Points and Lines (Japan's Mystery Writers) [Paperback]

Seicho Matsumoto (Author), Makiko Yamamoto (Translator), Makiko Tamamoto (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Japan's Mystery Writers | Publication Date: June 1986

The suicide of a young couple on a secluded and historically famous Japanese beach uncovers a nation-wide crime network.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English, Japanese (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

The two bodies lay on the beach in the cold, salty wind. Now that he was accompanied by the policeman, the workman was able to look at them more calmly. He noticed the woman first. She lay with her face looking up at the sky. Her eyes were closed but her mouth, partly open, revealed her white teeth. Her face was slightly flushed. Underneath a gray coat she wore a brick-colored kimono; the white collar was slightly open at the neck. The folds of the kimono were neatly arranged and she lay in a very orderly manner. The skirt ends of the kimono, fluttering in the wind, exposed the yellow lining. There were clean white socks on her feet, which lay primly aligned. Her clothes were not soiled. Nearby lay her sandals, also neatly arranged. The workman looked over at the man. His head was turned sideways. His face also appeared flushed, almost the face of a living person. He looked as if he had been drinking and had fallen asleep. The cuffs of his brown trousers showed from under a dark blue overcoat and his feet, in a pair of black shoes, were carelessly extended. The shoes were brightly polished; the socks were blue, with red stripes. The bodies lay quite close together.

Small crabs were scurrying in and out of cracks in the rocks. One little crab was trying to crawl into a bottle of orange juice that lay near the man's body.

"Love suicide," said the old policeman, looking down at the bodies. "Poor souls; still young, too."

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha America (June 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870114565
• ISBN-13: 978-0870114564
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,242,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Would 2 lovers travelling together ever eat separately?, February 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Points and Lines (Japan's Mystery Writers) (Paperback)

A couple are found dead on a desolate beach in a remote town North of Tokyo. The local authorities assume it is a double suicide. But is it? One piece of evidence, at first glance trivial, leads to an excillerating adventure. Inspector Toragay doggedly investigates a case that grows in complexity as the leads point to corruption and deceit at the highest levels. A great murder mystery story.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A gripping read and insightful guide to Japanese culture, July 11, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Points and Lines (Japan's Mystery Writers) (Paperback)

I breezed through this enthralling crime novel. The mystery is complex, the detective work brilliant, and the revelations about Japanese culture are fascinating. For those unfamiliar with Matsumoto's work, one might say that it is closer to Colin Dexter than to Elmore Leonard. My one negative comment is that the prose sometimes seems clunky. I don't know whether this is attributable to the writing of the author or the translator (or both). Give it a try!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazingly ingenious literary feat!, September 24, 2000

By 

sudointellectual - See all my reviews

This review is from: Points and Lines (Japan's Mystery Writers) (Paperback)

I just finished this book not 5 minutes ago, and it was absolutely spectacular! With a fine eye for detail, Matsumoto creates a stunning novel full of intrigue right up to the very last page. The novel is wrapped up very nicely with a superb, conclusive ending.

I definitely agree with the other reviews which sum up the power of the book. I myself was particularly impressed by the manner in which such an intricate and excellent tale was constructed. A delightful and thoroughly satisfying read! A great one for anyone who has read Inspector Imanishi or those interested in Japanese culture & mysteries.