The Mannequin House Murders / 人形館の殺人

I didn’t like this book at all. I don’t have much more to say about it.

I’ve reviewed bad books on my blog before, and made a show of all the ridiculous contrivances in them. But The Mannequin House Murders isn’t bad in that sense. The issue is that it has a lame, cop-out solution. The body of the mystery is competently written—nothing to make fun of, and nothing to salvage the work—and then the solution is disappointing. And, naturally, that essentially makes it impossible to discuss in detail without spoilers.

It’s legitimately shocking to me not just that a modern mystery author would use this solution and play it straight, but that the author to do so would be Yukito Ayatsuji, who is literally credited with kickstarting the shin-honkaku Japanese mystery movement. 

The story is about a young man named Souichi Hiryuu. Souichi’s mom died when he was young and he was effectively abandoned by his father, so he was raised by his aunt and uncle. After his father’s suicide, Souichi inherits and moves to his father’s property in Kyoto. The house is divided into two halves: one half is styled like a traditional Japanese building and functions as Souichi’s home, while the other half has a Western construction and is divided into apartments for rent. 

It’s called the “Mannequin House” because Souichi’s dad left six mannequins scattered throughout the building, and mandated in his will that they not be moved. Souichi’s dad was friends with the Fujinuma family, who knew the architect Seiji Nakamura, so there are rumors that Seiji Nakamura was involved with the remodeling of house several decades back… 

Honestly, it’s not a bad house. It’s just a shame that it shows up in a such a mediocre book. There is also a self-insert for Ayatsuji, and it's always fun seeing what authors do with those.

While the previous books in the “House” series each take place over a short period of time with the characters trapped in the titular building, Mannequin House takes place over several months, and there’s no isolated location. (They’re in the middle of Kyoto!) It’s neat seeing mysteries that take place in a specific building that isn’t isolated (like The Japanese Clock Mansion Murders), but, again… if only the solution was actually worthwhile. Also, while each previous “House” book divided its narrative structure into two parts in some way, Mannequin House eschews that trademark as well. (The narrative periodically shifts to brief, ominous snippets of the culprit, but I don't think that counts.)

I think Mannequin House can safely be skipped. The solution is a lame cop-out (perhaps the lame cop-out) and there’s no tricks of any sort. Maybe if you want atmosphere and put no expectations in the mystery it can be tolerable, but that’s not what I look for in the books I read.