Something Fishy
Welcome to the world of Fukusuke Kurenaimon, a private detective with a knack for attracting rather strange cases... His first client, for example, asks him to investigate why her ex-husband was wearing a girl's school uniform on the morning he was run over. Armed with plenty of humour, Fukusuke sets off to solve this case as well as three others. However, some grisly murder always makes things far more complicated ...
| Author | Ryuichi Kasumi |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Kadokawa Shoten |
| ISBN | 978 - 4043729012 |
| Category | Literature & Fiction |
| Publication | October, 2003 |
| Estimated length | 393P |
| Size | 148 × 106 mm |
When private detective Fukusuke Kurenaimon first interviews his clients, the incidents he has to investigate always seem quite odd, but fairly benign. For example, there doesn't seem anything dangerous about the "ochazuke case", where Fukusuke has to find out why his client was sent a rice-soup set by someone pretending to be her boyfriend.
However, in each of the four cases recounted here, things rapidly turn nasty. Not far into his investigations, someone is brutally murdered. The puzzle gets more puzzling by the minute: in the "girl's uniform case", a professor is stabbed and decapitated. Plus, it seems like the head was carried to two different places in a single night. So it seems that Fukusuke is presented with a double mystery every time.
For some reason, the key to solving these mysteries always involves fish, of all things. The boyfriend of the 'ochazuke case' client is nicknamed "the Electric Eel", because of his womanising ways. Fukusuke realises that if he can recall the significance of each type of fish within Japanese culture, he may be able to unravel these macabre murders as well as his own cases.
===== Contents =====
1. Spring --- "The Snapper with Facial Neuralgia"
2. Summer --- "The Slippery Eel"
3. Autumn --- "Grilled Pike at Dusk"
4. Winter --- "The Dangling Angler Fish"
However, in each of the four cases recounted here, things rapidly turn nasty. Not far into his investigations, someone is brutally murdered. The puzzle gets more puzzling by the minute: in the "girl's uniform case", a professor is stabbed and decapitated. Plus, it seems like the head was carried to two different places in a single night. So it seems that Fukusuke is presented with a double mystery every time.
For some reason, the key to solving these mysteries always involves fish, of all things. The boyfriend of the 'ochazuke case' client is nicknamed "the Electric Eel", because of his womanising ways. Fukusuke realises that if he can recall the significance of each type of fish within Japanese culture, he may be able to unravel these macabre murders as well as his own cases.
===== Contents =====
1. Spring --- "The Snapper with Facial Neuralgia"
2. Summer --- "The Slippery Eel"
3. Autumn --- "Grilled Pike at Dusk"
4. Winter --- "The Dangling Angler Fish"
Reviews
Told from the viewpoint of private detective Fukusuke Kurenaimon, this book presents four murder mystery cases. Drawing on aspects of life that are very important within Japanese culture, each case is set in a different season and revolves around a different type of fish. This, in combination with a typically Japanese penchant for the macabre, results in a series of fascinatingly peculiar and fast-paced stories.
Fukusuke himself is a slightly eccentric but very likable character. A self-styled, self-deprecating bachelor, he tackles his cases with humour and flair --- the weirdness of his clients' requests doesn't bother him in the least. In fact, it only seems to encourage him... Because we find ourselves inside Fukusuke's head, we are treated to a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek 'running commentary' of events, as Fukusuke tries to figure out what is going on without getting into too much trouble with the local police.
Fukusuke himself is a slightly eccentric but very likable character. A self-styled, self-deprecating bachelor, he tackles his cases with humour and flair --- the weirdness of his clients' requests doesn't bother him in the least. In fact, it only seems to encourage him... Because we find ourselves inside Fukusuke's head, we are treated to a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek 'running commentary' of events, as Fukusuke tries to figure out what is going on without getting into too much trouble with the local police.
About the Author
Ruichi Kasumi was born in Okayama Prefecture in 1959. He graduated from the Politics and Economics Faculty at Tokyo's Waseda University. In 1994 he made his debut with "Gangs of the Same Grave", winning First Runner-up at the 14th Yokomizo Seishi Prize. Many more mystery novels full of hard logic, outlandish twists as well as humour followed. "The Mystery Club", "Death of the Steam Tiger", "Dead Lobster", "The Cursed Turtle" and "The Beheaded Rokujizo" are just some of Kasumi's titles.
FOREIGN EDITIONS
| Publication | January, 2000 |
|---|
