[Simple Synopsis | Mild Spoilers] The Murder at Guren Mansion [Tatsumi Atsukawa / Kodansha Taiga]

High school students Teruyoshi Katsuragi and Shinya Tadokoro sneak out of their high school training camp to meet a literary master living in seclusion in the mountains.

Although they achieve their goal of meeting the master, they end up caught in a forest fire caused by a lightning strike.

The two take refuge in the mansion where the master lives and wait for rescue, but a murder occurs there...

The time limit for the forest fire is 35 hours; which should they choose, survival or the truth?

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After finishing this work, I had the impression that:

“It is a very neatly organized work with very little wasted description.”

as a thought.

Of course, I cannot say that all works with very little wasted description are good works (I actually prefer works that take detours), but when I re-read it after finishing it once, the number of characters, their roles, and their words and actions are well-organized, and it can be said that it is the minimum structure required to reach the conclusion of this work.

This is a great advantage for someone like me who (even in the real world) “is bad at remembering people's names.”.

Also, because there are many careful descriptions in the work (including hints for solving the mystery), even a mystery beginner like me can see through some of the mysteries, making it easy to immerse myself in the world, and it is a work that left a good impression on me.

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This work is structured as if it were two stories combined.

The first halffollows a classic mystery progression: while being chased by an unfortunately occurring forest fire and overcoming various man-made difficulties within the mansion, the characters must solve a murder case.

The second halfreveals various things about each character as the murder case is solved.

However, along the way,

"What is necessary to remain a detective, and to continue solving mysteries as a detective?"

"Why does a detective need a Watson?"

These questions, which are not usually necessary to uncover the truth in a typical mystery novel, force the reader to think about the origins of authentic mystery.

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Both the first and second halves are packed with content, making it a very rewarding read.

My brain felt tired as I read on, but I couldn't put the book down, and I ended up reading it all in one night at my hotel while on a business trip.

However, as it neared the end, there were many instances where the justice of one character clashed with the justice of another (meaning no conclusion was reached). As a result, it naturally didn't end with one side being completely 'evil,' so it didn't leave me with a clean, refreshing feeling. Yet, because of that kind of ending, I am actually very much looking forward to the next installment.

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Among the characters this time, there are two notable individuals:

1. Someone whose way of thinking is fundamentally incompatible with the protagonists. However, considering their past, it is difficult to deny them, and the protagonists actually feel a sense of inferiority because they cannot accept this person's sense of justice.

2. A phantom thief who is a woman, but has a slender, 170cm-tall build and possesses the speech, behavior, and mindset of a man.

These are the two people.

Regarding the character in ①, I vaguely imagined the 'Hell's Puppeteer' in the name of my grandfather, and
regarding the character in ②, since they reveal their profession? as a phantom thief, I suspect they might be a master of disguise.

Given the strength of their connection to the protagonists and the impact of their characters, I also think these two might become regulars (if this becomes a series).

I am curious whether these two will appear again in later works, and also,

how the high school detective and Watson duo will change or grow based on the events of this case,

so it was an ending that really makes me look forward to the next installment.

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