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One thing you will have noticed about the writing of Seichi Matsumoto if you've read any of his work before, is his attention to detail. Character traits and intuitions are interesting but can not always be trusted when it comes to investigating crime. Exploring the fine details of the process is more revealing, and my goodness in Tokyo Express the author's attention to detail is never more meticulous as his lead police detective investigator probes the smallest details of railway timetables in the most precise detail, certain that the answer to the mystery he faces lies somewhere in them. Tokyo Express opens with the death of a couple found on Kashii beach in the Kyushu region in what - despite the unusual choice of location and the unseasonable weather - has all the characteristic appearances of double suicide. Veteran Hakata police officer at Hakata, Jutaro Torigai finds a few unusual features at the scene however that lead him to investigate further. None of them really a...

Suspicion is a short work by Seicho Matsumoto, but one characteristically filled with intrigue and potential in how it explores crime and its impact on individuals and society. In one respect it's a familiar subject, a court case, or at least the build-up to a court case that is already causing concern and speculation even before it reaches trail. The accused is believed to be guilty because of her past record and, to be fair, the case against her doesn't look good. Typically however - as noted in Inspector Imanshi Investigates ), Matsumoto considers the wider social context as well as certain cultural issues, but the focus is primarily on the intrigue of the crime mystery. Kumako Onizuka is accused of murdering her husband Mr Shirakawa for insurance and is being defended by a notable lawyer called Harayama. A journalist who has been following and reporting on the case, Akitani, can't understand why the lawyer is bothering himself with such an open and shut case. Onizuka h...

This is a fascinating little murder mystery investigation that on the surface appears to be a quiet old-fashioned police procedural investigation in the style of Maigret. The investigation proceeds initially at a fairly leisurely pace, Inspector Imanishi following leads that seem to be unfruitful, trying to balance a modest family life with a determined duty to see justice done, and relying often on flashes of inspiration to make connections. In that respect, Inspector Imanishi Investigates is a competent police thriller, but almost without you noticing, the novel takes in and reveals much about the complex layers of Japanese society along the way. The murder investigation is centred on the discovery of an unidentified old gentleman, found dead on the railway tracks in Tokyo. Initial investigations fail to gain enough information and the case is reluctantly categorised as unsolved, pending any new information turning up. When a missing person report is connected to the murdered man, I...