refill of tea?

Miki No. The floor plan. You mentioned it in the preview last time, so I've been looking forward to it...

Amy Ah, ah, the floor plan!

(8) The appeal of the real estate mystery 'The Strange House'

Miki 'The Strange House' is something even I, who am not sensitive to book trends, know about. I'm not good with scary things, so I haven't read or watched it yet, but many people around me like it, and I want you to tell methe reason why it's so popular.

Amy As a personal interpretation, I'll talk based on the novel.Ugetsu's 'The Strange House' tends to distract people with its occult mood, but it's a very well-crafted mystery. Especially in the second half, the brilliant mystery solving from the floor plan had merepeating 'What!', 'Whoa!'. I got the impression that it wasboth classic and novelin many ways.

Miki Classic and novel?

Eimi Murder cases occurring in distinctive buildings have been around for a long time, even overseas, and having floor plans or layouts in mystery novels is something familiar to readers who love authentic mysteries, you know. Furthermore, especially in the second half, it becomes a story about a family bound by old customs, and you really get a sense of the worldview of Kosuke Kindaichi—in other words, Seishi Yokomizo—known for works like 'The Inugami Family' and 'The Village of Eight Gravestones'.

Miki So, for quite a number of readers, it had that accessibility of 'I love this kind of thing!'?

Eimi Miki, when you hear about a murder case in a distinctive building, doesn't it remind you of something? You know, the one we talked about on the first night that started our conversation...

Miki Ah, 'The Decagon House Murders'... the House series!

Eimi Yes, there are many others, of course. But I think 'The Strange House' is eerie and new because it starts with the mystery of a very ordinary house. It's truly relatable for many readers, and the horror of a floor plan you see every day being like, '...Isn't something strange here? Don't you see it?' is real, isn't it?

Miki That's scary (laughs). My child's room has a window, doesn't it? I'll check when I get home.

Eimi Also, I really wanted to say this: I think Kurihara, the architect who acts as the detective, is an armchair detective specializing in floor plans who almost completely solves 'what happened here at that time' based on the floor plans at hand and interviews with those involved.

Miki Ah, an armchair detective here too!

Eimi It's not just about being scary; charming detectives and logical puzzle-solving are important in mysteries, after all. Including those aspects, I read 'The Strange House' completely absorbed. I think people who thought 'Mysteries set in distinctive buildings are interesting' after this work should look for those, and people who thought 'Occult-style mysteries are thrilling' should look for those, and use that to guide their next book selection.

Miki That finally makes sense to me. By the way, what about the aftertaste I'm curious about?

Eimi No, don't ask for that... (laughs). By the way, 'The Strange House 2' and 'The Strange Picture' had even more refined eeriness and mystery precision.

****************************************

Eimi So, today I introduced mysteries with various themes, but were there any hints that could be an entry point for you, Miki?

Miki I was interested in many things, but... what happened to the moving 'family/parent-child mystery'?

Eimi Sorry, that's for next time! This 'tips for book selection' series also ends next time, so I'll wrap it all up and share it with you then.

Miki Got it. Actually, I've already finished reading Mizuki Tsujimura's 'Arrogance and Kindness' and have started Miyuki Miyabe's 'All She Was Worth'. I'm at the part where the detective on leave, Mr. Honma, has started searching for the missing woman.

Eimi What!

Miki I'll go home and finish reading the rest.

Eimi Whaaat!

********************

[Today's points for avoiding book selections that don't match your reading skills and preferences...]

- Try looking for your own personal themes that you feel you could read, such as: brain games like Go or Shogi, sports, math or science, medicine, art or music, armchair detectives, humor, occult or horror, buildings, specific cities, etc.themes you feel you could read

- Many famous detectives are characters with strong quirks. Especially in popular series, if you can meet a character (detective) you think, 'I love this person!', you might be able to enjoy reading for a long time.

- Even for long series, start with the feeling of just flipping through the first 10 pages of volume 1.

*********************
[Night 11 - End Preview]
Why do we read mysteries?
~Reasons to be surprised and moved~

*********************

The beginning of it all... <Night 1> is here↓↓↓

What kind of mysteries make you excited? <Night 2> is here↓↓↓

I talk about book selections by popular author Miyuki Miyabe in <Night 3>↓↓↓

In <Night 4>, I talk about 'Iyami' (unpleasant mysteries) and 'writing style'↓↓↓

In <Night 5>, I talk about Keigo Higashino's Galileo & Kyoichiro Kaga series↓↓↓

In <Night 6>, I talk about how popular authors are great allies for improving your book selection skills...↓↓↓

In <Night 7>, I talk about 'everyday mysteries'↓↓↓

In <Night 8>, I talk about 'heart-shaking social mysteries'↓↓↓

This is my self-introduction↓↓↓